The Me Linh Plaza, a trade complex, specialising in construction materials and interior decoration items, will become operational on the occasion of an international exhibition, Inter-Deco Vietnam 2006, from August 31, 2006 to September 5, 2006, on an area of 50,000 square metres. This will be the biggest construction material and interior exhibition in Hanoi.
Despite still half a year away from beginning its official operations, the Me Linh Plaza has attracted much attention from construction material and interior decoration item traders and producers from Vietnam and foreign countries, contractors and consumers. Hannes Romauch, marketing director of the Me Linh Plaza, said that this was a completely new business model in Vietnam which developed by T&M Investment Vietnam Company, a 100 per cent foreign-owned company, with a total of U$24 million. The complex, with a total area of over 61,000 square metres at kilometre eight of the Thang Long-Noi Bai motorway, consists of a main building and three satellite buildings, with a total area of over 1,000 square metres, which will be used as showrooms for construction materials and interior items; office and residential buildings with a total floor area of 15,000 square metres; a 1,000 square metre restaurant area and a 30,000 square metre warehouse system.
The Me Linh Plaza provides comprehensive services, so as to attract producers and distributors, or agents. A tough examination is applied to prevent the entry of pirated and counterfeit goods into the complex. Goods are arranged according to specific groups with updated prices. With a real exhibition space and consultancy services, the plaza will help consumers make right decision when choosing products for their houses, buildings and works. More importantly, the consumers will have a good opportunity to learn about products which have yet to be seen in the Vietnamese market and will be introduced by famous foreign producers.
Romauch stressed that the plaza offered office rent between 30 and 50 per cent lower than that in Hanoi downtown, at around between US$10 and 12 per square metre per month. Also, the plaza offered higher priorities for its customers. Enterprises benefit from the plaza in that they will be able to narrow the gap between themselves and their customers. Also, they will have opportunities to promote their products and trademarks with increased business effectiveness from saving unnecessary intermediary costs.
So far, many enterprises have registered to rent offices at the plaza. However, it will be able to meet around 40 per cent of the market demand. Romauch said that around 30 per cent of enterprises introducing and exhibiting their products at the plaza were foreign enterprises.
Lan Anh
Vietnamese
