Why Cambodia in 2026
Phnom Penh is adding airports, office towers, condominiums and hotels, and the provinces are adding industrial space, so sheet metal ductwork for ventilation, smoke extract and air conditioning has plenty of sources in 2026. Some items below are complete and some are still being built, so each says where it stands. We found no reliable figure for the size of the Cambodian duct market, so we have not quoted one.
Investment and construction pipeline
The Council for the Development of Cambodia reported 146 newly approved investment projects worth about US$2.5 billion in fixed assets in the first quarter of 2026, with projects including factories, a special economic zone and power plants. Approvals are not buildings, and many will take years, but they show the direction of work. In Phnom Penh, ODOM on Norodom Boulevard (a 45-storey office tower of about 41,167 sqm beside a 30-storey residential tower, developed by Urban Living Solutions) was under construction in 2026, with the developer's progress updates showing the project still in its early structural stages and completion planned for 2027. Cambodia Investment Review also reported in July 2026 that TPMG Tower had reached full structural height ahead of a late 2026 completion. Towers reach the ductwork stage well after the frame, which is when fit-out contractors buy.
Airports
Techo International Airport in Kandal Stung district, Kandal Province, began commercial operations on 9 September 2025 and was inaugurated on 20 October 2025, replacing the old Phnom Penh airport. Press reports describe an initial capacity of about 13 million passengers a year, with later phases planned. Siem Reap Angkor International Airport opened on 16 October 2023 and is designed for about 7 million passengers a year. Both are open, so the main chances for duct shops are tenant fit-out, cargo and hotel work around them, plus any expansion phases.
Hotels, data centres and industrial space
Tourist centres such as Siem Reap and Sihanoukville are where hotel and resort work is usually found. Sihanoukville has been uneven, though: many stalled and unfinished buildings have been reported there in recent years, so check each lead. Phnom Penh has several commercial data centres, with operators such as ByteDC, Kepstar and Chaktomuk listed in the public directory datacentermap.com, but we could not verify current capacities. Server halls are usually cooled by room units, while electrical rooms, offices and smoke extract need sheet metal; see our data centre duct manufacturing guide. Factories and warehouses in the special economic zones need ventilation and extract ductwork too, and hospital fit-outs call for sealed ductwork; see our cleanroom duct guide and galvanised vs stainless comparison.
Standards and codes for ductwork in Cambodia
We could not find a Cambodian standard for sheet metal duct construction. In practice a duct shop builds to what the consulting engineer's specification names.
- ISC: the Institute of Standards of Cambodia is the national standards body under the Law on Standards of 2007 and issues Cambodian Standards (CS). Ask whether your client names a CS or an international standard for galvanised coil; see our gauge chart.
- Law on Construction: promulgated on 2 November 2019, it places the sector under the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. The law provides for national building technical regulations to be issued separately by sub-decree, and a national council was set up to develop them; we could not confirm whether a mechanical ventilation code is now in force. Ask the project consultant which code governs the job.
- International specifications: projects led by foreign consultants or funders may name SMACNA, EN or DW/144. We could not verify which is most common in Cambodia, so read the specification for each job. Our international duct standards comparison sets them side by side, air leakage classes explains what sealing class means for seams, and the hangers and supports guide covers the support side.
Importing duct machinery into Cambodia
- Customs duty: charged on CIF value in tiers from 0 to 35 percent depending on the tariff line, and some lines were revised from 1 January 2026. We could not confirm the duty rate for duct forming and folding machines, so ask your customs broker for the exact line and rate. Galvanised coil is steel and may sit in a different band, so have it classified separately.
- VAT: 10 percent flat on imports.
- Investment incentives: the 2021 Law on Investment, promulgated on 15 October 2021, lets a registered Qualified Investment Project claim exemption from customs duty, special tax and VAT on production equipment, alongside a choice between an income tax holiday and accelerated depreciation. Law firm summaries say the details differ between export, supporting industry and domestically oriented projects, and that eligibility depends on the sector and on registration with the Council for the Development of Cambodia. A duct shop serving local construction should ask the Council whether it qualifies before ordering.
- Certification: we could not find a specific conformity approval that Cambodian customs requires for duct machinery. Ask your broker before shipment. We supply specifications, photos and a CE Declaration of Conformity.
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port is the largest container port at about 1.35 million TEU in 2025, and Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, an inland river port, handled about 600,000 TEU. Tell us where your workshop is when you request a quotation, and we quote FOB. Our importing guide covers the general paperwork.
Power supply: 380 V three phase, 50 Hz
An older US Commerce Department electricity reference lists 220/380 V at 50 Hz for Cambodia. Our standard machines are built for 380 V, 50 Hz, three phase, and we wire the motors, drives and control transformer to your measured site voltage. We could not find the utility's own specification for low voltage industrial connections, so have your electrician confirm the voltage and capacity with Electricite du Cambodge or your zone supplier. An auto duct line, a plasma table and a spiral tubeformer running together need a properly sized connection. A 2026 AMRO report describes Cambodian electricity tariffs as among the highest in its comparison group, so check your power cost when you plan machine hours. See also duct machine voltage and frequency by country.
