Šabac-based dairy Mlekara Šabac delivers part of its organic waste to the local biogas powerplant, and in return receives steam
Mlekara Šabac is one of the leaders of Serbia’s domestic dairy industry and has a tradition dating back almost a century. This dairy is well known on local, domestic and international markets for the quality of its products, which are made exclusively from milk sourced from Serbian farms, in accordance with traditional recipes that have enticed countless loyal consumers. The reason for its successful business operations lies primarily in unceasing development, innovation and the improvement of business processes, primarily production processes.
Of course, sustainability and long-term development always represent the initial focus of all investments in innovation, but also care for the environment and the community in which Mlekara Šabac exists and creates beloved products like Sirko, Ala kajmak and Šabačka. Also confirming this are the certificates of the system ISO 14001: 2015, ISO 50001: 2018 and ISO 45001: 2018, which relate to environmental protection, efficient energy management and the protection of worker health and safety.
“SET Green Technology recently built a biogas powerplant next to our dairy, and good communication and neighbourly relations have resulted in the creation of a new sustainable development and environmental protection solution,” explains Mlekara Šabac Technical Director Nenad Ilić. He adds that these two companies have been connected through a system of underground pipelines, in order for the dairy to be able to deliver its organic waste – whey permeate and whey, which are created in the cheese production process – to this powerplant, and in return the powerplant should deliver to the dairy steam, which is its by-product. “As a large producer that exports 60 per cent of its products to three continents, Mlekara Šabac has a great need for heat energy, and the commissioning of this project will generate direct savings in the production process, while at the same time the entire cycle will have a positive environmental impact,” concludes Nenad Ilić, the Mlekara Šabac technical director.
This is a good example of the sustainable linking of different industries, because alongside the establishing of cooperation with Mlekara Šabac, SET Green Technology has also developed a network of subcontractors to supply raw materials from the entire Mačva District, and within the scope of its four biogas plants it will – in addition to whey and whey permeate – also process crop harvesting leftovers like wheat and soybean straw, as well as maize straw.