Penza, 2 September 2015. PenzaNews. The acting governor Ivan Belozertsev has inspected the production facilities of the Penza Bread Factory No. 2 and its upgrade process during the visit to the factory on Wednesday, September 2, accompanied by the acting Agriculture Minister, deputy regional government chairman Andrei Burlakov, and city head Victor Kuvaytsev.

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They had a guided tour under the lead of the factory’s exectuve director Sergei Duzhnikov, who showed them the production lines for sugar and oatmeal cookies, gingerbread, and bread loaves.

According to Sergei Duzhnikov, the factory currently ships its production to 48 regions of Russia, ex-USSR and far abroad, including Germany and Mongolia.

After Ivan Belozertsev asked him about the use of Penza flour, the executive director explained that they used imported Russian goods throughout the last 18 months.

“We need 2,500 tons of flour a month. Penza region supplies about 200-300 tons,” Sergei Duzhnikov clarified.

Ivan Belozertsev urged to rectify this issue.

“Our crop yield increases year to year, quality improves, and the factory buys flour in other regions,” the official complained.

Presenting the production variety, Sergei Duzhnikov told the guests the factory sports over 120 types of baked and confectionary goods.

“We are producing 1,500 tons of bread a month, and 500 more tons of confectionary. The bread factory No. 4 produces 1,000 tons of bread and 600 tons of confectionary, respectively. So we give 2,500 tons a month with two factories,” he pointed out.

According to the executive director, the facilities are in dire need of skilled professionals.

“The most demanded ones are electricians, refrigerationists, welders and mechanics. And the salary is quite good: it averages at about 20,000 rubles after deductions throughout the factory, but the named professionals are paid 30 to 40 thousand rubles,” Sergei Duzhnikov explained.

In his turn, Ivan Belozertsev noted that the factory is lagging behind on salary levels.

“This is a large enterprise, the largest bread producer. The salaries must go up,” he stressed.

According to Andrei Burlakov, the bread factory No. 2 is currently undergoing reconstruction of its bread production area.

“There will be new equipment, new bread. We expect its quality to be good, with less production expenses,” he explained.

This modernization is scheduled to complete in the next year, Andrei Burlakov noted.

“We are installing it, calibration will come next. I expect to see the new goods in Q1 2016,” he stressed.