BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 28. Turkmenistan's rapidly growing construction sector offers significant opportunities for suppliers of steel products, an Uzbek manufacturer said.
The assessment was made by Alisher Abdurakhmanov, a representative of Uzbek company Pipe Metal, during the Turkmen-Uzbek business forum in Ashgabat, according to a press release issued by the Turkmen government on July 28.
"We are not only neighbors, we are brotherly nations. Our plant was opened in 2022, but despite its young age, we have already reached sales of up to 20,000 tons of finished products per month," Abdurakhmanov said, as quoted in the press release.
According to him, Pipe Metal has already established stable trade relations with partners in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, while cooperation with Turkmenistan has entered its initial stage following the successful completion of the company's first shipment of steel products.
Abdurakhmanov said Turkmenistan's dynamic economic growth and the large-scale construction of industrial and social infrastructure facilities are generating strong demand for quality building materials. He added that the geographical proximity of the two countries reduces logistics costs and creates favorable conditions for expanding regular deliveries.
For reference, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have significantly intensified bilateral cooperation this year, with a particular focus on trade, transport, industry, and border infrastructure. Bilateral trade reached $357.5 million in the first quarter of 2026 after totaling $1.2 billion in 2025, while both governments have set a goal of further expanding commercial and investment ties.
In May, the two countries held the 19th meeting of the Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation in Ashgabat. The discussions focused on energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, tourism, and industrial cooperation, while the parties also reviewed the implementation of previously reached agreements.
Cooperation has gained further momentum in recent weeks. In mid-July, the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan met in Ashgabat to review joint projects in trade, transport, logistics, energy, and industry. Later in the month, the Turkmenbashi International Seaport launched pilot cargo transit operations under the electronic eTIR system on the Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan route, aimed at streamlining cross-border freight transport and customs procedures.
