Vinaconex: Build Your Values, Inspire YourDreams

Imet Mr Nguyen Van Tuan, Vinaconexs Chairman after his trip to Australia, takingpart in the 15th APEC. He was pleased to talk about achievements of Vietnam'sdelegation, and development orientation to shift Vinaconex into amulti-business group in the region and the world.

Could you talk aboutachievements of Vietnam business delegation and Vinaconex when taking part inAPEC 2007?

This is a successfultrip. Vietnam has become APECCCCs member since 1998; there has been improvementin the relations between Vietnam and APEC on a large scale so far. The eventthat Vietnam hosted APEC 2006 and successfully held 14th APEC has raised thisrelation to a new height, helping Vietnam affirm its role in APEC. With thatpower and strength, the Vietnamese delegationnnns participation in 15th APECwas highly appreciated by international community, drawing great interest fromworld big investors and economic corporations seeking cooperation andinvestment opportunities in Vietnam.

Vietnamese businessdelegations trip including Vinaconex this time has achieved good results inmany aspects. At Vietnam- Australia Business Forum, with the attendance ofVietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet and Australian Minister of Trade, Isigned a contract with WK Marble and Granite Company to export Vinaconex's highstandard ashlars facing stones to Australian market. The project has totalvalue of US$60 million in duration of 5 years.

Besides the officialprograms of the delegation, we took part in some bilateral meetings withfinancial investors, real estate companies, potential building contractors fromAustralia and New Zealand. These meetings have opened new chances for Vinaconexto corporate with Australia's and New Zealand's businesses in the future.

The brand name'Vinaconex' has been highly appreciated by big investors, and its shares on theVietnam stock market have drawn great attraction. Could you share successexperience of Vinaconex after 19 years of development?

I think that humanresource is the key factor for a busines survival, which is particularlyimportant to the development of a country on the integration process likeVietnam. Vietnam has seen high economic growth in the past years and won thefaith of strategic investors, so it is compulsory to have strong human resourceto make those chances real value. Because of the awareness of this, we havepaid great attention to human resources since the company was established.Annually, the group spends 5-10 per cent of the company's budget to train itsstaff and workers.

Besides, we areparticularly concerned about enhancing the international cooperation andconsider it a school to train ourselves. So far, Vinaconex has builtcooperation relations with more than 60 countries and territories in the world,including LG, TPG, Taisei, Sumitomo, Posco. We started with exporting laborsand experts, then expanded to other aspects such as international tendercooperation, architectural consultant, planning, new technology applications,and international credits.

At present, I can takepride that Vinaconex employees can work together with foreign experts inimplementing Vinaconexxxxs projects in order to 'build values and set updreams'. We have created many valuable constructions in Vietnam such as Bai ChayBridge and Nga Tu So overpass, two first cable- stayed bridges with one planein Vietnam. Bai Chay bridge has the length of 435 metres, passing Cua Lucchannel with the height of 50 metres from the ground placed on two pillars withthe height of 137 metres. This bridge hit the world record in cable-stayedbridge with one plane. Vinaconex has also built high buildings by newtechnology, industrial zones and urban areas.

We have also developedtechnology to manufacture components for pre-stressed concrete. At present,this kind of product is applied widely in civil and industrial projects inVietnam with hundreds of thousand square meters of concrete annually. Vinaconexalso produces fibre glass pipes, artificial ashlars facing stones etc. Theseproducts are applied in many developed countries and they are manufactured inVietnam by Vinaconex.

Could you please talkabout Vinaconexs strategic orientation in the coming time to tap opportunitiesin post WTO period and inherit achievements obtained in the past 19 years?

The WTO membershipproved that Vietnam's economy has overcome strict requirements set by theinternational community. Vietnamese businesses are striving to furtherintegrate into the world economy, and Vinaconex is not an exception. We targetto build Vinaconex towards a multi-business and multi-ownership group by 2010,maintain the annual growth rate of 20 per cent 25 per cent, and improve ouremployees living standard. Under the plan, Vinaconex completed thecorporationnnns privatisation in 2006, raising more fund for its investmentprojects. We will try to finish operating projects including Buon Kuop, BuonTua Shar, Ngoi Phat, Cua Dat and Doc Cay Hydropower Plants to generateelectricity in 2009; and Cam Pha, Yen Binh Cement Plants, real estate projectsand tourism projects such as An Khanh, Cat Ba and Thao Dien. We believe thatwhat Vinaconex has been doing will attract strategic investors in the comingtime.

(Le Hien - VietnamBusiness Forum)