Farm truck distributor plans inroads into Laos

Yontrakarn sees hike in demand on Thai investment

Yontrakarn Machinery, one the leading distributors of farm trucks and equipment, plans to open a showroom and service centre in Laos.

Kitichai Pruitthithada, general manager, said this week that with more investment expected to pour into Laos under Asean integration, in particular Thai investment, demand there would increase for construction trucks and farm equipment.

Laos is one of the countries demonstrating the highest potential as it can serve as an agricultural base. Many contract farms will be operating there under the Asean Economic Community. Laos is also proceeding with many infrastructure projects, which will require construction trucks.

Laos has shown that it is the strongest economy in the Asean region, with 8-per-cent growth last year.

The company has not yet estimated its initial investment for Laos, but it should be close to its Bt250-million investment in Thailand.

The firm is now conducting a market research study and will register its business in Laos early next year.

For its domestic market, the firm recently spent Bt70 million in expanding its showroom and service centre in Ayutthaya's Pratunam Pra-In, as demand for farm trucks in the Central region surged in the first half of this year.

The company is also planning to set up a showroom in Nakhon Sawan next quarter.

Yontrakarn is the sole distributor of LiuGong trucks and equipment from China.

LiuGong is gaining more acceptance among local users due to its competitive price compared with used trucks from Japan. New LiuGong trucks are also known for their good quality and development to serve the various demands of users, he added.

Yontrakarn Machinery's first-half sales doubled to Bt300 million. The firm expects to generate more than Bt600 million in sales for the full year.