Alfa Laval part of Ukraine’s rebuilding scheme – advancing sunflower oil production and wastewater treatment activities

The Ukrainian flag was raised over Alfa Laval’s site in Søborg, Denmark when the Danish Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, arrived with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark, Andrii Yanevskyi, on 27 August 2024.

The visit took place in connection with an announcement from the Danish Government to raise credit funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine. With the increase, the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) will now be able to secure funding at a value of additionally 1.5 billion DKK or a total of 2.5 billion DKK (about 335 million euros) for all projects during 2024 and 2025. Alfa Laval’s recent order to support the re-establishment of a sunflower oil processing line, just outside of Kiev, opened the door to the visit.

From left to right: Danish Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Morten Bødskov, President Business Unit Food Systems Alfa Laval Lars Dithmer, Ambassador of Ukraine to Denmark Andrii Yanevskyi and First Secretary to the Ambassador Anton Rybak.

Rebuilding Ukraine’s vital sunflower oil production

Before Russia’s invasion, Ukraine accounted for 47 percent of the world’s total production of sunflower oil in 2021. It was a vital part of the country’s economy and agriculture. A new sunflower oil processing line for the Ukrainian vegetable oil producer LLC Orilskyi Obyednanyi Elevator will be delivered by Alfa Laval, with support from EIFO’s Ukraine Scheme. The producer is headquartered in Kiev, with the processing plant located in the Dnipropetrovsk region, in the eastern part of the country.  

“The new sunflower oil processing line from Alfa Laval demonstrates a big leap forward, although small in the bigger scheme of things," says Lars Dithmer, President Business Unit Food Systems, Alfa Laval. “We will enable far more sustainable processing on all parameters. The processing line will secure a quality of sunflower oil in line with internationally recognized standards. It will bring far-reaching benefits as the oil can be distributed not only to the domestic market, but also through exports which will generate additional income for the country.”

Apart from food production, Alfa Laval’s wastewater treatment activities across Ukraine are now being broadened to find additional ways of contributing. Discussions are underway as to see how Alfa Laval can be part of Denmark’s masterplan of rebuilding the city of Mykolaiv and the surrounding area.

Alfa Laval is now in discussion with EIFO about how to best advance future contributions in food production and wastewater treatment.