Oldest Cement Plant in Belarus Being Demolished in Vawkavysk District

The buildings have been vacant for about a quarter-century, are severely neglected, and are in an emergency state. Local residents proposed preserving at least one workshop and creating a museum there, but this idea was rejected due to the risk of collapse.

After demolition, a green zone is planned to be created on the cleared area of 16 hectares. No new production facilities are intended to be built there.

The old workshops in the center of Krasnaselski ceased operations around 2000, when the production became completely outdated. Since then, the large industrial area gradually turned into an abandoned complex. In the 2010s, the buildings began to be dismantled for bricks and metal. For many residents of the settlement, the plant remained one of its main symbols and a part of their childhood memories.

Павялічыць

Ihar Haletski, head of the capital construction department at "Krasnaselskbudmateryyaly" enterprise, explained that the decision to demolish was made for practical reasons. According to him, creating a museum would be simpler if all the buildings stood close together. However, the old workshops are located at a significant distance from each other, are in an emergency state, and pose a danger to people.

Павялічыць

Preparation for dismantling began back in 2025: a contractor was selected, and permission was obtained from the State Construction Supervision. In April, heavy machinery from "Ekalogiya Horada" (City Ecology) company arrived at the site. Workers are now operating on a rotational basis, using crawler excavators with hydraulic hammers, buckets, and special shears. Piles of broken concrete and bricks remain where the massive buildings once stood.

Павялічыць

Construction debris is sorted on site. Metal is sent for recycling, while concrete and bricks are crushed. The resulting aggregate is planned to be used for road surfacing and quarry reclamation by the enterprise. After clearing, the territory will be handed over to the Krasnaselski Rural Executive Committee. It occupies about 160,000 square meters within the settlement itself.

The history of the plant began even before World War I. In 1913, local landowner Henryk Matskevich, together with the "Volyn" joint-stock company, began building a cement plant south of Krasnoye Selo village. The location was chosen for a reason: rich chalk deposits were nearby.

On August 14, 1914, the enterprise produced its first products. Two technological lines could produce about 38,000 tons of cement annually. Part of the production was used, in particular, in the construction of fortifications for the Grodno Fortress.

Павялічыць

The outbreak of World War I halted production. The territory was occupied by German troops, who even considered dismantling or destroying the workshops, but ultimately left them untouched.

In 1921-1939, when Western Belarus was part of Poland, the plant was modernized and renamed "Vysoka". After the Western Belarusian lands were annexed to the BSSR in 1939, the enterprise was nationalized.

Павялічыць

During World War II, the plant was severely damaged. However, already after the liberation of the settlement in 1944, its restoration began. On November 14 of the same year, the enterprise once again produced cement. In 1945, it was named "Peramoha" (Victory).

In the post-war decades, the plant was constantly reconstructed and expanded: new kilns, grinding workshops, crushing departments, and dust collection units were built. By the early 1960s, the enterprise's capacity had grown to approximately 630,000 tons of cement per year.

Cement from Krasnaselski was used in large construction projects in various regions of the USSR and other countries. These included the Bratsk Hydroelectric Power Station, the Ostankino Television Tower, the Aswan Dam in Egypt, and the launch pads of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

In the 1970s, the "Vawkavysktsementnashyfer" production association was created based on the plant. In addition to cement, it also produced slate and lime.

By the end of the 1980s, the old equipment and production facilities were morally and physically outdated. Therefore, it was decided to build a new modern plant nearby. At the turn of the 1990s and 2000s, the historical workshops finally ceased operations. A new production complex, "Krasnaselskbudmateryyaly," emerged nearby, which now produces over 1.5 million tons of cement annually, as well as building blocks, lime, and dry mixes.

In December 2021, activists and public initiatives proposed including the plant's historical buildings in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values. However, on December 21, 2021, members of the Grodno Regional Heritage Council inspected the buildings, met with a representative of the owner, and decided not to support this proposal. As a result, the old plant could not be preserved as a monument of industrial heritage.

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 4
• 0
• 0
• 1
• 0