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BUSINESS IN BRIEF 23/12
Transport
contractors courted
Contrary
to expectations,
The
Ministry of Transport (MoT) has just submitted an equitisation plan for the
Civil Engineering Construction Corporation 1 (Cienco 1) to the prime minister
which states that three strategic investors are eager to partner with the
MoT’s member company.
Prospective
partners include domestic Yen Khanh and FECON JSC companies which have
applied to buy seven million shares tantamount to 10 per cent of Cienco 1’s
chartered capital, and
The
MoT has apparently welcomed the proposals only if the prospective partners
will directly negotiate on pricing at a rate not less than VND10,000 per
share.
“We
want Hassyu Limited to become our strategic partner to take advantage of
Dung
said Cienco 1 had to say no to several proposals to co-operate with the
company as the firms did not offer any improvements in technology or access
to new markets.
According
to an evaluation report, as of June 30, Cienco 1 was valued at VND3.133
trillion ($149 million) with state capital investment of VND478 billion
($22.7 million).
In the
upcoming initial public offering, Cienco 1 envisages distributing 70 million
shares, with the state likely to retain a 35 per cent stake while the remainder
would be sold to outside shareholders and company employees.
Besides
Cienco 1, the MoT is looking to restructure its Transport Engineering Design
Incorporated (TEDI), despite modest chartered capital of $6 million, it has
attracted
local
partner FECON and a fairly famous Japanese investor - Oriental Consultants
Limited, who registered to buy 15.4 per cent of TEDI’s chartered capital.
Cienco
4 and Thang Long Construction Corporation, which recently completed penning
their equitisation plans, are also likely to reach an agreement with local
credit institutions as their strategic partners.
The
Saigon-Hanoi Bank (SHB) has applied to become a strategic shareholder of the
firms via an estimated stock purchase of VND60 billion ($2.8 million) in
Cienco 4 and VND30 billion ($1.4 million) in Thang Long.
The
Vietnam Waterway Construction Corporation (Vinawaco) which wallowed in debt
in previous years also received three investment offers from private
consulting units operating in transport infrastructure engineering.
According
to a veteran investor, there were two reasons why state transport contractors
were so appealing to investors.
First,
most of the firms actually had the capacity to deliver on contracts and
possessed more modern equipment compared to their private sector rivals, and
secondly there was no shortage in prospective infrastructure contracts.
Apart
from Cienco 8 facing financial woes, most of the ministry’s other firms had
racked up profits ranging from $1.9 million to $4.7 million per year.
“With
active engagement from prospective partners, the equitisation of eight
ministry firms in the first quarter next year seems doable,” said a MoT
Business Management Department executive.
Marlboro
case could be stubbed out
Can
Tho Department of Customs has proposed the city’s people’s court reject tobacco
producer Vinataba-Philip Morris’ law suit regarding license rights.
Late
last month, Vinataba-Philip Morris Limited (VPM), a joint venture between
Tbk, a
PM Global Brands Inc. affiliate, sued director of Can Tho Department of
Customs Nguyen Huu Co in a case lodged with Can Tho People’s Court and
petitioned for the tax assessment to be re-examined.
Its
claim related to a dispute over a copyright license fee which has lasted for
more than a year following the local customs department presenting a claim
for duties to the company in March 2012.
The
department claimed that the company had paid a copyright license fee for
Marlboro products for the entirety of 2011 to its partner PM Global Brands
Inc. (PMGB), but the payment had not been calculated in the taxable value.
Specifically,
according to the contract between Vinataba-Philip Morris and PMGB, in order
to use PMGB’s commercial brand-name, Vinataba-Philip Morris must use imported
materials as specified by PMGB and that Vinataba-Philip Morris were obliged
to pay 12 per cent of its sales from the products to PMGB each quarter.
The
total amount paid to PMGB reached $2.95 million for the entirety of 2011.
Can
Tho customs authorities claimed that the licensing rights that
Vinataba-Philip Morris paid to PMGB would have taxable value.
Can
Tho Department of Customs then issued Decision 219/QD-HQCT demanding
outstanding tax payments of VND4.95 billion ($235,714) with an additional fine
of 10 percent on the tax duty.
