Aktualności

Just as the seasons change, so does the nature of work in the Raw Materials Department. The end of winter and early spring is the time to sign contractual agreements, consulting on seed selection, training and meetings with growers. The first warm days of spring are brought with sowing and emergence of sugar beet. Their vegetation period is monitored from the very beginning by the Raw Materials Inspectors. In the summer months, consultancy is provided on the health and protection of sugar beet plantations. Digging of sugar beet begins immediately before the campaign and lasts from September to December. In the period of the campaign itself, when sugar plants produce sugar, the supply of raw material and its collection on the square in the sugar plant, as well as the distribution of pulp and defecation lime to growers is supervised.

Among the wide activities of the Department, the most key tasks are:

• signing contractual agreements with growers for the cultivation and delivery of sugar beet,
• cooperation with growers, Sugar Beet Growers Associations and other organizations,
• advisory in making decisions related to sugar beet cultivation from sowing to harvesting regarding:
  • selection of sugar beet seeds,
  • field preparation for sowing,
  • sowing of sugar beet,
  • protection of sugar beet plantations during vegetation,
  • sugar beet digging,
  • storage of sugar beet,
• logistics of raw material (sugar beet) supply to sugar plants during the campaign,
• logistics of distribution of co-products of sugar production (pulp, defecation lime),
• settlement and payment for delivered sugar beet,
• conducting experiments in the field of sugar beet cultivation and storage,
• organization of meetings, training sessions and conferences for growers.

The sugar factory operates in a seasonal mode. This means that during the campaign it works in a continuous shift system – 24 hours a day. The beet campaign lasts from September to mid-January from 120 to 140 days. During this time, each of the sugar plants cuts around 6,000 t of beet (brought by rail or truck) daily, of which sugar production is usually 1/6 per processing. The juice campaign usually begins a few months after the beet campaign has ended and lasts from 50 to 70 days. To obtain sugar, the juice obtained from sugar beet must go through a series of complicated, but at the same time interesting processes and physicochemical changes.

In brief, sugar production can be described in a few steps. First, after washing, the beets are cut into so-called slices, from which raw juice is obtained in the extraction process. In the next process, it is purified and concentrated by evaporation of water. The material prepared in this way is subjected to a crystallization process and then centrifuged, which results in obtaining crystal sugar. The resulting product is hygroscopic (it still contains water in its structure), so it is necessary to dry and cool before storing it in silos. Finally, it is properly packaged and distributed to recipients.

In addition to the main process, the production of sugar, other processes, such as electricity production, take place in sugar plants. The sugar plants have own boiler rooms, where steam is produced to drive the turbine set consist of a turbine and generator. In wastewater treatment plants of production facilities, some biological processes take place.

In the period between campaigns, repairs, inspections, and maintenance of machines in factories are carried out.