The monograph about the food industry Klas d.d. Sarajevo – “115 years of Klas d.d. – Short History of Milling and Baking in BiH”, the promotion of which was organized in Sarajevo today, marked this grand jubilee and covered the whole history of this company. The monograph also has great social importance as it presents development of milling and baking industry in BiH since late 19th century, and provides many interesting and useful information.

At the promotion, the attendants were addressed by the author of the monograph Mr Alija Šabanović, reviewers Prof. Dr. Sc. Sanja Oručević Žuljević, academic Prof. Dr. Muris Čičić and Doc. Dr. Sc. Amela Semić, and Director of Klas d.d. Mr Nihad Imširović. Former Director of Klas, Mr Husein Ahmović and Mr Ibrahim Smajlagić also spoke at the event.

“This monograph is not only featuring development of Klas d.d. and food industry in BiH, but it also depicts the way of life, people’s habits over a long time period. The manuscript could be useful for students and technologists in food industry, but also to citizens of Sarajevo and BiH who grew up with the Klas products”, said Prof. Dr. Sc. Sanja Oručević Žuljević.

Alija Šabanović, author of the Monograph, worked with Klas d.d. for full 47 years, and thus witnessed first hand the growth and development of the company. That experience and understanding, together with the archive contents, make the basis of this book, of whose creation the author spoke very emotionally.

“As our good Meša Selimović would say: what is not written, has never happened. This was written to memorize the colossal success of Klas d.d. and its continuous growth and development, becoming the leading producer in milling and baking industry in BiH, and one of the largest and most important ones in the former Yugoslavia. The book also provides some basic facts from history of milling and baking in BiH. The monograph shows that all this time, Klas d.d. had a central place in the overall development, and it was the model company even for its competitors, not only in BiH but also in the countries in the region.

Working on this Monograph, I remembered many facts and events, and relived some of them. I hope I succeeded in describing a grandiose structure made of 115 “great circles”, permeated with smell of freshly baked bread, and decorated with the ear of wheat, grains of colour of gold. All this was made into one piece of work that is called Klas d.d., which is clearly outlined on our Bosnian business skyline and quite visible from European and many other countries from all over the world”, said Mr Alija Šabanović.

Nihad Imširović, Director of Klas d.d., spoke about, among other things, the importance of Klas joining the AS Group in 2014, and the new blossoming of the company, and about activities that marked the 115th birthday.

Promotion of the monograph brought together the owners, earlier directors and members of management, pensioners and employees of Klas, as well as many distinguished guests, and the programme was enriched by performance of students of the Primary Music and Ballet School “Novo Sarajevo”.

Monografija prehrambene industrije Klas d.d. Sarajevo „115 godina Klasa – Kratka historija mlinarstva i pekarstva u BiH“, čija je promocija upriličena danas u u Sarajevu, obilježila je veliki jubilej i sažela svu historiju ove kompanije. Monografija ima i veliki društveni značaj jer prikazuje razvoj mlinsko-pekarske industrije u BiH od kraja 19. stoljeća, uz mnogo zanimljivih i korisnih informacija.

Na promociji su govorili autor Monografije Alija Šabanović, recenzenti: prof. dr. sc. Sanja Oručević-Žuljević, akademik prof. dr. Muris Čičić, doc. dr. sc. Amela Semić, te direktor Klasa Nihad Imširović, a skupu su se obratili i raniji direktori Klasa Husein Ahmović i Ibrahim Smajlagić.

„Monografija ne predstavlja samo razvoj Klasa i prehrambene industrije u BiH, nego daje i detaljnu sliku načina života i navika ljudi u toku dužeg historijskog perioda. Rukopis bi mogao poslužiti studentima i tehnolozima u prehrambenoj industriji, ali i građanima Sarajeva i BiH koji su odrastali uz proizvode Klasa“, istakla je prof. dr. sc. Sanja Oručević-Žuljević.

Autor Monografije Alija Šabanović bio je uposlenik Klasa punih 47 godina i tako svjedočio i učestvovao u rastu i razvoju kompanije. Ta iskustva i saznanja, uz prikupljenu arhivsku građu, čine temelj ove knjige, o čijem je nastajanju autor govorio na emotivan i slikovit način.

„Kako bi rekao naš Meša Selimović: Ono što nije zapisano, nije se ni dogodilo.’ Napisano je da ostane zabilježen kolosalan uspjeh Klasa, njegov kontinuiran rast i razvoj i izrastanje u vodećeg proizvođača u mlinsko-pekarskoj djelatnosti u BiH i jednog od najvećih i najznačajnijih u bivšoj Jugoslaviji. Uporedo su date i osnovne činjenice iz historije mlinarstva i pekarstva u BiH. Monografija pokazuje da se Klas u čitavom tom periodu nalazio u središtu tog razvoja, te da je bio uzor čak i svojim konkurentima ne samo u BiH nego i u zemljama regije.

Radeći na ovoj Monografiji, prisjećao sam se mnogih činjenica i događaja, a neke od njih ponovo proživljavao. Nadam se da sam tako uspio prikazati jednu grandioznu građevinu satkanu od 115 „velikih krugova“ „obojenih“ mirisom kruha, i ukrašenu klasjem pšenice čija zrna imaju boju zlata. Sve to je uobličeno u jedno djelo koje se zove Klas i jasno se ocrtava na našem bosanskom nebu, a dobro se vidi iz evropskih i mnogih drugih zemalja širom svijeta“, rekao je Alija Šabanović.

Direktor Klasa Nihad Imširović govorio je, između ostalog, o značaju ulaska Klasa u AS Grupaciju 2014. godine i ponovnom procvatu ove kompanije, te aktivnostima koje su obilježile 115. rođendan.

Promocija Monografije okupila je vlasnike, ranije direktore i članove uprave, penzionere i uposlenike Klasa, kao i brojne ugledne zvanice, a program su muzičkim izvedbama upotpunili učenici Osnovne muzičke i baletske škole „Novo Sarajevo“.