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The presence of big manufacturers will help develop supporting industries?
In theory, the appearance of “big guys” in the manufacturing sector in Vietnam will help the country develop its supporting industries, because the big foreign manufacturers will lead other enterprises to Vietnam. However, whether Vietnam can exploit the opportunities is a question that remains to be answered.
Four years ago, information about investments of the US Intel Group in Vietnam stirred up the public. At that time, experts commented that the presence of the US giant in Vietnam will serve as a “catalyst” which will help attract more and more other groups to Vietnam, especially ones in high-tech fields. High hopes have also been put on the presence of Foxconn and Compal in Vietnam.
Both Vietnamese policy makers and Vietnamese people hope that big manufacturers not only bring more investors to Vietnam, but also will create opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises to join their global value chains.
Steven C. Megli, Deputy President of Intel Group, in charge of technologies and production, did not give any figures about the possible investments of satellite producers. However, when talking with Dau tu reporters on the occasion of the inauguration of the chip factory recently, he said that many big enterprises, which are providing components to Intel, have raised a lot of questions with Intel. The enterprises want to know if the investment environment in Vietnam is attractive, and if the investment project of Intel in Vietnam is effective. And the answers are always positive.
Taiwanese Compal came to Vietnam after the US Intel, but Compal has helped bring other eight satellite producers to Vietnam. Compal has not only injected 500 million dollar to build a laptop factory which is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2011, but it has also decided to spend $75 million dong to develop Ba Thien Industrial Zone in Vinh Phuc province in the north. This will create favorable conditions for satellite enterprises to implement their projects soon.
However, it is regrettable that due to the global financial crisis, outside of Compal, which has still been moving ahead with the implementation of its projects, the other eight satellite investors must now reconsider their investment process in Vietnam. However, Bui Van Quy, Deputy Head of the Vinh Phuc Province’s Industrial Zone Management Board, said he believes that when Compal’s project becomes operational, the other projects will also resume the implementation soon.
South Korean Samsung Group is also a typical example in helping attract foreign investors to Vietnam. Shim Won Hwan, President of Samsung Complex Vietnam, said that the group’s phone factory (SEV) in the northern province of Bac Ninh has found 42 satellite producers, 23 of whom are operating in Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hanoi and Hung Yen, while other factories are now under construction.
The president has revealed that Samsung will not only set up a mobile phone factory, but it also plans to set up a production complex which will have the total investment capital of $1.5 billion by 2015. Many kinds of high-tech products will be made here, including printing machines and cameras. With a huge investment plan for 2015, Samsung Complex plans to attract 192 satellite producers who will provide components to the group, 50 percent of whom will be domestic producers.
However, Nguyen Van Dao, Deputy General Director of Samsung Vina said that in order to attract investments Vietnam needs to apply suitable policies.
“For a long time, we have been paying attention only to big key projects, while we forget that the big investors also bring many other investors, who will also have impacts on the national economy in the long term,” he said.
Dao has urged policy makers to apply suitable incentives to the satellite investors.
A question has been raised that if there is any “room” for Vietnamese enterprises to take part in the large projects of foreign enterprises.
The representative from Intel said quite frankly there is no opportunity for Vietnamese domestic enterprises in Intel’s project, because all over the world, only several companies can provide the products Intel want. He said even in 5-10 years, Vietnam may not have any enterprises which will be able to make the products. Similarly, with Samsung’s project, even the screw used for mobile phones are still must be imported
Dau tu,vietnamnet
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