(KPL) (KPL) Between late 2020 and late January of 2021 in Champassak, the southernmost province of Laos, dozens of heavy trucks travelled through the Lao-Cambodian international border checkpoint at Nongnokkhien carrying steel bars made by the Vientiane Khunpeng Steel factory.

They were en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The steel was manufactured under a joint venture between Khoun Kham Steel Industry Sole Co., Ltd and Vientiane Khunpeng Steel Co., Ltd.

“On November 20, 2020 some 300 tonnes of steel were exported through the Nokkhien international border checkpoint. It was the first steel export for the Lao PDR. Days later, the second and third batches of steel exports were recorded. Sometimes, over 1,600 tonnes were exported in a single batch,” said a deputy director of Vientiane Khunpeng Steel Co., Ltd. They began with ordering 25-mm deformed bars. Then more and more different sizes were stated in their new purchase orders and now they order all sizes we have.”

Around 5,400 tonnes of steel were exported to Cambodia in January.

“At present, we are speeding up our steel production to achieve exports targets stated in the purchase orders we have received,” said the associate director. “Export is one of the long term marketing strategies of our company. What behinds our successful exports is the recognition, among workers at Vientiane Khunpeng Steel company, of the importance and attention, our control of the entire manufacturing process, being a man of action to penetrate export market.”

KPL