DHL wins logistics industry award

HCM CITY — DHL Supply Chain Viet Nam won 2009 third-party logistics company of the year in Viet Nam last week.

"The award is an affirmation of the support from our customers, and the hard work and commitment of our people in Viet Nam," said Ryan Tang, DHL Supply Chain country manager.

"We view this award as a challenge to stay ahead and deliver the best solutions and customer experience for the market," said Tang.

Every year, a logistics nonprofit organisation, Supply Chain Community, organises the awards, which are voted by customers, suppliers and logistics firms on a public website. The short- listed nominees are then evaluated by a judging committee.

Supply Chain Committee was founded in 2003 as a leading independent not-for-profit platform to support and promote logistics industry collaboration.

DHL Supply Chain entered the market in 2001.

City chamber to host Irish executives

HCM CITY — Executives from 10 Irish technology and software companies will visit Viet Nam next month to look for business opportunities, according to the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry's HCM City office.

They will attend the Viet Nam-Ireland Business Forum where they will showcase their products and technologies to around 50 Vietnamese counterparts.

The VIBF, one of several collaborative projects initiated by the two countries on a government-to-government basis, also offers Vietnamese companies a platform to develop their business in the country and region.

Its first session was held in Ha Noi last November. To be organised this year by the Enterprise Ireland (the Irish Government's trade and technology agency), the VCCI and the Viet Nam Software Association, the forum will take place on April 15 and 16.

Work begins on garment plant

HA NAM — Work has begun on Ha Noi Textile and Garment Joint Stock Corporation (Hanosimex)‘s VND758 billion (US$39.8m) factory in Dong Van 2 industrial zone in the northern province of Ha Nam.

Hanosimex plans to build two fabric-making factories which are capable of producing 60,000 rolls of cloth a year. It also plans to build four garment factories, a residential area for workers and a head office.

Elastics factory to be built in Dac Lac

Dak Lak — Dak Lak Rubber Co held a groundbreaking ceremony for its elastic-making factory in Hoa Phu Industrial Zone in the Central Highlands province of Dac Lac last Wednesday.

The factory will occupy a 4ha area, and will include a workshop, office and warehouses. The total investment is US$10 million.

The factory is due to open in 12 months time. It will be able to produce 4,000 tonnes of elastic a year.

Vietnamese firm builds plant in Laos

CHAMPASAK — The Viet-Laos Rubber Joint Stock Co has started work on a rubber latex processing plant in Pakse District in the Lao province of Champasak.

The factory, which has an investment capital of VND68 billion (US$3.57 million), will be able to produce 15,000 tonnes of rubber a year. It is expected to be operational by the end of this year.

POSCO executive surveys expansion

HCM CITY — A POSCO senior executive arrived in Viet Nam yesterday for a three-day visit to survey a possible expansion in the group' stainless steel division in the country.

Oh Chang-Kwan, senior executive deputy president of the South Korea-based POSCO group's stainless steel division, has visited the country because the group is considering expanding production capacity of its stainless steel cold rolling plant operated by its subsidiary POSCO Viet Nam Stainless Steel (POSCO VST), to 300,000 tonnes per year.

The visit comes as negotiations for acquiring extra shares of Thailand-based stainless cold rolling mill, Thainox, have been delayed. POSCO has a 15 per cent share in the mill.

Located in Dong Nai Province's Nhon Trach Industrial Park, POSCO VST, the only stainless steel cold rolling plant in Viet Nam, can produce of 85,000 tonnes of stainless steel cold rolled products per year.

POSCO VST was established in October 2009 after the Korean group took over 90 per cent shares of the former Asia Stainless Steel Co.

The expansion of POSCO VST is part of a plan to expand the group's stainless steel market share in Southeast Asia that aims to help POSCO match consumption growth in the region, said POSCO. — VNS