Kyocera expands its wings into Vietnam

Pham Thai Son, director of the Hung Yen Industrial Parks Management Authority, said the Japanese Kyocera Corporation’s $55 million project would be part of a 20ha industrial cluster in Thang Long Industrial Zone’s second phase. The plant is to manufacture electronic components that are to be used in cellular phones, personal computers and other devices, as well as copiers for its subsidiary, Kyocera Mita Corporation.

Production is expected to start at the end of 2012 with the factory’s output to be decided later.

The parts and equipment would be exported to Japan, China, the Europe and the US, according to Japanese sources. “We are expanding facilities in areas of Asia outside of China, where we already have a manufacturing base,” Nikkei quoted Kyocera’s president Tetsuo Kuba as saying.

A source at Thang Long Industrial Zone management board said Kyocera Corporation had gathered documents to apply for a licence to commence work on its electronic parts and telecommunications equipment project, slated to be started construction in June this year.

The manufacturer expected the electronic parts and telecommunications equipment plant will be able to produce $240 million worth of products and employ 950 people by 2014. Vietnam has witnessed an increasing number of high-tech investors coming in.

Previously, Samsung Electronics opened a $700 cell phone manufacturing plant in Bac Ninh province’s Yen Phong Industrial Park to be able to manufacture 100 million cell phones each year.

Nokia is going to start construction of a $275 manufacturing project in Bac Ninh province while the Taiwan-based Foxconn also got investment certificate for building a $250 million cell phone in Vinh Phuc province, about 50 kilometres northwest of Hanoi. Vietnam is aiming to shift into attracting foreign direct investment attraction in high-tech sectors.n