Science and technology in the service of development

Vietnamese businesses have increasingly  paid greater attention to science and technology, contributing to improving productivity and  product quality. 

Pioneering role

Associate Professor Dr. Dinh Van Thuan, chairman of the Polytechnical Mechanical, Thermal, Electrical and Refrigeration Engineering Company Limited (Polyco), said that he and his friends, colleagues and students have designed and manufactured equipment for many factories throughout the country, contributing to generating revenues of VND2 trillion a year.

In order to manufacture technological devices that comply with international standards, Polyco has invested several hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong in engineering workshops with modern cranes and imported equipment, such as plasma welding machines and plasma automatic welding equipment - TIG, machine tools, cutting machines, bending machines, hydraulic machines, flanging machines and polyurethane spray machines. Together with production technologies of mechanical, thermal, electrical and refrigeration equipment, Polyco has played a pioneering role and has recorded outstanding achievements in the application and development of automatic control in engineering based on the support of computer and specialized software systems.

Thanks to modern equipment, Polyco has evolved from being a subcontractor of foreign partners to a main contractor. In particular, around 70 percent of Vietnam’s modern breweries have used equipment produced by Polyco.

Scientific and technological development is one of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN)’s key solutions to improving business efficiency and sustainable development. A series of new technologies has been applied through scientific and technological projects such as the research, design and manufacture of a 90m jack-up drilling rig, which is considered one of the major achievements of the oil and gas sector and ranked Vietnam among one of three Asian countries and 10 nations in the world successfully fabricating its high-tech product.

In addition, the PVN is continuing to study and master new technologies, such as manufacturing a 140m jack-up drilling rig serving oil and gas exploration and producing drilling rigs serving oil and gas exploitation in the Te Giac Trang, Hai Thach and Moc Tinh, Hai Su Trang and Hai Su Den oil fields.

PVN Deputy General Director Nguyen Quoc Thap said that the group has further promoted investment in science and technology. During the 2011-2015 period, PVN invested more than VND1.04 trillion to build the analysis laboratory center and the office of the Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) in Ho Chi Minh City and purchase modern equipment and specialized software.

Seizing opportunities

Nguyen Quang Vinh, the deputy secretary general of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that thanks to the signing of free trade agreements, Vietnam will be offered opportunities to import machinery and equipment with preferential tariffs. But businesses will need to know how to take advantage of these opportunities to promote development.

The government has implemented many measures to support businesses in technology innovation. Moreover, the Ministry of Science and Technology is also amending the Law on Technology Transfer in order to create an important legal framework to promote and manage technology transfer activities.

In addition to large businesses and corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises are also turning to investment in science and technology. For example, the Thien Thuan Tuong Company Ltd has invested VND100 billion in the application of science and technology, including VND60 billion for a concentrated livestock breeding model, VND15 billion for an out-of-season vegetable growing model based on VietGAP standards and VND25 billion for probiotic applications in aquaculture. The Dong Khe Environmental Hygienic Service Joint Stock Company has invested VND53 billion in producing ultra-light adobe bricks from solid industrial waste.

Thien Thuan Tuong Company Director Tran Hoa said that although affected by the global economic downturn, the company’s revenues have maintained high growth thanks to the application of advanced scientific and technological methods and equipment. The company will strive to become one of the largest science and technology businesses in Quang Ninh Province, in particular, and in the country, in general.

Quynh Nga / VEN