Many, when assessing the Soviet period, forget (or deliberately remain silent about) an important nuance: it was during this time that the scientific and industrial potential was formed, thanks to which many post-Soviet countries still live today. And Belarus is among them. We did not destroy all of this. As our neighbors did at the insistent request from 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 sealing machines and doll prams become the main refrigerator factory, and why was the Belarusian "Atlant" not broken by the difficult 1990s or the dangerous pandemic? What washing machine does Alexander Lukashenko use, and what do the factory workers thank the Belarusian President for? We will tell you all about this in the 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, sealing machines, and doll prams - released its first refrigerator. It was simply named "Minsk-1".
At the origins of this model were specialists from Murom, who helped the Belarusians master new technologies, says Mikhail Zuy, a member of the supervisory board of CJSC "Atlant". At the enterprise, he went from a fitter of mechanical assembly work to deputy general director for quality management.
What did the first Belarusian refrigerators look 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 to have such a refrigerator in small apartments, which simultaneously performed the function of a table, a bedside table, and a refrigerator. Only the storage volume for food was lacking," explains Mikhail Zuy.
To solve this problem, the task was set to develop a new refrigerator. A couple of years later, the "Minsk-2" came off the assembly line. This was already a truly mass-produced model. While in 1962 the plant produced only 800 refrigerators of the first model, in 1964, 30,000 units of the updated equipment rolled off the line.
"There was a need to create a freestanding refrigerator, detached from the table. Kitchen layouts changed, kitchens became larger, and rearrangement was 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 and the refrigerator compartments," says our guide, showing the first models.
How Minsk Refrigerators Began to Conquer Europe
In 1971, the plant celebrated a milestone – the millionth unit came off the assembly line. Two years later, the first two-chamber refrigerator, "Minsk-7," was released. 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 produced. 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-mounted freezer compartment began to roll 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 still 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 technology.
How Refrigerators Became a Factory Worker's Calling
The year 1977 became significant for the Minsk Refrigerator Plant – this is the date of the establishment of the "Atlant" association for the production of household appliances. Along with the Minsk Refrigerator Plant, three other enterprises from Russia and Lithuania joined it.
"This is my first and only place of work. 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 in the assembly section. In the 1980s, when I came to the plant, we produced, probably, 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, Honored Worker of Atlant, speaking warmly about his work.
What happened at the 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 conveyor did not stop. The necessary components, which were 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, then over the years it has transformed into a diversified modern enterprise.
"We have three production sites: two in Minsk and one in Baranovichi. We also have an agricultural enterprise. In addition, we have expanded our range of manufactured products. This means that besides household appliances, which currently include more than 50 models of refrigerators and freezers and almost 30 models of washing machines, we are a fairly large producer of industrial goods. Our branch in Baranovichi is the only one in the former Soviet Union that produces a full cycle of plastic processing equipment. This involves a large volume of machine tool construction. It also includes work on refrigeration and medical equipment, and commercial equipment," says Dmitry Sokolovsky, General Director of Atlant.
Back in the 2000s, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized that only large, well-equipped enterprises are capable of withstanding competitive struggles and 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 ruin, the President explained. And today, Atlant, like other leading Belarusian enterprises, is a European-level factory.
What Appliances Does the President of Belarus Use
By the way, does the head of state use 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 in favour of refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances being from our Atlant plant. I am very proud of these products and have been familiar with them for a very, very long time, for several decades. I was involved in the opening of your washing machine plant. Your team presented me with a washing machine back then. That machine is still working for me without any repairs. I also have your refrigerator. Your service is well-organized: they will come and fix it without any problems, take it away if necessary, and then they started providing replacement refrigerators and so on. This is the most important thing. No foreigner will provide service on the Belarusian market like we do. Competition is understandable. 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
Certainly, "Atlant" has experienced both ups and downs in its modern history. We all remember how the global economy has been turbulent in different years. These crises could not bypass Belarus with its open economy and enterprises focused on exporting their products. However, the authorities have never left the factories to face their problems alone. And this is an undeniable advantage of state policy, as ordinary factory workers believe.
"I want to say honestly. In my opinion (perhaps 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 entity. A private entity might have collapsed, where would it get money? But Alexander Grigoryevich always helps. It's hard for an individual, for the 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 won't be told: there is no work today, go and look for a job. I think this is the right way," says factory worker Nikolai Sviridovich.
Of course, one would like to clarify a few points here. Support from the state does not mean thoughtless and reckless injection of funds. The Belarusian President is always demanding and principled in these matters: the state will certainly offer support, but a return is expected. Giving up and making excuses is unacceptable.
At the beginning of 2020, when appointing a new head to the enterprise, Alexander Lukashenko admitted that "the neighbour" 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 involved in finances), I realised 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 those shares to. It's the President's neighbour, across the road: every day, when I'm at the Palace of Independence, I look at "Atlant" and immediately recall all the shortcomings and problems you have. I will focus on "Atlant" (I told the former director about this), and there we will look at your work. But talk about how the market is tough, competition, someone has flooded Russia with something, and so on... Everyone understands this. Our entire country is like this, the real sector of the economy. And we somehow competed before. But today, some 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 coronavirus pandemic swept across the entire world. Borders closed as if by a snap of the fingers. 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 halting life in the country or freezing the economy.
Yes, we moved forward by trial and error in some areas. We stumbled in others. At times, we faced very harsh criticism from outside. But we moved forward with confidence. Being 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 held "Atlant" up as an example to 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 course and followed it. And we are convinced that we acted correctly then. If we had closed production at that time, 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, in a panic, closed down production, as people say, "shrank," we worked. And it turned out that during those 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 afterwards and not give them up to anyone," Alexander Lukashenko summed up.
In the same year, Atlant distinguished itself once again. The plant launched a youth employment project, hiring 13 student work crews from all over Belarus. Everyone benefited. In the summer, when production volumes typically increase, the enterprise gained additional manpower. And the students earned well during their holidays. Moreover, after two months of work at Atlant, the young people acquire the profession of a first-category appliance assembly fitter. As participants of the student work crew, they also have the opportunity to engage in sports and creative activities, patriotic campaigns, and visit museums and theatres. Many purposefully seek employment at the enterprise after graduating from higher education. Even if the phrase "I work at a factory" may not sound entirely glamorous and modern to some.
"At the very beginning, I thought, 'How can a girl work at a factory?' Because people imagine me standing at a machine, cutting out some small parts, and so on. I studied at a technological university, my specialty is "coatings." Currently, I work in the tooling department, which produces technological equipment: dies and molds. I also worked on assembly. It's a unique experience, but very demanding. Monotonous work, if you're not used to it, is tiring. In the near future, I plan to move to the painting department, as I still want to try out my specialty, which I studied for 4.5 years. When I first came to the factory, I was most worried about my colleagues, but they turned out to be very friendly. So, I go to work with pleasure," says process engineer Ksenia Akhramovich with a shy smile.
What Innovations is Atlant Preparing to Delight Us With
The plant has announced the upcoming release of a refrigerator and a washing machine with remote control functionality via a smartphone or tablet application. Regarding their release dates, the head of the enterprise explained that such a refrigerator will be available by the end of 2023, and the washing machine in 2024.
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.
If we think about it, what is the secret of "Atlant"? It is the same as the secret of all of Belarus – ordinary people. Hardworking Belarusians who, despite surprises or even whims of fate, always move forward. Without yielding to any circumstances.
There is even a joke about it:
- And how do you say "forward" in Belarusian?
- "Na pierad"...
- And "backward"?
- Belarusians don't have the word "backward". If needed, they turn around – and go forward!
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