This year nine companies of Vitebsk oblast have certified their production facilities in line with ISO 9001 international standards, BelTA learnt from the economy department of the Vitebsk oblast executive committee. Among them – Marko Ltd, Polotsk Dairy, Orsha Meat-Packing Company, Ekomol, Orsha Cheese Making Plant, Podsvilje Plant of Foodstuffs, Vedren, Polotsk Wine Making Plant and Sitsy Co. from the Dokshitsy region. Till the end of the current year Obolsk Ceramics Factory should follow certification procedures as well. Besides, a certification audit has already been carried out by this company. The certification will help the Vitebsk companies enhance competitiveness of their products, enter new markets and successfully implement export-oriented investment projects. The companies of the region refresh the offering list of the products on a permanent basis in order to more actively promote their goods to the domestic and international market. For example, in H1 2007 the Vitebsk oblast meat and milk processing enterprises launched the production of 56 new products including 11 types of rennet hard and semihard cheese, three types of processed cheese and seven new brands of ice-cream. In January-July this year the new products accounted for 8.5% of their aggregate output (6.6% within the analogous period of 2006). The companies are also working hard to create and register their own trademarks in the National Intellectual Property Centre. For example, goods made by Vitebsk Meat-Packing Plant are trademarked Myaskovit, Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Making Plant – Ulianka and Yan Syrodel, Moloko Co. – Fabrika Molochnogo Vkusa. The Glubokoye and Miory-based meat-packing plants, the Lepel-based milk processing factory are designing their trademarks as well.