A company in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region has become the first manufacturer from North China’s “steel city” to export sucker rods to Sudan in North Africa, Baotou Daily reported.

Found Petroleum Equipment Co has gained approval from Baotou’s entry-exit inspection and quarantine bureau to export 1,043 sucker rods to Sudan, worth a total of 135,000 yuan ($20,000).

This is the first time a company from Baotou has exported sucker rods, a type of steel cable used in oil wells, to Sudan, and marks the growing importance of the African market to Chinese industry.

Found Petroleum primarily exports products to countries including Canada, the US, Germany and Australia.