Engineers Driving Change: How 1AK-GROUP Develops Manufacturing Leaders
The second Lean Innovation Cup was held at 1AK-GROUP. In 2026, for the first time, the final was preceded by Smart Production School – seven months of training and work on real manufacturing projects.
1AK-GROUP held its second Lean Innovation Cup — a final conference where teams from the Group’s companies presented and defended their improvement projects. In 2026, for the first time, the format was expanded to include Smart Production School: from March onward, participants studied Lean tools and project management, worked on challenges at their own production sites, implemented solutions and calculated their economic impact. The final, hosted by ZUBR Energy LLC, brought this work to a close.
The first Lean Innovation Cup was held in September 2025 at 4RM Systems in Vitebsk. Seven teams took part in the final: the two 4RM division plants — 4RM Systems and 4RM Refrigeration — as well as Pinsk Experimental Mechanical Plant, Fregat, ZUBR Energy, Accumulator Alliance and Demetra.
1AK-GROUP brings together more than 20 business units and over 3,000 employees across its battery division; 4RM, which provides equipment, refrigeration and digital solutions for retail; Pinsk Experimental Mechanical Plant, which specialises in metalworking and pumping equipment; Demetra, which manufactures equipment for the agricultural sector; as well as logistics, service, engineering and R&D operations. The technologies and business challenges differ, but the shared direction is clear: modernisation, automation and the development of in-house expertise.
For 1AK-GROUP, Industry 4.0 is not only about robots, automated lines and digital systems. Modern equipment requires engineers who understand the production process as a whole, can work with data, identify the causes of losses and turn improvements into measurable results. Developing engineering talent is therefore as much a part of the Group’s industrial strategy as investment in technology and automation.
Lean Innovation Cup 2026 participants
Smart Production School: Learning Through Real Manufacturing Challenges
Smart Production School is one of the key programmes of the 1AK-GROUP Corporate University. It is designed for foremen, process engineers, design engineers, mechanical engineers, section managers and other engineering and technical specialists.
Participants were nominated by the heads of manufacturing companies and business units. Project teams were formed at the plants, with a team leader appointed for each project. From March to September, participants attended in-person modules while working in parallel on improvement projects.
The programme moves from the fundamentals of Lean and project management to practical tools: value stream mapping, root cause analysis, 5S, working with losses and production data, change management, Kaizen, Kanban and quality management. At the Lean Innovation Cup checkpoint in May, teams presented the problem they were addressing, their analysis, implementation plan and preliminary estimate of economic impact. They received feedback and continued working on their projects.
At the September final, the teams defended projects that had already been implemented, demonstrating what had changed in production and what effect the solutions had delivered. For employees, this was an opportunity to prove themselves through a real business challenge; for 1AK-GROUP, it was a way to identify specialists capable of leading projects and taking responsibility for results.
“This year, for the first time, we linked the Lean Innovation Cup to a full-scale training programme. 1AK-GROUP companies use different technologies and processes, so participants not only solve a challenge at their own plant but also see how colleagues at other sites approach similar issues — this is how real knowledge transfer takes place. Over seven months, each team moves from defining the problem and analysing data to implementing a solution and presenting its economic impact. For us, this is both a way to develop our production culture and an opportunity to identify people who are ready to take responsibility for change,” — says Olga Polovinkina, Deputy General Director for Human Resources at 1AK-GROUP.
Summing up the Lean Innovation Cup 2026 training programme
2026 Final Projects
At the final, the teams presented implemented improvement projects. The key criterion was the result: what had changed in the process and what manufacturing or economic impact had been confirmed.
Ten teams representing 1AK-GROUP companies and business areas took part in the 2026 final: Demetra LLC, ZUBR Energy LLC (1AK-ZUBR), 4RM Refrigeration (FREOR Refrigeration), 4RM Systems (4RM Systems LLC), Fregat LLC (1AK-FREGAT), the 1AK-Li-Ion business area and R&D centre, 1 AK-Plastic LLC, Pinsk Experimental Mechanical Plant, Belinvesttorg-Splav LLC (1AK-SPLAV) and Accumulator Alliance LLC (1AK-ALLIANCE).
