BIP
A potato crisps factory in Lower Silesia opened! It will produce for more than a dozen countries.
A fifth plant in Poland has been opened in Swietem near Sroda Slaska, which will produce world-famous snacks. Chips from the Lower Silesian production line will go to many foreign markets. The factory will employ 450 people. The plant plans to achieve zero emissions by 2035. Its opening is a major event in the region, and was held with the participation of PepsiCo's president for Europe, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the US ambassador to Poland, the Minister of Digitization and local authorities.
PepsiCo has been producing snacks in Poland for more than 30 years
The new plant will produce Lay's chips and, for the first time in Poland, Doritos nachos. The products will eventually be supplied to 20 European markets.
The establishment of the plant in Lower Silesia is an opportunity to employ 450 people, but also good information for farmers. It is from their regional crops that the potatoes supplied for the production of chips will come.
- Ultimately, 600 people will find employment here. It's a whole ecosystem that will be created around Sroda Slaska. An ecosystem that is supposed to mean benefits for everyone, for the investor, for local farmers, farmers. Already dozens of them have signed contracts," said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction with the strategy of attracting foreign investors who decide to make such large projects in Poland.
The plant is expected to be not only the largest, but also the most modern.
The opening of this new environmentally sustainable snack plant is a milestone for PepsiCo in Europe. I am proud that the opening of this facility has taken place in such a short period of time.
Silviu Popovici, President of PepsiCo Europe
Green production. The plant will achieve zero emissions by 2035
The plant, built in Lower Silesia, was built in less than 20 months. It will be the company's fifth production plant in Poland. The value of the investment in Lower Silesia is more than PLN 1 billion.
The plant will include production halls, warehouses and offices. The total area of the facility is 54,700 sq.m., which is comparable to seven soccer fields. The production hall alone occupies 23,000 sq.m., while the warehouse will accommodate up to 8,800 pallets of Lay's and Doritos chips at a time.
What the plant is particularly proud of is its state-of-the-art technical and machinery facilities, which make full use of closed-loop circulation in the production process and in the operation of the entire facility. A zero-emission production focus was put in place as early as the design phase. A treatment plant was built, solar panels, and in the near future a wind turbine factory is planned in the area. The facility is expected to achieve zero emissions by 2035.
What kind of technologies?
According to the announcement of the company just opening its factory, an innovative solution is a heat recovery system from the potato frying process. The generated power is 3 MW, which is 60% of the heat needed to heat the entire building. Technological processes will be powered exclusively from green sources. The plant will use a 3.2 MW electric steam boiler, which will reduce the carbon footprint.
- By producing products from natural raw materials, the food plant generates large amounts of biogas, which is also obtained in the wastewater treatment process. 100% of this biogas is used at the plant to heat the treatment building. In line with the reuse, even the starch from the potato processing will be recovered in a centrifuge and sold as a raw material for processing into animal feed, for example, PepsiCo announced.
The plant will also reuse water resources. For example, hot water for washing (CIP - Cleaning In Place), will be obtained from the cooking oil cooling process. On the other hand, water from the potato slicing process will be returned for reuse for pre-rinsing potatoes.
The complex will feature an advanced wastewater treatment plant, a system for collecting and recovering rainwater for the plant's own use. In addition, there will be modern interiors for employees, such as kitchens, conference rooms, a garden for relaxation, and a charging area for electric vehicles.
In addition, the location near Swiete is no accident. The plant's location will reduce transportation routes by more than 4.5 million kilometers per year, which will reduce CO2 emissions throughout the supply chain. The snacks produced will go to more than a dozen countries in Europe.
The first chips will come off the production line as early as June
In the first phase of production, 3 production lines will be in operation. Two will be used to produce Lay's potato chips, while the third will produce Doritos nachos for the first time in Poland. Each production line, within one hour, will be able to produce between 12,500 and 30,000 packets of snacks.