Typical Cambodian shop set-ups and the machines that fit
Contractor shop, rectangular duct for offices, hotels and condominiums
Most HVAC duct in commercial buildings is rectangular, and many installers make their own in a small workshop. A practical set starts with the Rectangular Duct Line II SBAL-II (0.5 to 2.0 mm sheet, 1,250 or 1,550 mm widths, feeding up to 18 m/min) or the Auto Duct Line SBAL-III, which has the same sheet range with two electrical feeding units and hydraulic notching and shearing. Add a Pittsburgh lockformer (SBLC series), which forms Pittsburgh seams in 0.4 to 1.2 mm and snap lock in 0.7 to 1.5 mm, a TDF flange forming machine (SBTDF, 35 mm flange height) for transverse joints, and a pneumatic folder (up to 1.5 mm on the 1,500 mm model) for fittings. That covers straight duct, TDF joints and most fittings with a small crew. A lean first set that earns before you add more is often the safer way to start.
Volume shop for towers, hotels and large projects
A shop bidding for tower, hotel and hospital packages needs output and consistent quality over thousands of square metres. The Auto Duct Line SBAL-V is a U-shape line for 0.5 to 1.5 mm sheet at 18 m/min, and is about 14.5 m long, so check your building length first. Pair it with the Duct Zipper SBHF-1.5×1500TDF to close seams on 0.8 to 1.5 mm duct up to 1,500 mm long, an auto corner making machine and the pneumatic corner inserting machine SBCC for TDF corners, a Plasma Cutter SBPC1550 (0.4 to 4 mm, 12 kW) for fittings from nested drawings, and a hydraulic folder for heavier gauges, up to 2.0 mm on the 1500 mm model. Machine-formed seams and flanges seal more reliably than hand work, which helps on work specified to a leakage class.
Round duct
Spiral duct suits exposed ceilings, car parks, warehouses, factories and industrial extract. The Spiral Tubeformer SBTF-1500 forms Φ80 to Φ1500 mm duct in galvanised steel from 0.4 to 1.2 mm. The SBTF-1602 extends this to Φ1600 mm and 1.3 mm, and handles aluminium as well. The Spiral Duct Flanging Machine SBFB-1600 turns flanges on round duct ends. For a real example, see Kavanagh Industries in Sydney, which added an SBTF-1602 in October 2026.
Space and logistics
The auto duct line is the longest item, with coil racks at one end and a run-out table at the other. Ask us for a layout drawing based on your building before you sign a lease, and leave room for coil deliveries, finished duct storage and truck loading. The climate is hot and humid, so keep coil under cover and dry. A shop near Phnom Penh is close to most projects, and your broker can advise on the last leg from the port to your site. Our factory layout guide has worked examples. We have not quoted labour costs here because we could not verify a current figure for skilled sheet metal workers.
Working with Taokron from Cambodia
- Machines built since 1994 and supplied to 100+ countries, with 60+ patents, from an ISO 9001:2015 factory
- CE marked with a Declaration of Conformity
- Wired for your 380 V three phase 50 Hz supply
- Installation and commissioning quoted per engineer-day
- Replies within 12 hours by email at [email protected] or on WhatsApp at +61 435 074 994
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FAQ
Which ductwork standards are used in Cambodia?
We could not find a Cambodian standard for sheet metal duct construction. The Institute of Standards of Cambodia (ISC) is the national standards body under the Law on Standards, and the Law on Construction of November 2019 puts the construction sector under the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, but we could not confirm a published duct code. Ductwork is normally built to what the consulting engineer names in the specification, often SMACNA, EN or DW/144 on international projects. Always build to the specification for the job.
What voltage and frequency do duct machines need in Cambodia?
An older US Commerce Department electricity reference lists 220/380 V at 50 Hz for Cambodia, so industrial three phase machines are normally wired for about 380 V, 50 Hz, which matches our standard machines. We could not find the utility's own low voltage specification, so have your electrician confirm the voltage and available capacity for your connection. Tell us the voltage measured at your workshop and we wire the motors, drives and control transformer to suit.
What taxes apply when importing duct machinery into Cambodia?
Cambodia charges customs duty on CIF value in tiers from 0 to 35 percent depending on the tariff line, plus a flat 10 percent VAT on imports. We could not confirm the rate for the heading that covers duct forming and folding machines, so ask your customs broker for the exact line. Investors with a Qualified Investment Project registration under the 2021 Law on Investment may receive exemption from customs duty and VAT on production equipment, with conditions, so check eligibility with the Council for the Development of Cambodia before you order.
Which port do machines come through for Cambodia?
Most containers arrive at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which handled about 1.35 million TEU in 2025, and Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, an inland river port that handled about 600,000 TEU, is the other main option. Tell us your workshop location and your broker can advise on the route and the last leg by road. We quote FOB and can help with shipping documents.
Can a small Cambodian duct shop start with a short machine list?
Yes. Many shops start with a Pittsburgh lockformer, a TDF flange former and a folder, forming straight duct sections from cut sheets, and add an auto duct line when volume justifies it. A rectangular duct line feeds, forms and cuts in one pass, so it suits shops with steady volume. Send your duct sizes, gauges and monthly output and a Taokron engineer will recommend a set within 12 hours.
Which machines should a new Cambodian duct shop start with?
A contractor shop making rectangular duct for offices, hotels, condominiums and fit-outs usually starts with a rectangular duct line or auto duct line, a Pittsburgh lockformer, a TDF flange former and a folder. Add a duct zipper, corner machines and a plasma table as volume grows, and a spiral tubeformer when round duct becomes regular work. Send your duct sizes, gauges and monthly output and a Taokron engineer will propose a machine set within 12 hours.
