Chinfon spurs green growth

Chinfon has remained committed to environmentally friendly policies since its inception

One of Chinfon’s core targets is to achieve sustainable growth and green development. Since entering Vietnam the company has constantly invested in environmental management programmes in support of these targets.

“Effective production and business must be linked with environmental awareness, the health of the company’s staff and responsibility towards the community, with a commitment to strive constantly to improve product quality and provide environmentally friendly products. These are all part of the company’s sustainable development targets,” said Chinfon’s chairman and general director Tony Liu.

Aware of its threat to the environment, Chinfon has since its outset, applied a comprehensive set of measures to minimise noise and dust pollution to manageable levels.

“Cement production does pose a threat to the environment, and the cost to alleviate the impact on the environment is by no means cheap,” said Liu.

Apart from nearly VND9 billion ($428,500) spent annually on environmental protection activities, Chinfon has injected tens of millions of dollars into their green programme.

The firm has minimised excessive dust by implementing a closed conveyer belt system, water spraying car and has installed bag filters at transit points. Dust generated by grinding raw materials and burning clinker was dealt with through an electrostatic dust filter system. Dust-proof sheets were installed at limestone grinding stations.

Although dust concentrations at Chinfon plants were kept below permissible levels, in the first quarter of last year the company invited experts to survey and take measures to bolster the efficiency of the electrostatic dust filter system at a cost of $100,000 and planned to invest about $2 million in upgrading the system in 2014.

Chinfon has also applied a wide range of measures to control noise.  Since noise is mostly generated by machinery, the firm has installed rubber sheets and shake-proof springs for high-capacity equipment.

Noise silencers worth VND500 million ($23,800) were attached to dust purifying fans at coal grinding stations. Insulation sheets were installed at limestone grinding stations, while walls running adjacent to residential areas were built using noise-proof materials imported from Taiwan.

The company has invested more than VND10 billion ($476,000) into building 40 metre high boundary walls to minimise the effect of their operations on neighbouring communities.

In a bid to cut greenhouse and toxic gases to manageable levels, Chinfon has poured $21 million into building a system allowing the usage of heat and gas waste for power generation.

The 12.8 megawatt power generation system, slated to start operating from the fourth quarter of next year, will not only satisfy a third of Chinfon’s power demands, but also minimise CO2 and SO2 levels.

In parallel to effectively handling environmental protection, the company, based in northern port city of Haiphong, has also taken the lead in tax contributions and community-oriented support activities.

The company has been named among Haiphong’s top tax contributors for consecutive years. In the latest V1000 ranking which honoured the country’s 1,000 biggest corporate tax contributors announced in late November 2013, Chinfon was ranked 70th and topped the list of cement firms in the ranking.

The company also remains devoted to philanthropic activities. In 2013 alone, the company donated 300 scholarships valued at $12,000 to disadvantaged pupils with good academic records, gave 1,000 gifts valued at $14,300 to needy households, financed VND1 billion ($47,600) for the Haiphong-Red River National Tourism Year, and provided sponsorship of $14,300 for the Thanh Nien newspaper U21 football competition.

The firm’s constant environmental protection efforts have been hailed by local authorities in Haiphong. In 2008 Chinfon won the Sustainable Green Trade Mark award from the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, and the Green Technology award by Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2009.

In 2012 the company took part the Environmental Friendship FDI Enterprise Award held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

In respect to its core lines, the company has posted upbeat business figures despite the current economic vulnerabilities. This year, although the cement sector has struggled with difficulties, the company sold more than four million tonnes of cement, achieving revenue of VND5 trillion ($240 million) and profits of nearly $26 million.

Chinfon’s leader Tony Liu attributed the company’s success to the ceaseless efforts of the entire workforce in implementing the firm’s sustainable development strategy.  This approach emphasises protection for the environment, improved production and labour efficiency while providing the best products possible to its clients.