However,
Vinataba-Philip Morris claimed the contract just regulated trading of
materials between two parties and did not mention any licensing rights.
Therefore, the licensing rights were not related to imported materials.
After
receiving the customs department decision, the company paid duties as
previously required and lodged two unsuccessful bids for the decision to be
over-turned.
Can
Tho Department of Customs director Nguyen Huu Co refused to comment when
contacted by VIR last week. The General Department of Customs in a document
in reply to Vinataba-Philip Morris in late 2012 agreed with Can Tho
Department of Customs that its decision was completely justified under
current regulations on defining the taxable value of a licensed copyright.
SCIC
to retain key stakes in some prominent firms
The
government last week approved the State Capital Investment Corporation’s
restructuring plan for the next three years.
Accordingly,
the State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) will continue to maintain
long-term investment in Vinamilk, FPT Telecom, Hau Giang Pharmaceuticals, and
Vietnam National Reinsurance Corporation (Vinare).
SCIC
represents the interests of state-owned capital in enterprises.
The
plan conflicts with advice by foreign investors that the state should sell
stakes in non-essential sectors including dairy production, to offset the
budget deficit.
Many
experts also said that selling state-owned shares in such companies would
help improve corporate governance and bolster the development of these
sectors.
SCIC
currently holds 375.7 million shares in Vinamilk, equivalent to 45 per cent
of the company’s charter capital. Thanks to this holding SCIC will receive up
to VND1.73 trillion ($82.4 million) in dividends from Vinamilk this year.
FPT
Telecom will provide dividends of 40-50 per cent per year, Vinare 20 per cent
and Hau Giang 25 per cent. SCIC’s ownership ratios in these three firms stand
at 50.2 per cent, 40.36 per cent and 43.31 per cent, respectively. It
is expected that these three companies would bring about more than VND2.07
trillion ($98.57 million) from their dividends to SCIC in 2013.
Under
the restructuring plan, SCIC will retain a 100 per sent stake in SCIC
Investment, An Giang Quarry and Processing Company, and Vinaconex Investment
and Mineral Trading Company.
SCIC
will also retain a controlling stake in Dien Bien Services, Tourism and
Trading Company, and Lai Chau Mineral Company following equitisation.
Meanwhile,
SCIC will reduce its ownership ratios at 376 companies including major
players such as Vinaconex, Bao Viet Holdings, FPT, Traphaco, Binh Minh
Plastics and Tien Phong Plastics.
By
2015, SCIC’s charter capital will be raised to VND50 trillion ($2.38 billion)
from the current VND5 trillion ($238 million).
IMF:
Deferred economic reform erodes confidence
International
Monetary Fund’s Chief Resident Representative for Vietnam Sanjay Kalra has
urged the Government to speed up economic reform to buoy up business
confidence after the macro economy has been stabilized.
Otherwise,
postponement of the reform process will erode confidence of international
donors and prolong the period of stagnation, Kalra said at the Vietnam
Development Partnership Forum in
Slow
economic reform will curb economic growth at a level that cannot create
enough jobs for the rising labor force and improve standards of living, he
said.
Kalra
said that bank restructuring should be prioritized to solve problems related
to asset quality, bad debts, and risk reserve fund deduction. This move will
help build up an environment for banks to transfer savings of the nation to
effective investment.
IMF
noticed that these problems remain in
In
addition, Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC) should not be made a
vehicle giving prolonged liquidity supports to insolvent banks. Otherwise,
banks will lose the motive for restructuring.
Besides,
it is necessary to publicize the financial status of State-owned economic
groups and corporations, including incomes, audited balance sheets and bank
loans, Kalra added.
Although
the macro economy has been stabilized, the fundamentals for the recovery are
fragile. The nation’s economic growth rate stays low at around 5-5.5% between
2012 and 2013, the chief representative said.
The
real estate market has still seen many difficulties. Domestic sectors though
making some improvements have not obtained solid foundations.
Besides,
late austerity measures have led to high budget deficit, which is expected at
5.25% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year.
IMF
warned that the gloomy outlook of the global economy may result in capital
outflows and weak foreign reserves.
