Remarkably, the modernization and expansion of the Globino Group’s pig production farms and meat processing plant in the Poltava Oblast of Ukraine was completed in October 2023, despite the uncertainties of the war currently engulfing the country. The Penetron System of crystalline concrete waterproofing products was specified to ensure durable concrete structures.
The Globino Group is a major meat processing conglomerate in Ukraine. The Group operations comprise a feed mill, pig breeding / growing complex, and meat processing plant. The Group also operates a cheese and butter production plant – and sells processed meats, butter, and cheese under the “Globino” brand.
“We first began working with the Globino Group in 2009 and assisted the company during the construction of their biogas facility, also located in the Poltava region. The facility’s concrete silos needed protection from the acidic environment of organic waste and pulp, which can severely damage a concrete matrix in only a few years,” explains Evgeniy Khodaovskiy, Director of Vemax Company, the Penetron distributor for the Dnipro Region of Ukraine. “Most recently, we worked on the expansion of Globino’s pig farm.”
With a total area of 704,500 m2, the Globino pig farm is designed to raise and process a large number of pigs in a very cost-efficient manner. With about 40,000 pigs, this modern industrial pig-farm is labor intensive; the pigs are kept on solid floor pens with one side bedded in straw and housed in climate-controlled buildings.
The feces and waste produced by an industrial scale farm is highly toxic, containing a number of pathogens and bacteria, and even heavy metals. To prevent these toxins from percolating through the concrete – and into the soil and underlying groundwater – a robust concrete waterproofing solution was needed for the pig pens and floors of the processing plant. Vemax collaborated with the Globino project engineers to provide an optimal concrete waterproofing solution.
“Vemax had already provided successful concrete waterproofing solutions for Globino’s previous infrastructure projects, including a meat production plant and the biogas facility,” adds Olga Vorona, Director of Penetron Ukraine. “To ensure concrete structures are resistant to the aggressive environment of the animal waste – and the resulting corrosion – Vemax specified the Penetron System of crystalline products.”
Once added to the concrete mix, PENETRON ADMIX reduces concrete permeability, increases chemical resistance, and enables the self-sealing of any new or future hairline cracks – enhancing durability and extending the service life of the Globino plant’s treated concrete elements. PENETRON ADMIX was specified for the concrete structures of the animal stalls and the plant’s waste processing system. PENEBAR SW swellable waterstop strips were also used to seal the new concrete joints.
“Because we’re still in a war zone, keeping it simple and avoiding delays on this project was crucial,” adds Olga Vorona. “PENETRON ADMIX is easy to implement, simplifying the waterproofing and protection solution. It also helps substantially reduce future waterproofing-related maintenance costs.”
