Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  On 2 December 2024, the first "America – Uzbekistan" business forum in the construction materials sector was held in Pennsylvania, USA.

The forum featured an exhibition of over 50 types of construction materials produced in Uzbekistan, and more than ten export contracts were signed.

The event, organized in cooperation with Uzpromstroybank, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, the "Uzpromstroymaterialy" Association, and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the USA, brought together major Uzbek manufacturers, such as Basalt Uzbekistan, Alcopon Standart Trade, Sanfa Engineering, and others. U.S. construction companies, developers, distributors, and retailers also participated in the forum.

The participants discussed Uzbekistan’s achievements in the construction materials industry, as well as reforms aimed at liberalizing the economy, simplifying administrative procedures, reducing the tax burden, and supporting the private sector.

Special attention was given to the fact that foreign investments in the construction materials production sector in Uzbekistan over the last five years have exceeded 15 billion dollars, with more than 9 billion dollars in direct foreign investments.

The business forum served as an important platform for showcasing Uzbek products on the American market and establishing export connections. B2B meetings were also held, focusing on the prospects of joint investment projects and the creation of joint ventures.

Business community representatives highlighted the dynamic growth in trade between Uzbekistan and the USA, which doubled in 2023, reaching 657.2 million dollars. By the end of the first nine months of 2024, this figure grew to 672 million dollars. Exports from Uzbekistan to the USA increased by 170%, reaching more than 260 million dollars.

One of the notable comments at the forum came from Lee Berry, the trade director of "Basalt International Inc." He emphasized that Uzbekistan is an attractive country for doing business, and his company plans to collaborate with "Basalt Uzbekistan" to meet the demand for construction materials in the Eurasian region.

During their visit, the Uzbek delegation also visited New York and New Jersey, exploring opportunities for distributing construction materials, conducting negotiations to open a permanent trade representation and showroom for Uzbek brands, and beginning the certification process for products to enter the American market.