However,
the report of the Government at the forum suggested much improvement in
economic indicators.
Foreign
reserve increased from six weeks of imports in late 2010 to 6.5 weeks at the
end of 2011 and to around 12 weeks late last year and now.
In the
Jan-Aug period of 2013, bad debts posted an average growth rate of 2.52% per
month, a strong drop compared to 3.91% in the same period of 2012.
Lending
rates have dropped to levels in 2005 and 2006. Lending rates for the priority
sectors are from 7-9% per annum while those for other sectors range from
9-11.5% per annum.
At
present, around 80% of State-owned enterprises are making gains, accounting
for over 33% of GDP.
Vietnam’s
auto industry opportunities may slip away: Toyota
Yoshihisa
Maruta, general director of
(CKD)
and complete built-up (CBU) cars, it will be a challenge for
Speaking
at a seminar organized by Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam
(BIDV) and
tariffs
within ASEAN will be removed, resulting in a sharp fall in imported car
prices and giving a boost to the automobile market.
Maruta
urged the Government to apply supportive measures for the industry. “Now is
the most important time to decide the future of the auto industry,” he said.
The
seminar also discussed other fields of cooperation between
Phan
Duc Tu, general director of BIDV, said that
Bilateral
trade between the two nations is expected to hit US$29 billion in 2013. By
late September, Japanese firms had invested in 2,100 projects in
BIDV
has been trying to seek cooperation opportunities to speed up Japanese FDI in
SCB is
the sixth biggest bank in
Commenting
on the partnership model between Vietnamese and Japanese banks to speed up
FDI capital in
As of
November,
Chinese
bicycles increase presence in Vietnam
There
are up to 80 Chinese manufacturers of bicycles and components showcasing
their products at Vietnam Expo 2013 that opened on Wednesday at Saigon
Exhibition and Convention Center in HCMC’s District 7.
According
to the exhibition’s organizer - Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising
Co. (VINEXAD), the number of Chinese enterprises tripled at this year’s
exhibition.
They
come to seek Vietnamese partners to distribute their products.
The
participation of Chinese enterprises is organized by the China Bicycle
Association (CBA), the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade
(CCPIT) and CCPIT Shanghai Sub-Council to encourage manufacturers to
seek opportunities in potential markets.
According
to CBA, this is the third time Chinese bicycle manufacturers have joined
Vietnam Expo, which will last until Saturday this time.
Chinese
manufacturers want to boost consumption in the Vietnamese market as a large
number of people tend to use bicycles to reduce pollution and save fuels.
Ma
Zhong Chao, chairman of CBA, said that the bicycle and electric bike market
in
policies
to call for energy saving, protect the environment and promote sustainable
development, he added.
Small
alley homes sell well in Hanoi
While
the real estate market in
Prices
of alley houses in the capital have declined by 30% compared to the golden
age of the property market. Therefore, a lot of customers who have a real
demand for
accommodation
are considering buying the properties due to low prices and convenient
locations.
Some
retail investors and brokers have paid attention to the segment given the
high market demand. Nguyen Trong Bang, former director of a property exchange
center, said
that
he has focused on the alley house segment. The condo segment has been quiet
in recent times but many clients have been seeking houses priced at around
VND2 billion each.
Most
Vietnamese people still prefer a private landed home to an apartment,
especially as some condo project investors have hurt the confidence of
customers. Therefore,
more
and more people are seeking to buy private homes, Bang explained.
From a
small investor, Bang has called for his friends to invest in the alley home
business. His group has conducted nearly 10 successful transactions since
earlier this year.
Tran
Van Hien, a manager of the real estate exchange center at nhadat24g.net, said
that his center has also shifted to small houses from 30-50 square meters
each this year. While the condo segment is still in hibernation, small house
transactions are still profitable, Hien said.
Nguyen
Huu Thu, a property investor in Cau Giay District, said that he has joined
the alley home business after many homebuyers have come to his area to seek a
small house.
Over
the past three months, Thu has been involved in seven transactions in Thanh
Xuan, Dong Da and Cau Giay districts. The houses have been sold at VND1.5-2.5
billion each.
