Miory Regional Executive Committee
Many, when evaluating the Soviet period, forget (or deliberately conceal) an important nuance: it was during this time that the scientific and industrial potential was formed, thanks to which many post-Soviet countries live to this day. Belarus included. We did not destroy all of this. As our neighbors did at the insistent request of the West. And now Belarus has something to be proud of. Just one example is the Atlant enterprise. Today, its household appliances are well-known not only in the post-Soviet republics, but also in many European countries and even in distant Australia. How did an ordinary manufacturer of canning machines and doll strollers become the main refrigerator factory, and why was the Belarusian "Atlant" not broken by either the difficult 1990s or the dangerous pandemic? What washing machine does Alexander Lukashenko use and for what do the factory workers thank the Belarusian President? We will tell you all about this in a new issue of the BELTA YouTube project "As a Matter of Fact: The First's Decisions".
When was the first Belarusian refrigerator created
The history of Belarusian "Atlant" began in 1959. It was then that the Council of Ministers of the BSSR decided to modernize the Minsk Gas Equipment Plant and master the production of electric refrigerators. Three years later, the enterprise, which had previously produced simple consumer goods - door locks, canning machines, and doll strollers - released its first refrigerator. It was simply named "Minsk-1".
At the origins of this model were Murom specialists who helped Belarusians master new technologies, says Mikhail Zuy, a member of the supervisory board of Atlant CJSC. At the enterprise, he went from a fitter of mechanical assembly work to deputy general director for quality management.
What the first Belarusian refrigerators looked like
"In April 1962, a batch of "Minsk-1" refrigerators was produced. They were made in the shape of a kitchen table. There were shelves for storing food and the refrigerator itself with a freezer compartment. At that time, it was very convenient for small apartments to have such a refrigerator that simultaneously served as a table, a cabinet, and a refrigerator. The only thing lacking was storage space for food," explains Mikhail Zuy.
To solve this problem, the task was set to develop a new refrigerator. A couple of years later, "Minsk-2" came off the assembly line. It was already a truly mass-produced model. If in 1962 the factory produced only 800 units of the first model, then in 1964, 30 thousand units of the updated equipment came off the line.
"The need arose to create a freestanding refrigerator, detached from the table. Kitchen layouts changed, kitchens became larger, and rearrangements were possible. If we look at the development dynamics of the entire line of refrigerators under the "Minsk" brand, we see an increase in the volume of both the freezer compartment and the refrigerator compartment," says our guide, showing the first models.
How Minsk Refrigerators Began to Conquer Europe
In 1971, the factory celebrated a milestone - the millionth unit came off the assembly line. Two years later, the first two-chamber refrigerator "Minsk-7" saw the light of day. Before the Belarusians, no one in the Soviet Union had undertaken its production. Around the same time, the first batch of refrigerators with polyurethane foam insulation was released. Yes, Minsk designers repeatedly set trends for other manufacturers. Here are a couple more examples: it was in Belarus that the first domestic freezer cabinet in the USSR was produced. And in the 1980s, refrigerators with a bottom freezer compartment began to come off the Minsk assembly line - a novelty of that time.
Refrigerators were manufactured in many cities of the former Soviet Union based on Minsk documentation: in Alytus, Baku, Dushanbe, Chisinau, and Samarkand. Unfortunately, exporting Belarusian household appliances to other countries at that time was incredibly difficult. However, for the sake of the Minsk Refrigerator Plant, the government made concessions. The supply of the first batches to Greece and Poland in 1973 marked the beginning of the enterprise's successful operation in the global market. As a result, residents of Sweden, England, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, Finland, and even Australia were able to appreciate the appliances.
How Refrigerators Became a Factory Worker's Calling
The year 1977 was significant for the Minsk Refrigerator Plant – it was the date of the establishment of the "Atlant" household appliance manufacturing association. Along with the Minsk Refrigerator Plant, three other enterprises from Russia and Lithuania joined it.
"This is my first and only workplace. I came here after serving in the army in 1979; I was 20 years old. And for all 44 years, I have been working at the Atlant plant. Of these, 42 years as a foreman on the assembly line. In the 1980s, when I joined the plant, we produced, perhaps, five or six models. And now we have a very large model range. I find it interesting – new models. I approach the guys on the conveyor when we start assembling; I want to try, to install something myself, to demonstrate," says Nikolai Sviridovich, a fitter-assembler of household appliances and Honored Worker of Atlant, speaking warmly about his work.
What Happened at Belarusian "Atlant" in the 1990s
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the production association also fell apart. This disrupted previous economic ties, but the Minsk assembly line did not stop. Necessary components, previously supplied from Lithuania and Russia, began to be produced in Belarus. And soon, "Atlant" spread its wings.
"Never, even in difficult times, did the management consider selling the enterprise. On the contrary, they thought about where to buy something and how to expand their production capacities. When the Household Appliances Plant was opened, the President visited the enterprise. We have good impressions left in the archives, tasks that were set for Atlant for development. Atlant has over 20 more enterprises that work today to supply components. This, accordingly, creates jobs. Therefore, in my opinion, we were fulfilling a state task by attracting and developing these small towns," notes Mikhail Zuy.
And if in 1993 the enterprise was essentially a single-product manufacturer, producing only a few types of refrigerators and freezers, over the years it has transformed into a diversified modern enterprise.
"We have three production sites: two in Minsk, one in Baranovichi. We have an agricultural enterprise. At the same time, we have expanded the range of products we produce. That is, besides household appliances, which are currently represented by more than 50 models of refrigerators and freezers and almost 30 models of washing machines, we are a fairly large producer of industrial products. Our branch in Baranovichi is the only one in the former Soviet Union that produces full-cycle plastic processing equipment. This is a large volume of machine tool construction. This also includes work on refrigeration medical equipment and trade equipment," says Dmitry Sokolovsky, General Director of Atlant.
