Keeping industrial environment green

In 25 years since reestablishment, Bac Giang province has become a fast-growing economy and a leading light in investment attraction, which is particularly ranked 8th in FDI value in the country for the time being. That achievement comes from the province's focus on planning industrial zones and fostering investment attraction and industrial development. Dinh Tram Industrial Park and Song Khe - Noi Hoang Industrial Park have played a considerable role in this course.

Bac Giang Industrial Zones Infrastructure Development Joint Stock Company was established on December 23, 2002 from a non-business unit administered by the Bac Giang Industrial Zones Authority. In 2003, the company was assigned to invest in 127-ha Dinh Tram Industrial Park (Viet Yen district), the first of its kind in Bac Giang. In 2013, it was named to invest in the 105-ha northern section of Song Khe - Noi Hoang Industrial Park (Bac Giang City).

Both industrial parks managed by the company are well-located, just next to Hanoi - Lang Son Highway, 30 - 45km from Hanoi, more than 100 km from Tan Thanh and Huu Nghi border gates (Lang Son province). Up to now, Dinh Tram and Song Khe - Noi Hoang industrial parks are fully leased.

A development milestone of Bac Giang Industrial Zones Infrastructure Development Joint Stock Company was the equitization in October 2018. With its change in organizational and operational model, the company's production and business targets kept growing. Specifically, the average profit before tax in three years after equitization was VND10.76 billion a year and the average tax payment to the State Budget was VND38.3 billion.

One reason Dinh Tram and Song Khe - Noi Hoang industrial parks are quickly leased is the green, clear and beautiful landscape and environmental protection which is highly appreciated by partners and customers.

Accordingly, to ensure environmental protection in the two industrial zones, the company invested in building centralized wastewater treatment facilities with a daily capacity of 2,000 cubic meters. The quality of treated water meets QCVN 40:2011/BTNMT criteria. The operation of the wastewater and solid waste collection, storage, transportation and treatment systems which serve tenants must comply with current regulations.

Besides, the company periodically conducts environmental monitoring, fully declares and pays environmental fees; organizes training and communication on environmental protection; regularly invests, reforms and upgrades the internal road system and the rainwater drainage system; plants and tends trees; and maintains the lighting system. In particular, the internal traffic system is synchronously connected to trunk roads and ensures demands for mobility of workers and freight transport of businesses.

In the face of current difficulties, the company aims to focus on carrying out solutions to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic; flexibly adapt to epidemic evolution; maintain good business activities; effectively manage and operate the technical infrastructure system and serve manufacturing activity of tenants, thus preserving and growing state capital in the company and improving the life and income of its employees.

Before the current global investment flow redirection, Vietnam, including Bac Giang, was an attractive destination for FDI investors, especially large corporations. Catching this trend, the company has worked out a development strategy on investment attraction. Importantly, the company will scale up operations and build a new industrial park for new investors.

Building a favorable investment environment

Remarking on the local investment and business environment, Mr. Ngo Ngoc Cuong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bac Giang Industrial Zones Infrastructure Development Joint Stock Company, said, Bac Giang province has adopted many solutions to improve the business environment in the past years. Particularly, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People’s Council, the Provincial People’s Committee launched many programs, plans and resolutions to improve the investment and business environment and the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI); further reformed administrative procedures relating to investment and business; solve social problems around industrial zones in the province in order to create a favorable business and investment environment.

The province has concentrated resources to develop transport and urban infrastructure, power, water, telecom and banking services, as well as industrial zone infrastructure. In particular, the drastic participation of the entire political system in the fight against epidemic in addition to measures applied to business safety has enhanced business satisfaction. Therefore, Bac Giang has attracted a lot of domestic and foreign investors.

As an industrial park infrastructure investor, he advised Bac Giang to focus on the following issues to draw more investors: further accelerating administrative reform, improving the open, transparent investment environment, increasing competitiveness, facilitating investors, minimizing time and costs, and attracting and selecting capable and experienced investors for infrastructure construction and operation as planned.

“The province should prioritize and promote the development of external transport infrastructure in order to enhance connectivity with the main transport system of the country and the region; grasp and timely remove difficulties and obstacles for enterprises; helping businesses carry out projects in line with laws on investment, business, environment and land. In particular, the province should arrange a land fund for constructing social housing, public works and welfare for workers in industrial zones," said Cuong.