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Concrete manufacturer hopes to cement sales growth
Local concrete supplier Concrete Product Factory expects to achieve sales worth 11.6 billion kip this year after receiving international standard certification last week.
“In the first six months of this year we achieved more than 51 percent of our annual target,” said Concrete Product Factory Manager Mr Soukhi Keopaseuth yesterday.
The company, which is located in Hadxaifong district, Vientiane, believes it can increase its sales figures in the coming years because the international standard certification will attract more customers.
Mr Soukhi said the company had sales worth about 9.8 billion kip last year, around 28 percent higher than its annual plan. That figure has increased from 6.4 billion kip in 2009.
The factory obtained an international standard certificate from international inspection organisation Global Group on Thursday after more than a year of improvements and preparation.
The factory, which is run by the Electrical Construction and Installation State Enterprise (ECI), has been assessed and registered against the provisions of ISO 9001:2008, the international standard certificate that certifies the quality management system for manufacturing.
The factory produces concrete poles and cross-arms for electrical purposes. All of its products also conform to Electricite du Laos (EDL) standards and have been tested by government authorities.
The factory was established in 1983. “However, it temporarily stopped production in 2005 due to strong competition,” ECI Deputy Managing Director Mr Amphone Phommachanh said at the certificate presentation ceremony.
Mr Amphone said the factory was improved and production resumed in 2007, followed by an expansion to production capacity in 2009.
The ECI also operates another concrete factory in Champassak province. “We don't have plans to expand production to other provinces at the moment,” an official from the enterprise said.
The ECI was established in 1982 as a branch of EDL. It operates under the Ministry of Energy and Mines and specialises in working as a general contractor for projects both in Laos and abroad, according to the company's website.
The company is authorised to cooperate with local and foreign investors involved in the energy sector and to invest in joint ventures for the manufacturing of electrical equipment and appliances.
Minister of Industry and Commerce Dr Nam Vinhaket said recently the government is pleased to support the development of good business operations for future economic growth.
The government wants local business operators to improve their production processes, services and management systems to meet international standards to ensure smooth integration into the Asean Community and global markets.
It is an important step for Laos to integrate its economy with the Asean Community, which will be launched in 2015. If Laos does not have strong local businesses, it will not fully benefit from the Asean Community.
vientiane times
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