Reththy Group factory set to start producing bricks and roof tiles

via Khmer NZ News Media

Wednesday, 09 June 2010 15:00 Chun Sophal

Joint venture with unknown Vietnamese partner is expected to produce up to 80 million bricks per year, most of which will be sent to Vietnam

Mong Reththy Group will officially open its US$5 million brick and roof tile factory – a joint venture with an unnamed Vietnamese company – in Preah Sihanouk province next week.

Company president Mong Reththy told the Post on Tuesday that operations are expected to begin on June 18, and that the charcoal energy-operated facility could produce up to 80 million bricks per year, primarily for export to neighbouring Vietnam.

“We hope that this yard will be able to produce better-quality brick and roof tiles to supply domestic demand as well as export markets than facilities operated by hand, using wood as the energy source,” he said.

Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy industry department Director General Meng Saktheara said producing tiles locally is important in making the Kingdom less dependant on imported construction materials.

He said imported materials account for nearly 40 to 50 percent of brick and roof tiles currently used in Cambodia, although he acknowledged exact figures are difficult to obtain because of a substantial unofficial trade in such materials.

“I think that the establishment of the yard will help increase our ability to supply local and international markets, increase income for the national economy and maintain trade stability for our country,” Meng Saktheara said.

Late last year the Mong Reththty Group signed with a Vietnamese company to invest $5 million to build the brick and roof tile yard on 15 hectares in the Cheung Kor commune, Prey Nub district, Preah Sihanouk province.

Mong Reththy refused Tuesday to name the company’s Vietnamese partner.

“I think that it is not necessary for us to discuss our partner’s share at the moment,” he said.

The Khaou Chuly Group announced last month that it had also invested $5 million in a roof tile factory in Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district that it expects to produce up to 10 million tiles per year.