SHTP licenses two R&D projects

(From right) Le Thai Hy (2nd), head of SHTP management board, awards an investment certificate to TMA Solutions on Tuesday - Photo: Que Minh

HCMC – Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) Management Board on Tuesday awarded two investment certificates for building Research and Development (R&D) facilities to two local firms in the park in District 9.

TMA Solutions, a giant software outsourcing company, will open its ICT research and development center in the park. The center will be located in SHTP’s Science City, which is the functional zone exclusively reserved for high-tech research and development, training and incubation activities.

With the total investment of US$5 million, TMA’s project will be divided into three phases of development, with three research laboratories on Data Network and New Generation Network (NGN), Embedded System and other new technologies closely following the global development trend.

Besides in-house R&D projects, TMA plans to set up joint ventures with both local and foreign partners such as Novitell (Denmark), Exceed Global (Australia), Astonis (U.S.) and Viettel (Vietnam) to do the R&D of new products, according to the park in a statement.

Established in 1997, TMA is now the largest company in HCMC and the second in Vietnam in terms of software services and solutions, technical services and ICT training. The company has more than 900 engineers, six laboratories and five overseas offices, and has recorded an annual growth rate of 50% during the last 13 years.

The other R&D project licensed on Tuesday is invested by the Southern Construction Materials Institute under of the Ministry of Construction. The VND30 billion project will research and develop new materials for construction in HCMC and the southern area.

SHTP is now home to 44 local and foreign hi-tech companies, with a total investment commitment of more than US$1.84 billion, creating more than 10,000 skilled jobs, contributing nearly US$640 million in export revenue to the city.

SHTP expects foreign and domestic investment capital flow this year to hit US$150 million. The park is focusing on attracting high-technology projects in microelectronics, IT, telecoms, research and development, and the service sector.

Related Articles

• SHTP licenses two R&D projects
• Assoc insists on power price hike despite protests
• HCMC to relay grand sale program to November
• Partnerships with India, S Korea to be practical, effective
• Party official emphasises relations with Angola

Exhibitors hopeful of deals at healthcare show

Entrepreneurs in a talk at the Pharmed & Healthcare Vietnam 2010 - Photo: Dao Loan

HCMC – Nearly 230 local and foreign pharmaceutical and healthcare firms are pinning high hopes on a healthcare exhibition that kicked off in HCMC on Wednesday.

While many local firms are introducing new medicines and materials at the four-day Pharmed and Healthcare Vietnam 2010, foreign participants seek deals to sell machinery, equipment and new technologies for drug production and clinics.

The fifth annual exhibition at Tan Binh Exhibition and Convention Center in Tan Binh District features some 370 booths of local and foreign firms, including those from the Netherlands, Russia, England, France, Germany and Canada.

Representatives of some local firms told the Daily that their companies want to promote new medicines and find foreign partners to export products while foreign enterprises are looking for local clients and distributors.

“We are promoting a new cough medicine made from herbal materials and want to find foreign partners here. We’ve met some potential partners this morning,” said Nguyen Thi My Hanh, deputy sales director of OPC Pharmaceutical Joint-Stock Company.

She said OPC has exported medicine to Laos, Cambodia, and Eastern Europe, and has just had a partner from Nigeria. However, the company wants to increase the export proportion in its total revenue.

Pham Duc Thinh, chief representative of Vietnam-Korea Medical Corporation, said the company wanted to boost sales of equipment and to seek partners from local hospitals.

“We’ve found some clients in last year’s exhibition. We hope to find some new clients here,” he said.

Petra Kopecka, head of international relations of BTL, a manufacturer of physical therapy and cardiology products, said the local market was growing and “that’s why the company has just opened an office in the country along with joining the exhibition to promote products and seek local distributors.”

“I’m very much positive about business in Vietnam,” she said.

Deputy Minister of Health Cao Minh Quang said, “Both local and foreign firms are having a big chance to develop business in the country.”

The ministry is carrying out a plan to build more hospitals in districts and provinces across the country, he said, so “there are huge investment opportunities for entrepreneurs because the sector has the high demand for infrastructure, health equipment and technology transfer,” he said at the opening ceremony.

The event is organized by the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Companies Association, Advertisement and Fair Exhibitions Co., Health Communication and Education Center, and Vietnam Medical Products Import-Export JSC.

Related Articles

• Timber-product exporters sign $3b deals
• Painters show works inspired by nature, nostalgia
• Hanoi on show through photographers’ eyes
• Vietnamese short stories introduced in Germany
• Girls gear up for Vietnam’s Next Top Model