The sugar beet intercampaign

Sugar processing plants produce sugar for three months of the year. From October to December, they operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s not to say that they stand idle for the other nine months of the year.

Although the plants work at a more ”normal” rate, stopping at the end of the day, sugar processing plants take advantage of this period, known as the “intercampaign”, to repair and modernize their equipment. The cooks, boiler operators and evaporation assistants become electricians, welders, painters and builders.

In fact, the plants’ permanent employees often have two jobs. Outside campaign periods, most of them spend their time dismantling, altering or repairing each piece of equipment that – don’t forget – operates continuously throughout the sugar beet harvest.
Some of the staff are also employed in other related areas, such as the distillery and packaging departments. They also help out during mini-campaigns, when the syrup stored after evaporation is removed for crystallisation.