Bang
said that residential land in some alleys has declined sharply in price. In
Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan districts, houses measured around 30 square meters
each have
been
offered at around VND900 million each, down by around VND300-500 million
compared to late 2007.
In
districts nearer to the city center, prices of alley houses have also
declined by VND4-5 million per square meter against the peak. Therefore, many
homebuyers have rushed to buy small alley homes from 25-40 square meters each
at VND2 billion each or less.
Bang
said investment in alley homes can fetch high profits due to the ready-made
infrastructures in the central area, advantageous locations and reasonable
prices.
However,
to gain success in transactions, it is necessary to build up a team to
conduct all steps such as buying houses, making procedures, repairing and
launching products onto the market.
Pham
Trung Ha, general director of Hoa Phat Land Company, said that condo supply
is huge just now but many customers still want to buy private homes.
Nguyen
Viet Hai, general director of VIC Investment Joint Stock Company, said that
the transaction of small alley homes has reported high liquidity and is the
safest segment at the moment.
Luxury
apartments to be converted into showroom
The
magazine of luxury items Robb Report yesterday announced its cooperation with
the developer of the Kim Cuong Island condo projects to turn a couple of
apartment units there into a showroom featuring famous brands worldwide.
Around
six brands including designs and lighting solutions will showcase their
products at the site in HCMC’s District 2. Kusto, the developer and operator
of the condo project, will set aside two floors of the condo building to make
it a luxury brands showroom.
Michael
von Schlippe, CEO of Indochine Media Venture which publishes Robb Report,
said the cooperation model has been successful in many countries worldwide.
He said the cooperation model is a way of bringing products closer to
consumers instead of from newspapers only.
When
in place, the showroom covering 800 square meters will be a venue for
organizing events for luxury brands.
The
magazine Robb Report covers a wide range of products and solutions, from
luxury cars and jets and yachts to watches and jewelry items among others.
New
JV set up to develop residential area in Binh Duong
The
Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) developer has joined forces with a
Singaporean partner to set up a joint venture to implement a residential
development project in
Vietnam-Singapore
Industrial Park Joint Venture Co. and Sembcorp Development
The
project will cover 4.1 hectares at VSIP in
The
establishment of the joint venture is part of a plan for providing more
amenities for the enterprises operating at VSIP in the province.
Vietnam-Singapore
Industrial Park Joint Venture Co., which is 49% owned by Becamex IDC Corp and
51% by a Sembcorp-led
industrial-residential-service
integrated areas in Binh Duong,
The
VSIP projects have grown from traditional industrial parks to industrial,
urban and service areas to provide a working, living and entertaining
environment.
Vietnam-Singapore
Industrial Park Joint Venture Co. said it would consider investing in more
such areas in other provinces.
The
VSIP projects in
HVG
offers 30 million new shares
Shareholders
of Hung Vuong Corporation (HVG) during the extraordinary shareholder meeting
last Friday agreed on the issuance of 30 million new shares to raise funds
for its business expansion.
The
enterprise will offer the first batch of shares by June 30, 2014 and the
remaining shares by December 31, 2014. The shares will be sold to a
Singaporean investor at not below VND28,000 each.
Duong
Ngoc Minh, chairman of the enterprise, said that the Singaporean partner has
been selected as it has a good relationship with a supermarket group in
Given
the cooperation, the group will launch its products in the Indonesian market
with a large population. HVG also has plans to invest in farming and
processing in the country, Minh said.
Besides,
HVG will also cooperate with the owner of the U.S.-based H&T supermarket
system to launch its products in 16 markets.
The
This
year, the enterprise targets consolidated revenue of VND12 trillion, up by
over 50% from 2012.
200,000
hectares of coffee recognized as sustainable
By
deploying a sustainable coffee farming program,
At the
seminar on sustainable coffee development through public-private partnership
in Vietnam last Thursday, Nguyen Tan Trung, a coffee farmer in Di Linh in the
central highlands province of Lam Dong, said that thanks to the program,
farmers had been able to apply new technologies in farming, harvesting and
processing coffee to improve the farm produce’s quality.
