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In a statement to APS, Azzi said the steel plates exported to Italy had started to be loaded at the port of Arzew, west of Oran, last week, and the process was completed Saturday evening.

He added that the value of the exported quantity is estimated at about 16 million dollars while the total value of steel sheets and plates meant for exports is expected to reach 200 million dollars by the end of the first quarter.

The operation is the third of its kind, since the beginning of the year, as it was preceded by 27,000 tonnes exports to Spain and a same quantity to Turkey.

Other similar operations are planned in the coming weeks to the European Union countries.

According to the official, the plant, through this product, seeks to "to establish itself on the European market, which would allow it to reach an export value of about two billion dollars by the coming year."

Tosyali steel complex sealed recently steel plate export deals to Tunisia, South Africa, Italy, with a planned extension to other countries of the European Union, as well as to the United States and Latin America.

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