Alexander Lukashenko emphasized back in the 2000s that only large, well-equipped enterprises are capable of withstanding competitive struggle and at the same time ensuring dynamic economic development. Belarus did not follow the advice of Western advisors who recommended breaking up industrial and agricultural associations. This would have been a path to collapse, the President explained. And today, Atlant, like other leading Belarusian enterprises, is a European-level plant.
What Appliances Does the President of Belarus Use
By the way, does the head of state have "Atlant" appliances? Alexander Lukashenko spoke about this in 2020, during a meeting with the plant's employees.
"I am a very devoted person to my state and my people. I am for refrigerators, washing machines, and so on to be from our Atlant plant. I am very proud of this product and have been familiar with this product for a very, very long time, for more than a decade. I was involved in the opening of your washing machine plant. Your team gave me this washing machine then. This machine still works for me without repairs. I also have your refrigerator. Your service is well-organized: they will come and fix it without any problems, if necessary, they will take it away, and then they started giving replacements, refrigerators, and so on. This is the most important thing. No foreigner will provide such service in the Belarusian market as we do. Competition, everything is clear. But we must protect and support our own market. I urge you to buy Belarusian," the President said at the time.
Why Belarus decided to go its own way during the pandemic
Of course, in the modern history of "Atlant," there have been both ups and downs. We all remember how the global economy was turbulent in different years. These crises could not bypass Belarus with its open economy and enterprises focused on exporting their products. But the authorities never left the plants alone with their problems. And this is an undeniable advantage of state policy, ordinary plant workers are sure.
"I want to say honestly. In my opinion (maybe I don't understand something), our head of state and our government always support us. Us - a state structure. I think it's easier for us now than for some private owner. A private owner could have gone bankrupt, where would he have gotten the money? But Alexander Grigoryevich always helps. It's hard for a person, for an enterprise itself. If there is state support, everyone works, everyone lives. Therefore, there is confidence in the future, that we will come to work, we will work, that we will not be told: there is no work today, leave, look for work. I think this is the right way," says plant worker Nikolai Sviridovich.
Of course, here we would like to clarify a little. State support does not mean thoughtless and insane pouring of funds. The Belarusian President is always demanding and principled in these matters: the state will certainly lend a helping hand, but a return is needed. Giving up and making excuses is unacceptable.
At the beginning of 2020, when appointing a new head of the enterprise, Alexander Lukashenko admitted that the "neighbor" had been bothering him for a long time.
"Atlant"... it has been "bothering" me for a long time. When I received information that your finances were not doing well (and you were in charge of finances), I realized that something probably needed to be done with "Atlant". I want you to understand: "Atlant" is a state-owned enterprise, no matter who you give these shares to. It is the President's neighbor, across the road: every day, when I am at the Palace of Independence, I look at "Atlant" and immediately remember all the shortcomings and ailments that you have. I will stay at "Atlant" (I told the former director about this), and there we will look at your work. But the talk that the market is tough, there is competition, someone has flooded Russia with something, and so on... This is understandable to everyone. Our country is like this, the real sector of the economy. And we somehow competed before. And today some people have given up, including at "Atlant". Therefore, think about how we will get out of the current situation," the head of state set tasks for the new leadership.
A few months later, Alexander Lukashenko actually visited "Atlant". It was a difficult period not only for the Minsk enterprise. And not only for Belarus: the entire world was hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Borders closed with a snap. As did factories, plants, cafes and restaurants, museums - all states, panicking, retreated into themselves. All except Belarus. The authorities, soberly assessing the situation, did not succumb to panic and decided to go their own way. Without stopping life in the country and without freezing the economy.
Yes, somewhere we moved by feel. Somewhere we stumbled. At times, we were subjected to very harsh criticism from the outside. But we moved forward confidently. Being the first is never easy, but the result is worth it. And subsequent events confirmed the correctness of the course chosen by the President.
Why Alexander Lukashenko Cited "Atlant" as an Example for Other Enterprises
In 2020, "Atlant," like all other enterprises, found itself in a difficult situation. New restrictions appeared on foreign markets, but the plant did not stop production. As a result, it became the only one capable of meeting the increased demand for large household appliances in the region. A sales record was set in March: 90,000 refrigerators found their owners. This had never happened in the entire 60-year history of "Atlant."
"During the panic that occurred three months ago, perhaps a little more, we chose our own path and followed it. And we are convinced that we acted correctly then. If we had closed production then, we would never have reopened it. In March, you set a record for the first time in the plant's history. You have never sold as much as you did in March. April, May, and June also showed high figures. Slightly lower, but very high. Why? Because when the whole world panicked and closed production, as they say, 'shrank,' we worked. And it turned out that during these months, the shelves of stores were mainly stocked with products from Belarus, in this case, refrigerators and washing machines. That's where we were right. But the main thing here (I want to emphasize again) is that we persevered, did not close production, and today we can sell our products. This is natural – we are occupying free markets. The main thing is to hold onto them later and not give them up to anyone," Alexander Lukashenko summarized.
In the same year, Atl
According to Dmitry Sokolovsky, experimental samples have already been manufactured and he has tested them himself. The application will allow for remote control of the refrigerator's operation, for example, changing operating modes, lowering or raising the temperature.
It's good if you think about it: so what is the secret of "Atlant"? It's the same as the secret of all of Belarus - ordinary people. Hardworking Belarusians who, despite the surprises or even whims of fate, always move forward. Without yielding to any circumstances.
There's even a joke about it:
- And how do you say "forward" in Belarusian?
- "Napierad"...
- And "backward"?
- Belarusians don't have the word "backward". If needed, they turn around - and go forward!