According
to Lam Dong’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, there is over
40,000 hectares under coffee cultivation in the province given the
certificates on meeting international sustainable criteria such as 4C, UTZ or
RTA.
Intimex
Group Joint Stock Company that has been among the country’s top ten coffee
exporters in recent years now is also investing in sustainable coffee
farming. However, Intimex general director Do Ha
“As
farmers are used to planting coffee in traditional ways, it would cost us a
lot of time and money to encourage them to switch to the new farming
methods,”
Under
the sustainable coffee development plan, the total coffee area meeting
prescribed criteria will be around 300,000 hectares in 2015 and around
480,000 hectares by 2020, the Cultivation Department under the agriculture
ministry reports.
The
HCMC government will work with banks to launch a capital supply program in
the 2014-2015 period, ensuring that enterprises with stable outlets will be
able to access capital sources to maintain production and business.
Speaking
at the closing ceremony of the 16th congress of the city’s Party Committee
last Thursday, Party Committee Secretary Le Thanh Hai said that capital and
market for enterprises are the most crucial issues the city has been trying
to solve.
Local
authorities in the meeting said that small and medium-sized enterprises have
met many difficulties in securing credits despite falling lending rates.
Nguyen
Thi Hong, vice chairwoman of HCMC, told the Daily that the city has connected
enterprises having capital demand with banks this year. Nearly VND12 trillion
worth of loans have been extended to 600 enterprises in apparel, food,
chemical, steel and farm produce sectors.
Banks
will provide loans for enterprises with feasible projects while those meeting
difficulties can call the hotline of the central bank’s HCMC branch to ask
for help. Only firms with bad debts and unfeasible projects cannot reach bank
loans, Hong said.
The
Department of Industry and Trade and the HCMC Business Association are making
a list of enterprises in need of capital. The city’s government will pass the
list over to the central bank’s HCMC branch to consider helping such
enterprises access capital in 2014, she added.
Hai
said that the city’s gross domestic product (GDP) has obtained average growth
rate of 9.6% annually over the past three years. The annual growth rates, at
over 10% in 2011, 9.2% in 2012 and 9.3% in 2013, are reasonable, and the city
expects to gain a GDP growth rate of 9.5% next year.
However,
the danger of high inflation and macro uncertainties will remain high in the
following years. The most worrying sign is that total investment capital in
the city’s economy will be low.
Last
year, the city’s total investment capital hits nearly VND226 trillion, a 4
percent year-on-year rise.
To
solve the shortage of investment capital, Hai said the city will fully
exploit land-related incomes.
The
city expects to attract around VND8 trillion in official development
assistance (ODA) capital next year and VND12 trillion in 2015 to supplement
infrastructure investment capital.
Legal
compliance corporate program kicks off next year
Small-
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) having low import-export value but
strictly observing customs regulations will be subject to preferential
treatment on customs procedures under a legal compliance program for
companies by the General Department of Customs starting from next year’s
second quarter.
According
to the customs authority, enterprises joining the legal program are companies
with stringent customs law compliance history and they do not have to meet
requirements on large import-export value.
The
target firms will be given incentives when performing import-export
procedures, including having their commodities cleared in a shorter time and
having their goods grouped into the green line like enterprises of the
prioritized corporate program under deployment by the general customs
department currently.
A
representative of the general customs department ascribed the introduction of
the compliance corporate program to the fact that the prioritized corporate
program had been piloted with many tough conditions in the past. For
instance, local companies must achieve export value of up to hundreds of
millions of U.S. dollars annually and have a few years of being considered as
good law observers to win the right to join the program, said the representative.
In
fact, many firms complained that the high-value export revenue requirement
was a tough condition hindering multiple SMEs and others in the logistics
industry despite the fact that they were always good legal observers. The
department therefore has mapped out the legal compliance corporate program
with much more simple conditions to support these firms.
As the
program is set to kick off from the second quarter next year, the target
enterprises need to take control over the legal compliance within their
companies from now on, said the customs authority’s representative. Besides,
he noted that along with the program, customs agencies will assess those
companies failing to conform to law by different activities to increase their
self-awareness and have stricter control.
