• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 12 / 22 / 2010

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2010.12.20 - 18:26:39 / [email protected]. Havana, Cuba.- The “Caribe” Canned Fruits and Vegetables Factory restored old tanks and built new ones for the preparation of pickles to launch a new line of these products in the domestic market.

“Caribe” is located on the outskirts of the town of Quivicán, in the western province of Havana, will use these tanks the production of pickled vegetables such as cucumber, cabbage, carrots, onions and peppers , all of very high demand for the Cuban population.

The vast majority of these tanks with a capacity of two tons each were left out of operations for nearly two decades, since the beginning of the 1990´s when the factory stopped its production of pickles, said Milagros Benitez, chief plant of the institution.

It was not until 2010 that the current process to recover these tanks was initiated, she said, work undertook by the Havana Comprehensive Construction Company and a specialized unit belonging to the Ministry of Basic Industry.

But the main role in this “process of expansion” was played by innovators that work in the factory, she said.

Daniel de la Cruz, head of maintenance, said the rescue of the pickling tanks helped not only to sanitize the process and humanized the work of specialists, but also contributed to the substitution of import and the savings of resources.

Previously, he explained, these containers were covered with lightweight ceramic encapsulated and embedded in a paraffin formula that became very expensive because it was imported and should be reapplied every 45 days.

Today, he continued, we avoid these costs, in the reconstruction of the tanks using a technique based on a much more durable fibreglass and epoxy resin.

Benitez noted that the first elaborations of pickles are sold now in plastic tanks (20 liter buckets) to organizations and companies.

These products go mainly to the western provinces, although they aim at expanding their distribution throughout the country, as production grows, she said.

She also announced that next year they expect to sell one kilogram containers, which may be acquired by the population in the same way it does with other products produced in the unit as tomato sauces, garlic paste and onions, jams and fruit pieces in syrup.

“Caribe” already surpassed its sales plan for 2010, which was of a little over 8 million dollars, and they up to date show digits close to 14 million, thanks to the recovery of equipment, new investments and the extension of working hours for the workers, which translate into higher salaries for them.

Source: ACN