Zeitz plant
Factory tours
We offer factory tours only during the sugar beet processing campaign, from October to December/January. For more information, please contact the factory you would like to visit directly.
Address
Südzucker AG - Werk Zeitz
Albrechtstraße 54
06712 Zeitz
Germany
Phone: +49 3441 899-305
E-mail: [email protected]
About the sugar factory
Sugar from beets has been produced at the Zeitz mill for over 150 years. This makes the city one of the most tradition-rich locations of Germany's sugar industry. The new Zeitz factory was built in 1993 to replace the original operation, which dated back to 1858. It is one of the major new sugar mills built in Germany's new states following the reunification.
The factory operates twenty-four hours per day during the campaign, which lasts from September to January. Several thousand tonnes of beets are delivered and converted to syrup and sugar daily. A significant amount of the beet syrup produced daily is stored and converted to sugar during a syrup campaign in the spring/summer of the following year. As a result, a large part of the plant is fully loaded almost year-round.
History of the factory
September 1857
First stone laying by the founders.
23 October 1857
Delivery of the first factory stamp manufactured by the court engraver Jahn in Dresden.
31 December 1857
Partnership contract: Founding of the company Zuckerfabrik Zeitz. Every associate is indentured to cultivate sugar beets on at least 35 acres.
1858
Construction of the factory. It is mechanically equipped by the companies Röhrig und König (Magdeburg) and Gebr. Forstreuter (Oschersleben). On 12 December, the permit to put the plant into operation is granted.
Chairman of the sugar factory is mill owner Hermann Rossner who will hold this position until his death in 1892.
1871-1894
Acquisition of 138 hectares of agricultural property.
1872
Construction of a workers‘ barrack on the town path of Grana.
18 April 1876
Conversion from Ltd. into a cooperative with full liability.
1877
Refitting for the diffusion method.
1881
Construction of a rail connection with shipping track.
11 November 1889
The General Assembly determines the conversion into a corporation. Two days later, it decides to liquidate the cooperative.
2 April 1890
Conversion into a stock corporation: Zuckerfabrik Zeitz Aktiengesellschaft, Zeitz.
13 January 1894
Change to a Ltd. with a total of 21 shareholders.
1903
Conversion to white sugar production accompanied by the extension of production facilities.
1910
Acquisition of 25 percent of shares in Freyburger Kalksteinwerke GmbH, Freyburg. The sugar factory can thus obtain limestone at cost price.
1911
A failed harvest leads to poor production figures. The intended increased performance as a result of a reconstruction cannot be achieved for the moment.
January 1914
Acquisition of the Rossner municipal estate in immediate vicinity of the sugar factory which is absolutely necessary for the extension of the plant.
World War I
Employment of prisoners of war in the sugar factory.
August 1918
Acquisition of the steam brickworks in Aue for the supply of the plant with sufficient building material for the extension of it.
1922-1924
Gradual acquisition of the coal mine „Bruderzeche H. Solf" in Kriebitzsch near Meuselwitz.
1928
Production start of the noble syrup spread "Zesy-Gold".
1933
Purchase of the decommissioned plant of Zuckerfabrik Stötzen U.B.
30 July 1946
The sugar factory Zeitz is transferred into public property.
1956
The production of "Zesy-Gold" is stopped.
1957
First cane sugar campaign begins and small packaging is put into operation. The sale of “Zeitzer Zucker” in 1-kilogram packages starts.
1960-1990
Processing of Cuban raw cane sugar to support the socialist brother nation.
1 January 1965
Formation of the nationally owned enterprise “Zuckerfabrik ‘Fortschritt’ (“Sugar factory ‘Progress’”) in Zeitz, which unites the sugar factories Zeitz, Markranstädt and Lützen. After two years, the sugar factory Delitzsch is also assigned to the VEB.
1984/85
Completion and commissioning of the three sugar silos.
30 November 1990
Reorganization of the sugar industry in the south of the German Democratic Republic through a contract between Südzucker AG, the Association of southern German Sugar Beet Growers, the Association of Saxon-Thuringian Sugar Beet Growers and the Deutsche Ostzucker AG: Südzucker AG takes over 13 sugar factories.
10 February 1991
Foundation of Südzucker GmbH (Südzucker Ltd.), with retroactive effect from 1 July 1990, based in Zeitz as a wholly owned subsidiary of Südzucker AG. Acquisition of 13 sugar factories of the former GDR: Artern, Brottewitz, Delitzsch, Döbeln, Löbau, Lützen, Oberröblingen, Oldisleben, Roitzsch, Straußfurt, Vitzenburg, Walschleben, Zeitz
22 February 1991
Control and profit and loss transfer agreement between Südzucker AG and Südzucker Ltd.: Südzucker Ltd. has to pay its whole profit retained to Südzucker AG. The AG is obliged to recoup deficits.
Trade register entry of Südzucker Ltd. as successor company of the six formerly nationally owned enterprises Zuckerfabriken Artern, Brottewitz, Delitzsch, Löbau, Straußfurt and Zeitz.
7 October 1991
Registration of the trademark „Zeitzer Zucker" at the German patent office.
1991-1993
Construction of a new sugar factory in Zeitz. Apart from Plattling, the Zeitz plant has the largest storage capacities for syrup. When constructing the plant, it was deliberately decided to run syrup campaigns in order to reduce the high investments in sugar production.
2005
Bioethanol plant goes into operation.
2010
Manufacturing plant for liquid CO2 goes into operation.
14 October 2014
Establishment of a works fire brigade. Due to the construction of the wheat starch plant, the city of Zeitz alone can no longer guarantee fire protection. Thus, a works fire brigade is formed.
2016
Wheat starch plant goes into operation.