Masan expands northern footprint
Masan expands northern footprint
Masan Group, one of Vietnam’s largest private firm, has set up a new state-of-the-art facility in the central province of Nghe An to improve its performance in the consumer food sector.
With the initial investment capital of $56.4 million, the facility named Masan MB (MMB) is a central hub in the group’s machinery, helping it to establish a deeper processing footprint nationwide, and granting it greater access to a broad customer base.
Dr. Nguyen Dang Quang, the group’s chairman, said that MBB marked the first time Masan Group had produced fish sauce in the north region. As a result, the group will be better able to produce branded food and beverages that cater to regional taste preferences, generate economies of scale, and benefit from the latest world-class equipment and practices.
Covering the total area of 11 hectares within the Nam Cam industrial zone in Nghe An’s Nghi Loc district, MBB will produce instant noodles and fish sauce using modern equipment and automated production lines to ensure consistent quality and hygiene standards. Some of Vietnam’s most trusted brands produced in the new facility include Chin-su and Nam Ngu fish sauce, as well as Omachi, Kokomi, and Lovemi instant noodles.
The current designed capacity of MMB is 600 million packets of instant noodles and 120 million litres of fish sauce per month. The facility also meets Class A of the waste water treatment requirements and aims to conform to the HACCP, ISO 14000, ISO 9001, and OHSAS 18001 by 2016.
Dr. Quang stressed that MBB not only reflected Masan Group’s commitment to the branded food and beverage sector, but also built stronger ties with local communities where it operated to ensure sustainable and responsible business development. The $56.4 million investment is expected to be a win-win opportunity for both Masan Group and Nghe An, providing steady employment for people from the surrounding communities.
If the facility runs at its full designed capacity for the next decade, Masan Group expected to save $18 million in logistics costs when compared to the costs incurred from transporting its products from its southern processing facilities to the north. Meanwhile, Nghe An hoped to receive $135 million in taxes over the next ten years through corporate income tax, value added tax from sales, and personal income tax from higher employment in the province. Once operational, MMB will create approximately 1,000 jobs in Nghe An and provide opportunities for many employees to advance to higher skilled jobs.
Masan Group is also implementing a special programme to support the relocation of current Masan Group employees who are from Nghe An and wish to return home. As part of Masan Group’s belief in giving back to the local communities, the group will also be launching a scholarship programme worth $9,000 to sponsor students in Nghe An and provide career opportunities with Masan Group following the students’ graduation.
Seokhee Won, deputy CEO of Masan Group and CEO of Masan Consumer Corporation, the branded food and non-alcoholic beverage subsidiary, said “The commissioning of MMB is special to Masan Group because many of our colleagues are from Nghe An. To be able to return home and make a positive contribution to the socio-economic development of the province makes us extremely proud and honoured. MMB will help us better serve our consumers and is part of our purpose to improve the spiritual and material lives of consumers each and every day.”
Masan Group is focused on domestic consumption opportunities and has built up leading businesses in the branded food and beverage sector and in the animal nutrition value chain.
Outplacement calms fears of transitioning employees
Demands for outplacement services have soared around the world at a time when various markets continue to experience significant volatility. As Vietnam catches up with this phenomenon, Thoa Vo, director of Career Transition and Outplacement at Lee Hecht Harrison Vietnam, spoke with VIR’s Nam Phuong about the defining aspects of good outplacement programmes.
Why are outplacement services so important to both companies and employees?
As the global economy becomes highly unpredictable, business changes such as mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy, or closures are now more abrupt than ever. During these processes, many employees can be transferred or made redundant quite suddenly, resulting in financial difficulties and emotional distress. Their feeling of resentment towards the firm may spread and can linger for a long time.
To help companies cope with this matter, outplacement consultants will assist business leaders in delivering an empathetic message to employees. The aim of outplacement services is that all affected employees feel respected, appreciated, and taken care of; rather than being dismissed as “throwaways” by their leaders. As a result, a great outplacement and career transition will benefit a firm’s corporate culture and brand name. For affected employees, outplacement services offer them a “cushion” to lean on during the difficult period.
Can you describe a typical outplacement process?
First of all, we’ll discuss the employees’ worries, desired career path, and expectations of their next job. Then we’ll run a series of tests to understand their personality, ability, interests, and match those with current market needs. Depending on the market situation, sometimes compromises must be made. Many candidates of ours have forgotten how to advertise themselves to a potential employer, or they may feel lost when embarking on a new career path. Thus, our next step is helping these job-seekers polish their skills, gain necessary qualifications, and apply to suitable companies. Sometimes, especially in the case of expats, this means settling in to a new country and work culture as well.
Have Vietnamese companies offered outplacement services yet?
In the past, no Vietnamese firms had outplacement programmes, and Vietnamese employees did not know of this practice. The reason is that Vietnamese people are traditionally expected to work at the same place throughout their entire career. However, as the economy develops and integrates into the world, it’s great to see foreign firms bringing transition services to Vietnam, and many Vietnamese corporations taking the initiative. Likewise, expats and Vietnamese job-seekers now demand career transition programmes as part of the job benefits package.