Following the final presentations, the 4RM Systems team took first place, Accumulator Alliance LLC came second, and ZUBR Energy LLC placed third. 4RM Refrigeration finished fourth, while 1 AK-Plastic LLC took fifth place. The leaders of the three winning teams will be included in the 1AK-GROUP talent pool.
ZUBR Energy: Engineering Challenges at a Modern Manufacturing Plant
The final was held at ZUBR Energy LLC, one of the key companies in the 1AK-GROUP battery division. The plant’s modernisation clearly illustrates how advances in manufacturing change the requirements placed on engineering professionals.
In recent years, the plant has undergone major modernisation: in-house ExMet and Punch plate production has been launched, automated battery assembly lines have been introduced, serial production of AGM batteries and the PzS traction battery segment have been developed, and the formation and finishing areas have been upgraded.
The more technologically advanced the production process becomes, the broader the engineer’s area of responsibility: it is necessary to understand the relationship between equipment, technology, quality, data and process economics.
“ZUBR Energy has changed significantly in recent years: ExMet and Punch plate production lines have been introduced, battery assembly has been automated, including AGM technology, production and formation of PzS cells have been developed, and robotic sections have been added. The plant operates 15 industrial robotic systems, with a robot density of 366 robots per 10,000 employees. As the technologies evolve, the requirements placed on engineers grow as well: they need to understand the entire process, identify the causes of deviations and propose solutions that work in real production,” — says Tatiana Rybachenok, Director of ZUBR Energy LLC.
The 1AK-GROUP battery division brings together interconnected production operations: 1AK-SPLAV processes battery raw materials and produces lead and lead alloys; ZUBR Energy and Accumulator Alliance manufacture starter batteries; 1 AK-Plastic produces plastic components; and Pinsk Experimental Mechanical Plant manufactures metal cases for PzS traction batteries. The Group also develops Li-Ion batteries, energy storage systems and in-house engineering solutions.
The launch of 1 AK-Plastic increased the localisation rate of starter lead-acid battery production in Belarus to 95%. For engineers, this combination of manufacturing operations creates a broad range of challenges and career paths across materials, mechanics, automation, quality, industrial engineering, new battery technologies and digitalisation.
“Within the battery business, specialists can grow together with the technology: take part in modernisation projects, work with new products and move into project and management roles. We invest in the development of our own engineers and are ready to welcome new specialists who are interested in complex technical challenges and career growth within the Group,” — says Tatiana Rybachenok.
Industry 4.0 Also Means Engineering Expertise
Automation is changing the nature of engineering work: process setup, data quality, deviation prevention and the interaction between technology and equipment all require increasing attention.
Knowledge exchange between companies is equally important. Different technologies and processes allow participants to compare approaches and transfer successful practices from one site to another. This turns local projects into part of a broader system of continuous improvement.
The Lean Innovation Cup brought this work together: teams presented their results to management and colleagues, discussed solutions and received feedback. The talent pool is formed on the basis of projects that have already been implemented and delivered results.
Careers for People Who Want to Improve Manufacturing
1AK-GROUP continues to modernise its plants, introduce new technologies and expand its engineering and R&D capabilities. The Group develops its own specialists and also welcomes new engineers and production managers.
1AK-GROUP is looking for process engineers, design engineers, mechanical engineers, automation and quality specialists, and production managers. Career opportunities are available in the battery division, 4RM, Pinsk Experimental Mechanical Plant, agricultural equipment manufacturing, Li-Ion and energy storage systems, as well as engineering and R&D projects.
If you are interested in working at modern manufacturing sites and taking part in 1AK-GROUP development projects, send your CV to jobs@1ak-group.com