The industrial production of edible oil in the Balkans dates back to the small town of Vrbas in Vojvodina. Enterprising merchant Jakob Lenji built the first oil refining workshop in this town on the shore of the Old Channel in 1855. No one could have imagined that the commissioning of this small plant would lay the foundation for a future powerful industrial giant – the VITAL plant. Lenny’s factory began production of pressed unrefined oil with manual and livestock power. The predominant raw materials were hemp, pumpkin seeds and rapeseed. Until 1929, the crude oil was refined not in Vrbas but in Budapest where the Lenji family owned a refinery. The third and fourth decades of the twentieth century, when the factory was headed by the grandson of the founder, Joseph Lenji, are very significant for the development of the first oil mill in the Balkans.
Factory history
Start of production
Manufacturing plants
During this period, production was significantly modernized, new equipment and refineries were purchased, so that the process of production of edible oil was completely completed in the willow factory. The first sunflower oil was produced in this oil mill in the 1930s. Since then, sunflower has been a major raw material in production and today represents a kind of emblem of the factory. In the late 1950s, this factory recorded two significant dates. In 1957. the first margarine factory in Serbia was completed and put into operation. Vrbas oilseeds produced the first 90 tons of this food that year. VITAL experienced the fastest development in the period from 1969. to 1977 . During this period, several production facilities were built in new locations for which the most up-to-date world oil and margarine production equipment was imported.
Start of production
The industrial production of edible oil in the Balkans dates back to the small town of Vrbas in Vojvodina. Enterprising merchant Jakob Lenji built the first oil refining workshop in this town on the shore of the Old Channel in 1855. No one could have imagined that the commissioning of this small plant would lay the foundation for a future powerful industrial giant – the VITAL plant. Lenny’s factory began production of pressed unrefined oil with manual and livestock power. The predominant raw materials were hemp, pumpkin seeds and rapeseed. Until 1929, the crude oil was refined not in Vrbas but in Budapest where the Lenji family owned a refinery. The third and fourth decades of the twentieth century, when the factory was headed by the grandson of the founder, Joseph Lenji, are very significant for the development of the first oil mill in the Balkans.
Manufacturing plants
During this period, production was significantly modernized, new equipment and refineries were purchased, so that the process of production of edible oil was completely completed in the willow factory. The first sunflower oil was produced in this oil mill in the 1930s. Since then, sunflower has been a major raw material in production and today represents a kind of emblem of the factory. In the late 1950s, this factory recorded two significant dates. In 1957. the first margarine factory in Serbia was completed and put into operation. Vrbas oilseeds produced the first 90 tons of this food that year. VITAL experienced the fastest development in the period from 1969. to 1977 . During this period, several production facilities were built in new locations for which the most up-to-date world oil and margarine production equipment was imported.
