Balticovo opens egg production complex worth 120 million euros

In Iecava, in “Vistas”, the new production complex of “Balticovo” has been opened, with approximately 120 million euros invested in its creation. The complex consists of three pullet houses, 12 laying hen houses, and a modern egg sorting facility. Approximately 160,000 hens live in one house, and almost two million birds in the entire complex. The birds in the new complex live in cage-free conditions, which significantly promotes animal welfare.

Modern cage-free houses

In the modern pullet houses, future laying hens are raised in accordance with cage-free housing system requirements, while the heart of the complex consists of 12 modern laying hen houses. The complex features an extensive and carefully designed infrastructure adapted to cage-free housing principles, with special attention paid to minimizing biosecurity risks. A new, modern egg sorting facility has also been established in the complex, enhancing the efficiency of the production process. The new facility demonstrates the company's commitment to purposefully continue a full transition to cage-free housing methods, while strengthening the company's sustainable development in the future.

The largest part of the complex was built in less than two years. Modern recuperation systems have been implemented in the houses, which help reduce air emissions, while saving energy resources and ensuring high air quality and microclimate standards for the hens living there. The complex uses the most modern equipment from leading European manufacturers, as well as contemporary technologies that ensure efficient and high-quality product inspection and processing.

1.8 million eggs per day

One of the most unique solutions in the new complex is the egg transportation system – all 12 houses are connected by a unified, two-story conveyor network that continuously delivers eggs to the sorting facility throughout the year. A particular challenge was to ensure biosecurity and protect the eggs from freezing in winter. Therefore, the conveyor system is designed with a closed top for protection against weather conditions and unique heat tunnels, where a gentle flow of warm air carefully heats the eggs during transportation. This engineering solution created by local specialists is unique not only in the Baltics but also on a global scale.

“In recent years, we have invested more than 150 million euros in the creation of free-range and cage-free systems, with the majority of these investments directed specifically to the establishment of the new complex. We built it in one year and eight months, and it represents a significant step on our path towards a full transition to cage-free systems. This complex can produce 1.7–1.8 million eggs per day – enough for almost every resident of Latvia. Annually, this amounts to more than 600 million eggs, demonstrating the complex's significant capacity. Just last year, we reached a historic milestone – for the first time in the company's history, more than a billion eggs were produced in one year. The new complex marks the next stage of development – with its full operation, the company's production capacity will be well over a billion eggs per year, strengthening its leading position in the region and its long-term development potential,” says Toms Auškāps, Member of the Board and Head of Communication and Development at AS “Balticovo”, about the new complex.