Visit to ZAO Atlant

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko visited ZAO Atlant on 10 July.

The head of state will be reported on the company's production activities and development prospects, and the progress in the implementation of the international project Atlant 2020. The President got familiar with the organization of the production shops and the refrigerator manufacturing process. Aleksandr Lukashenko also met with the members of the student work brigades - participants of the Atlant 2020 project and employees company.

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko praised the performance of ZAO Atlant amid the pandemic during his visit to the enterprise.“There are positive movements in any crisis situation, and we must use them,” the head of state said.

The President was informed that in 2020 the enterprise appeared in a difficult situation because of the introduction of restrictions on foreign markets as a result of the pandemic. However, the procurement and logistics departments managed to ensure the provision of materials and parts as well as to prevent idle time at the enterprise. Besides, Atlant ramped up online sales. “As we did not stop in this time, in these conditions Atlant was the only manufacturer of refrigerators and washing machines on our market. Therefore, we managed to meet the increased demand and set a sales record in March 2020. We sold 90,000 refrigerators. Atland has never sold 90,000 fridges in March before,” Dmitry Sokolovsky said.

Atlant continued to sell equipment after March. Thanks to these efforts, the enterprise’s sales profitability reached 2.4% in six months. Atlant is confident and hopes to end the year in the black.

“This is great! You have done what all enterprises should have done. As I have said, when they open they will see that there is nothing there. And we will offer our products. This is a bright example: your products were available, and people bought them. Executives did their job on time,” the Belarusian leader said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko deemed it necessary to launch the production of new equipment with an emphasis on import substitution. “Import substitution will be very important for us, it will be one of the main priorities in 2021-2025,” the head of state stressed. “On our behalf, we can guarantee (we will think how to do it) the protection of the domestic consumer market.”

The President recalled that some time ago the right decision was made to organize the manufacture of compressors in Belarus. “All enterprises should move in this direction in terms of import substitution. But such flagships as Atlant, MAZ, BelAZ, MTZ should launch the production of two new kinds of products,” the head of state said. In this regard, the President was informed about Atlant’s plans to organize the manufacture of dishwashers.

At the meeting with Atlant workers and members of the student work brigades - participants of the Atlant 2020 project the President spoke in positive terms about their efforts and stressed once again that the method of fighting the coronavirus infection which was chosen in Belarus was right. “When the whole world panicked and closed production facilities, we continued to work. As it turned out, only Belarusian-made products were available in retail stores during these months, fridges and washing machines in this case. Thus, we were right,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. In his words, foreign partners are now interested in Belarus’ experience.

“The main thing is that we held out, did not close productions, and now we can sell our products, we occupy free markets. The main thing is to hold them, not to give them away to anybody in the future. The development of production and your salaries will depend on it. You have done a good job. This vividly testifies that the course that we had chosen back then was right,” the President stressed.