A unique 44-meter-tall washing powder production tower has resumed operations in Vinnytsia
AFINA Group (which manages assets through Kraitex-Service LLC) has successfully restarted a unique tower-type production line for manufacturing laundry detergents at the well-known Vinnitsapobutkhim plant. This is the only operational facility of its kind in Ukraine, enabling a significant increase in domestic production of household chemicals.
The massive 44-meter-tall industrial tower utilizes an advanced spray-drying method. This technology produces a powder with porous granules that dissolve instantly in water and ensure maximum washing performance. The upgraded line is capable of producing up to 95 metric tons of finished product in a single work shift—enough powder to wash over 3.8 million kilograms of laundry.
The entire production cycle at the plant is fully automated and includes the following stages:
Precise computerized dosing of liquid and dry components;
Preparation of a homogeneous mixture;
Spraying of raw materials through nozzles at the top of a 44-meter tower;
Drying with a counterflow of hot air as the granules fall;
Cooling, final addition of enzymes or flavorings, and automatic packaging.
A Story from Arrest to a Patriotic Restart
PJSC “Vinnitsapobutkhim” has significant industrial capacity with 12 production lines, but its operations were blocked for a long time.
The plant previously belonged to Russian oligarch Vladimir Plesovskikh and his company, “Nevskaya Kosmetika,” based in St. Petersburg. In September 2022, the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) seized the company’s assets and confiscated them for the benefit of the state. Following a transparent tender, the Ukrainian company “Kraitex-Service” (part of the AFINA Group) won the right to manage the plant, a decision confirmed by the Antimonopoly Committee in 2023.
The new Ukrainian management carried out a large-scale rebranding and derussification of the products. The previously popular brand of children’s household chemicals, “Ushasty Nyan,” was given a completely new Ukrainian identity under the “Vukhastik” trademark. In addition, the Vinnytsia plant now manufactures household chemicals and cosmetics under the brands Sarma, “Lotos-M,” “Max,” Pride, and Polar Shine.
This was reported in a press release from the company’s press service.
Previously, the “Vinnytsiapobutkhim” plant, owned by Russian oligarch Viktor Kononov, was transferred to state ownership.
