After 13 years operating in construction investment field, Tan Tao Group has built many colossal projects and created thousands of jobs for many provinces and cities. The presence of the group has turned many fallow areas into promising lands for many people.
Tan Tao Group has also invested in many large-sized projects in Kien Giang province. The Vietnam Business Forum has been given an exclusive interview with Mr Dang Quang Hanh, Deputy General Director of Tan Tao Group and General Director of Tan Tao Energy Joint Stock Company, on the projects in the province.
Tan Tao Group is now one of the most powerful construction investors in Vietnam. Could you introduce its remarkable achievements to date?
Founded in 1996, Tan Tao Group is the first private company in Vietnam to be granted 443 hectares of land in Ho Chi Minh City to build the Tan Tao Industrial Park. The group turned a low-productive saline agricultural land into the largest industrial park in southern Vietnam with modern infrastructure and utilities like wastewater treatment system and traffic system. It has now provided more than 30,000 jobs. During 13 years of operation, the Tan Tao Industrial Park always took the lead in attracting foreign investors and promoting its internal forces. It has created many jobs for Vietnamese people and driven Binh Tan into the fastest-growing district in terms of tax payment in Ho Chi Minh City from an impoverished locality.
Withstanding stiff competition and volatile material prices in the past time, Tan Tao Group has managed to develop many important projects throughout the country, such as Tan Tao-Hanel Science - Technology - Finance City, electric plants, water plants, roads and bridges. Notably, the Tan Duc - Long An Industrial Park is an important element to enable Long An province to attain GDP of over VND2,000 billion for the first time in 2007. The Kien Luong - Kien Giang electric power centre in Kien Giang province is the first and largest power project invested by a private company.
Arguably, a good governance system and a strong, skilful, professional and devoted workforce bring pride to Tan Tao Group. The group has won many titles and awards for its contributions to the country, including the second-class Labour Medal, the third-class Labour Medal, the Business Superstar in International Integration Award granted by The Economist Magazine and the Vietnam & World Newspaper, the Thanh Giong Gold Cup and Outstanding Entrepreneur Title 2008 bestowed by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam Television (VTV), the Vietnam Gold Star Award 2008 and 2009 decorated by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Young Business Association, the ISO Gold Cup 2008 conferred by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Southern Golden Star Award 2008 presented by the Ho Chi Minh City Business Association, the Top 15 Excellent Business Award 2008 granted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Vietnam Quintessence Trademark Title voted by readers of World & Vietnam Newspaper. The group and its employees also received many diplomas of merits and awards for their excellent performance in their work.
What made Tan Tao Group decide to invest in the more than 500 hectare industrial park and coal-fired power plant at the cost of over US$6 billion in Kien Luong Industrial Zone?
Kien Giang province and specially its Kien Luong district are well-known for revolutionary movements but they are still a saline region where the people are living in extremely low standards. Tan Tao Group wants to make something meaningful to thank and memorise the service and contributions of fallen soldiers for the liberation of this land and to thrive this desolate land into a good place for breadwinning for local people. With its experience and capacity of the group and the trust of the government, we decided to invest in a number of large-scaled enterprising projects in Kien Giang province. The successfulness of our projects will make a turning point for socio-economic development in Kien Giang province as well as other southern provinces. The Kien Luong power plant will have a total capacity 4,400 MW - 5,200 MW, the largest in Vietnam to date, the coal-fired Kien Luong 1 power plant has a capacity 1,200 MW, including two 600 MW turbines. This modern power generator equipped with advanced and environment-friendly technology will help solve burning power shortages in Vietnam. The investor is quickening necessary procedures to commence construction and put the two turnbines into operation in 2013 as scheduled.
Other project is the construction of Nam Du Port, an important trade point in Kien Giang province. The Nam Du deepwater port can accommodate ships of over 200,000 tonnes at its full capacity. We divide the construction into three phases, with the first phase capable of supporting ships of 80,000 tonnes, the second phase capable of receiving 150,000 tonnes and the third phase for ships of 200,000 tonnes. This port will transit coal for thermal power plants in the southern region as well as export vegetables and seafood from the Mekong Delta region. Besides, we also build Kien Luong water plant with a daily capacity of 200,000 cubic metres. In the first phase, the facility will mainly serve the water demands by Tan Tao Group’s projects, including the Kien Luong power plant and 30-40 hectare Tan Tao residential and industrial complex. When the water plant reaches 200,000 cubic metres a day by 2016, it will distribute the tap water for Kien Luong district.
What message would you like to deliver to domestic and foreign investors when they want to cooperate with Tan Tao Group?
Vietnam is now a favourite destination for investors throughout the world because they appreciate the political stability and great opportunities for investment, business and development.
As you know, all domestic and foreign investors need partners and the selection of right partners decides 50 per cent of success. For Tan Tao Group is “respect, be equal and promote the highest advantage of each side.” As a pioneer and a leader in developing industrial parks and infrastructures like power plants, water plants, waste treatment facilities, roads, bridges, etc over the past 13 years, Tan Tao Group has become an important, reliable and experience partner of all investors. Tan Tao Group is the very “Developer of Choice”.
What do you think of the investment climate in Kien Giang province?
We feel that the Government has supported Kien Giang province to accelerate its development. Therefore, domestic and international investors should embrace this opportunity. Moreover, Kien Giang province has favourable geographic location as it has the sea and shares the border with Cambodia. Kien Giang also has the world-known Phu Quoc Island with poetic nature and magnanimous history.
Reported by Hoang Lam
Vietnamese
