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BUSINESS
WORLD CLASS STEEL FABRICATION IN
LAOS
When it comes to steel fabrication, Whessoe is world class. TEXT BY FRANCIS SAVANHKHAM PHOTOGRAPHS BY PHOONSAB THEVONGSA / WHESSOE
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ocated on the outskirts of Vientiane at km16, Whessoe Lao’s workshop is a hive of activity. It is here that hydro mechanical equipment and design of items such as gates, penstocks, and stoplogs for the hydropower industry, as well as general steel fabrication for the mining and construction industries, are being made at the only factory of its kind in Laos. Whessoe, established in the UK over 230 years ago, and headquartered in Malaysia since 1999, has a long history of working in Laos, beginning more than 12 years ago at the Nam Ngum 2 hydropower project and continuing to today with the Xayaburi and Nam Kong 3 hydropower projects. In 2013
MORE INFO For all enquiries or further information please contact Michael Simcock, General Manager – michaelsimcock@ whessoe.com.my
WHESSOE
above: Experts weld custom steel parts 1. Whessoe's workshop 2. A closeup shows the huge scale of the radial gates 3. Spillway on the Xayaburi Hydro Power Project
the owners of Whessoe saw an opportunity in Laos, investing in a permanent workshop in Vientiane. Fitted out with state of the art, heavy-duty steel fabrication equipment, Whessoe’s workshop can manufacture in-country steel components to the highest international standards that would otherwise be imported from neighboring countries. Whessoe prides themselves on the quality and workmanship of their products following their ISO Quality Management System accreditation. The company has established themselves as the first choice for steel fabrication including machining, refurbishment, and maintenance for hydro-mechanical equipment on operating hydropower plants, earning repeat business and qualified supplier status for a number of customers in hydropower and mining including Ch Karnchang, Chaleun Sekong Energy (CSE), Nam Theun 2 Power Company (NTPC), Phu Bia Mining, and Lane Xang Minerals. Apart from Vientiane’s impressive permanent facility, Whessoe’s other strengths include onsite fabrication, such as at the Xayaburi Hydropower Project. At Xayaburi, backed by their experts in offices in Malaysia, the UK, and the Philippines, Whessoe has designed, fabricated and installed