The
prioritized corporate program under deployment by the customs authority at
present was launched by the Ministry of Finance two years ago with an aim to
identify exporting and importing companies meeting certain conditions. The
program has carried out many changes after two years of operation, with its
conditions and procedures partially simplified for relevant enterprises.
Trading
firms told to keep fuel prices steady, for now
The
Ministry of Finance on Thursday ordered fuel trading firms to shelve any fuel
retail price hike plans for now though they are said to be losing hundreds of
Vietnamese dong for each liter of fuel sold.
Instead
the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade allow fuel
traders to get more from the fuel price stabilization fund as of 2 p.m. on
Thursday. Therefore, these traders automatically receive VND300 for every
liter of petrol sold and VND500 for a liter of diesel oil, up by VND100 and
VND200 respectively.
Meanwhile,
they do have a preset profit margin for diesel oil and kerosene just as
before but it is down to VND100 per liter rather than the mandated VND300.
The two ministries, which oversee the fuels market, explained the
differential between the actual retail price and the base price is getting
bigger after the prices of finished fuel products have risen.
From
November 4 to December 3, RON 92, DO 0.05S, kerosene and fuel oil 180 cst
were priced at US$112.15, US$123.70, US$122.98 per barrel and US$604.96 per
ton respectively. Therefore, the retail price is now VND467-968 per liter
lower than the base price.
The
price stabilization fund currently covers losses with VND200 for a liter of
petrol and VND300 for a liter of diesel oil.
However,
to control inflation, stabilize the macro economy, ensure social security,
guarantee benefits for both consumers and firms, and balance the State
budget, the ministries decided to use the price stabilization fund to cope
with the current situation.
With
this solution, the base prices of petrol and diesel oil are still VND167 and
VND126 higher than the retail levels, so fuel trading firms get lower
profits, according to the two ministries.
Traders
have complained the more they sell the bigger their losses. However, they
still pay VND600-700 for each liter sold by their agents before renewing
their contracts next year.
Tet
bonuses lower than last year
Tet
bonuses for employees at Vietnamese enterprises are expected to be less than
previous years due to the economic downturn, said a representative from the
Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (Molisa).
Tong
Thi Minh, head of the Molisa’s Labour and Salary Department, said this year,
Tet bonus will be divided into three groups, the highest bonuses will be in
the hundreds of millions of VND; the second, for medium-level employees and
the third group may get nothing.
Pham
Van Thanh, head of Labour and Salary Board under the Hanoi Department of
Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said, in 2013 nearly 2,000 companies in
Hanoi went bankrupt, most of them in the areas of construction and real
estate.
In
Hanoi, Tet bonuses at in the foreign-invested sector which are usually among
the highest, is forecast not to surpass VND30 million (USD1,428) per
employee. The situation has been attributed to the fact that fewer companies
in this sector have made profits this year.
Employees
working in other sectors in the city are expected to receive an average of
VND2-7 million each. Those from state-owned companies will get VND5-7 million
each.
Meanwhile,
businesses in many northern localities, such as Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Haiphong
and Bac Ninh have not yet reported their Tet bonus plans to the local
departments of labour, invalids and social affairs. However, the departments
said it is unlikely that bonuses this year will be higher than last year.
In Bac
Ninh Province, employees at companies a variety of types of companies are
expected to receive VND500,000-2 million each, equal to their 13thmonth
salary.
Foreign-invested
companies in HCM City and Binh Duong Province have planned Tet bonuses for
their workers, which average between VND3-5 million. Besides the bonuses,
employees also receive gifts such as cooking oil, rice and seasoning powder.
The
HCM City Export Processing Zone Authority (Hepza ) has urged companies to
submit Tet bonus plans no later than December 20.
Fleet
customers highlighted
The
leader in the country’s luxury sedan market, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam has been
the top choice of five-star hotels and premium resorts as well as business
conglomerates for their VIP transport. The deals have mostly been conducted
as purchases of fleet customers.
The
last month of the year has just deepened the presence of Mercedes-Benz
Vietnam’s two fleet customers, InterContinental Asiana Saigon and Six Senses
Con Dao.
