Hanoi businesses revived in new normal

A series of new policies adopted by the Government and Hanoi’s authorities have helped local businesses in industrial parks revive in a new normal.

Production at PMTT Group. Photos: Khac Kien

PMTT Group, a company on precision mechanics with 200 workers at  Phu Nghia Industrial Park in Chuong My, Hanoi, has resumed operation right after the city gradually eased restriction measures.

“The Government’s Resolution No.128 on safe and flexible adaptation to the Covid-19 pandemic was issued in a timely manner when the fourth outbreak has been contained,” PMTT Group General Director Nguyen Quang Trung told The Hanoi Times.

“After a long period of scaling down operation, this is the time for us to boost production and make up for the losses incurred during the lockdown,” he added.

According to Trung, PMTT Group has also put in place an operation strategy in a new situation, focusing on ensuring safety for workers.

“We ask our employees to strictly comply with anti-Covid-19 measures, including the 5K and health declaration, which remain important as the manufacturing plants are working around the clock to fulfilled orders that were delayed,” Trung continued.

Sharing the same view, the Director of the Hanoi CNC Accurate Mechanical Company (HNC) at Quang Minh Industrial Park Nguyen Minh Chau expected Resolution No.128 to accelerate the resumption of production activities.

“HNC is committed to ensuring all workers follow safe routines required by the company and the industrial park every day,” Chau told The Hanoi Times.

A worker at HNC Company.

Chau added the company has received employees returning to work and also recruited more to meet existing deadlines.

“The priority for us is to optimize operation to reduce cost and improve product quality to convince customers to come back,” Chau said. 

Vice General Director of Thong Nhat Hanoi Company at Tu Liem Small and Medium Industrial Cluster Vu Minh Viet said many production scenarios have been mapped out to prevent possible infections in the future.

“We are investing in automation and technologies to address the issue of labor shortage and improve productivity,” Viet told The Hanoi Times and expected the business result this year to exceed last year.

Viet, however, noted growing operational costs, especially in Covid-19 prevention, and disrupted supply chains, are major risks for businesses in the long term.

“We are in need of more favorable access to preferential loans to expand the operation and invest in technologies to stay competitive,” he suggested.

Hanoi’s industrial production during the nine-month period showed resilience amid the Covid-19 pandemic by expanding 4.1% year on year.

The manufacturing sector, accounting for 96.5% of total production value in the city’s industrial sector, expanded by 3.9% year-on-year during the period, with highlights being the production of motorized vehicles (up 16.8%); garment (14%); beverage (11%); paper production (11%); wood and wooden products (9%).

At a time when Hanoi is adopting social distancing measures, a total of 70 industrial parks, home to 4,169 enterprises and 62,000 workers, are still operational.

As of September, 1,077 large-scale enterprises have had their anti-Covid-19 plans approved by local authorities.

Meanwhile, business households and small-scale enterprises have signed commitments with the city on their compliance to restriction measures to keep business running.

Despite recording an economic expansion of just 1.28% in the January-September period, Hanoi is determined to push for a growth rate of 4.54% for this year as the city looks to lay a strong foundation for next year.