TMV’s commitment to the local manufacturing industry was tested last year when the government lifted tariffs on imported cars from Association of Southeast Asian Nation countries.

“Local automotive players were concerned with their ability to compete with imported vehicles,” said Kinoshita.

“To meet the growth of Vietnam market potentiality, Toyota Vietnam will continue our commitment to foster local production, going along with the development of the country on its journey toward motorization.”

With over 1,900 employees and more than 6,000 employees working in 56 dealers and outlets across the country, Toyota aims to consolidate its position as the automotive “king of the road” and contribute to the development of the Vietnamese automobile industry.

“Through the support of the government and the administration’s policies to protect the local automotive industry, we have full confidence in Vietnam and the people here, whom we have come to appreciate so much.”

www.toyota.com.vn
www.toyotavn.com.vn

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“There has never been a better time for Japanese enterprises to invest in Vietnam,” said Duc. “The economic landscape has changed over the past decade and today provides more opportunities for Japanese investors and smalland mid-sized enterprises who are looking to capitalize on the dynamic local market, especially within the Mekong Delta’s agriculture and aquaculture industries.”

“Thanks to government initiatives, the Vietnamese private sector and SMEs are developing at an encouraging rate and becoming key factors in the country’s success. Our prime objective at VCG is to bring together these enterprises and those from Japan in order for them to collaborate and develop business together, especially in the food industry and food services sectors,” said Duc.

VCG has gone on to become the leading SME service provider in Vietnam. The company has supported thousands of local and international SMEs across the country since 2000 and also collaborates with organizations such as the International Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank, and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit.

VCG has also co-founded two Innovation Hubs, a coworking space and a center for startups. The first being the Saigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB) with support from HCM City People’s Committee. The second, Mekong Innovation hub (MEHUB), was co-founded last year in Can Tho, the Mekong’s capital city, together with the Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a Japanese partner, fueling the private sector development of the region. VCG are now designing the MIHUB center, which will be the first smart building within the Mekong region, coinciding with its 20th anniversary.

With the assistance of Japanese Official Development Assistance, the region’s recent infrastructure projects have sped up migration and urbanization into cities like Can Tho. This in turn, has fueled the booming real estate industry.

“We have collaborated with local authorities and Japanese businesses to optimize the urban design and development in these cities,” said Duc.

VCG collaborates with Japanese consulting firms and market leaders, organizing hundreds of training workshops and project- consulting events. The company works closely with chambers of commerce to bring Vietnamese and Japanese SMEs together at sporting events, trade fairs and business matching programs in Japan and Vietnam to promote bilateral trade.

In 2014, VCG brought Brainwork, one of their Japanese partners, to Can Tho, in order to connect with the local chamber of commerce. This led to the creation of Japan-Mekong Festival Week. “This year, we visited Hokkaido to promote the fourth Japan-Mekong Festival Week summit, which will be held in Can Tho this November,” said Duc. “Together with Brainwork and VCCI Cantho, we hope to bring 300 Japanese visitors to the Mekong for our sport, racing and business matching events.”

Last year, the Japan-Mekong Festival was attended by more than 130 Japanese representatives. This year’s fourth Japan-Mekong Festival is expected to attract twice this number.

“The relationship between Japan and Vietnam have blossomed. The central and local government have recently confirmed that Japan must be the major international partner for the Mekong’s development for the coming decade, and Can Tho will be the entry point to the region’s development,” said Duc. “This is very encouraging for local SMEs and indeed the region’s agriculture industry. Our mission is to help nurture future partnerships and ensure Vietnamese enterprises grow together with their Japanese counterparts.”

www.vietnamconsulting.com/en/

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“Last year we participated in numerous corporate social responsibility initiatives, including donating blood to the Vietnam Red Cross and providing uniforms and stationery to schools educating children from low-income households,” said Mitsumoto. “These activities bring our company closer together and enable us to give back to the communities in which we work.’’

Over the course of the next five years, Mitsumoto plans to increase JHE’s business. Vietnam’s real estate and construction industries show no sign of slowing down and the company also sees opportunities in neighboring Southeast Asian markets.

“We focus on building trust and developing relationships with our customers and have collaborated with leading private developers in Vietnam such as Nam Long (Flora Mizuki Park), NovaLand (Sunrise City View), Gamuda Land (Celadon City) and Tien Phat (Ascent Lakeside) in addition to working on public sector projects. Last year we were awarded the prestigious High Quality Construction prize from the Ministry of Construction,” said Mitsumoto.

“We have achieved success by delivering the best quality service that is also safe and on time. Rather than aiming to become the number one mechanical, electrical and plumbing services company in Vietnam, we intend to become the best company we can be by working closely with our trusted clients and continuing to contribute to the development of Vietnam,” Mitsumoto concluded.

www.jescohoabinh.com

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“Our production capacity today is 900,000 metric tons per year (MT/year),” said Hiroyuki Iwasa, general director of Vina Kyoei Steel.

“Our second steel rolling mill has enabled us to increase our sales volume from 440,000 MT/year in 2014 to 830,000 MT/year in 2018. Our objective for 2019 is to reach full capacity, a target that I am confident we will achieve.”

One of the reasons for Vina Kyoei Steel’s success is the company’s network of 20 distributors across the country.

“Our business is based on trust and we have built strong and long-lasting relationships with our distributors,” said Iwasa. “A number of distributors whom we supported in the early days have become some of the largest in the industry. We have grown together and we continue to base our business relationships on loyalty.”

Vina Kyoei Steel has also entered the Cambodian market in partnership with three major distributors. The company’s yearly sales volumes in Cambodia have increased drastically from 19,000 MT/ year in 2015 to 167,000 MT/ year last year.

“The Cambodian market has incredible potential,” said Iwasa. “We are fortunate to have established strong partnerships that we will develop in a similar manner to those we enjoy in Vietnam.”

With the increasing number of high-rise buildings and apartments in urban areas, demand for steel products has grown in recent years. While developers and contractors prioritize cost over quality and value, Vina Kyoei Steel is looking to challenge this trend.

“We have an advantage within the private housing sector as customers and end users prioritize quality over cost,” said Iwasa.

“We produce high-quality products at an internationally recognized standard. Vietnamese developers and contractors, especially those working on high-end developments, continue to appreciate the high-quality products that we are able to deliver.”

www.vinakyoeisteel.com.vn

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