To
distinguished guests who are frequently on the move, the first impressions
upon a deluxe hotel are not only its facilities and services but also its
transport means—in terms of both brand name and quality. That said, which
automakers to choose for a five-star hotel’s or a top-end resort’s transport
fleet is always of prime importance to hotels and resorts. Such a choice
pertains to a wide range of standards which embrace safety, comfort and
trademark prestige.
Among
the first-rate hotels in HCMC, InterContinental Asiana Saigon has recently
received a fleet of five brand-new Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars. This is the
first set in diamond silver color by Mercedes-Benz Vietnam with each being
equipped with a wifi hotspot and a removable iPad on the back seat, which
substantially facilitates Internet connection while on board. The latest
installation, according to Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, will help passengers stay
connected with colleagues or customers anywhere, anytime. Mercedes-Benz
Vietnam also says the E-Class’s back seats can be even translated into a
“mini-office” where business people will do their jobs at ease.
“At
InterContinental Asiana Saigon we believe in providing the best services to
our guests and, like us, the Mercedes-Benz brand is internationally
recognized and is synonymous with top quality and elegance,” Fergus Stewart,
director of operation for IHG Thailand and Indochina cum general manager of
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, said in a press release. “To have an iPad
with wireless Internet connection for guests to use in our new E-Class cars,
we’re adding a new dimension to our impeccable service.”
In
fact, this five-star hotel has since its first days in Vietnam in 2009 worked
closely with Mercedes-Benz Vietnam to provide first-class transport services
for its VIP guests. And now InterContinental Asiana Saigon has also become
the German car manufacturer’s first fleet customer to opt for the diamond
silver color.
InterContinental
Asiana Saigon is no exception. The five-star hotel chain, also present in
Danang and Hanoi, has put Mercedes-Benz car fleets in use.
“We
are proud to renew our partnership with InterContinental Asiana Saigon and
I’m confident that guests will equally enjoy spending time in the new E-Class
as they do at this luxurious hotel,” said Michael Behrens, Mercedes-Benz
Vietnam chief executive officer.
Behrens
added that in the coming days, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam will transfer another
car fleet to Six Senses Con Dao to bring to a close another successful year
which highlights strengthened partnership with Vietnam’s top-of-the-line
hotels and resorts. This year alone and in the hotel field only, nearly 20
luxury cars worth VND37 billion have been transferred by Mercedes-Benz
Vietnam to its fleet customers.
Behrens
said to date more than 70% of first-class hotels in Vietnam have chosen
Mercedes-Benz cars for their fleets—such as InterContinental hotels group,
Park Hyatt Saigon, Caravelle, Vinpearl Luxury, New World Hotel, Melia Hanoi,
and Six Senses, to name just a few. And the car of choice is the E-Class as
this category has been picked by high-end customers. The luxury E-Class can
also be named as “economical” because its fuel consumption is about six
liters per 100 kilometers and the service maintenance lasts for two years.
Despite
the backdrop of a lukewarm domestic market, Vietnam’s hospitality industry
has sustained an uphill task, registering impressive growth when
international tourist arrivals in the first 11 months posted a 10% growth
rate year-on-year. In other words, Vietnam continues to be a fascinating
destination for international travelers. Furthermore, the country’s foreign
direct investment attraction has gone beyond all expectations topping US$20
billion compared with the projected VND13-14 billion. Given these
developments, Behrens said fleet customers in Vietnam have great potential.
Moreover, quite a few businesses and organizations are in need of buying car
fleets for their transport requirement to assert their corporate image. This
stands a chance for Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, said the CEO.
Another
factor that affects Mercedes-Benz Vietnam’s success in attracting luxury
projects is the carmaker’s sale and service network that spans across Vietnam
and is capable of reacting to customer requests at a moment’s notice.
Aside
from luxury partners in Vietnam’s metropolises such as HCMC and Hanoi, hotels
and resorts across the board have chosen Mercedes-Benz Vietnam cars due
partly to its 10 sale and service centers nationwide. For instance, Victoria
Hoi An picked Mercedes-Benz because An Du Danang is at its service; and
Victoria Can Tho embraced Mercedes-Benz because Haxaco Can Tho is ready out
there all the time. The Mercedes-Benz availability has outperformed its most
formidable rivals. “We have invested more than US$33 million in our national
customer service network which allows us to better access our new potential
clients in the country’s fastest-growing regions,” said Mercedes-Benz Vietnam
CEO Behrens. “In the coming time, we want to show our partners that
Mercedes-Benz always renews itself. Aside from introducing top-of-the-range
cars, we have integrated innovative features diverse enough to meet their
requirements.”
Mercedes-Benz
Vietnam’s fleet customers have not only enjoyed the best price offers but
also received the best service quality, such as special aftersale services
and training for chauffeurs, and free parking in HCMC’s and Hanoi’s downtown.
Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam is capable of meeting clients’ customized
demands. For instance, installation of wifi hotspot and iPad on board, or
special training for chauffeurs, have been conducted.
Experts
explain that carmakers have chosen high-end hotels and resorts as their fleet
customers because this form benefits both partners. Apart from the customers’
benefits as mentioned above, carmakers have taken advantage of the chance to
reach rich travelers who are guests of luxury hotels and resorts. The benefit
gained from the fleet customer policy is being boosted by deluxe carmakers.
According
to InterContinental Asiana Saigon, the country is emerging as a destination
for the affluent holidaymaker and is atop of Asia in hotel growth. That’s why
Mercedes-Benz Vietnam has given this channel a great momentum.
Motorola
Solutions docks at two local seaports
Motorola
Solutions is implementing its state-of-the-art radio, mobile computing and
wireless technology solutions at Vietnam’s two major seaports.
Motorola
said its mobile computing and wi-fi technology was already in place at Danang
port, the biggest seaport in the central part of the country. Motorola was
selected based on its leadership in the information and communications
technology industry and reputation for reliability. More importantly, it was
well-acclimated to the port’s development plans.
“Motorola
Solutions’ mobile computing and wi-fi technology provide Danang port full and
reliable coverage, helping the operations and ensuring the management is more
productive and efficient,” noted a Motorola press release which added, “The
easy to use Windows CE platform is compatible with many of today’s mobile
applications.”
Motorola’s
solutions have helped improve the efficiency of the port’s container handling
operations.
With a
data transmission speed of 15 megabytes a second and intuitive graphic
feature, operations have been streamlined and have become more accurate.
Controllers are able to monitor and record container movements in real time
and at exact locations, reducing manpower needs and paperwork. Loading and
unloading time has also been reduced and capacity has increased.
“Once
the IT system was upgraded, the container capacity at Tien Sa, one of the port’s
major terminals, increased by 20 per cent on average over each of the past
three years,” said Danang port deputy general director Nguyen Xuan Dung.
“Modern technology and less manual labour as well as reduced auxiliary
equipment needs and paperwork have made Danang port a safer and smarter place
to work.”
In the
past, less advanced technologies using the DOS operating system and
old-fashioned radios caused inefficiencies. The port lacked a cable network
and fiber-optic cables to connect fleets with the container yards.
Motorola’s
technical solutions have also been used in Cai Lan International Container
Terminal (CICT), a newly-established seaport located in the famous Halong
city in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Solutions include MOTOTRBO capacity
and a digital radio system that can be easily deployed and manage group
communications. CICT’s evaluation of two-way radio systems was a critical
part of the upgrade to ensure teams had consistent and constant
communication. Efficiency and cost-effectiveness were two factors primary in
the decision making process.
“We
selected Motorola because of its solid references, notably SSA Marine, and
compared to other providers it has solid after-sales services, a reliable
warranty policy, and extensive installation support,” said Cai Lan port’s
customer relations director Nguyen Thai Hoa.
The
system has the advantage of a ‘trunking feature’ which provides clearer
signal, longer battery time, and clear channels under an expanded capacity
for the terminal. Most importantly, it has greatly enhanced efficiency. The
36 group talks among the fleet can easily communicate and coordinate through
the sharing of 10 trunked channels. Using the call feature, the operation can
also contact the entire fleet in an instant. The system has been lauded for
its reliability, coverage, and capacity.
Source:
VEF/VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/Dantri/VIR
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Chủ Nhật, 22 tháng 12, 2013
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