Viet Nam Industry Agency, Samsung strengthen support for domestic suppliers

On October 8, the Viet Nam Industry Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) held a working session with Samsung Viet Nam to review the outcomes of cooperation in developing supporting industries and discuss measures to enhance the capabilities of domestic enterprises and expand their opportunities to participate in Samsung's global supply chain.

Multiple programs to enhance enterprise capabilities

According to the Viet Nam Industry Agency, the MoIT and Samsung Viet Nam have jointly implemented numerous programs to support enterprises in supporting industries, focusing on production improvement consultancy, automation applications, smart factory development and human resource training. These initiatives have contributed to improving management and production capabilities, gradually narrowing the gap between domestic enterprises' capabilities and the requirements of multinational corporations.

Specifically, between 2018 and 2024, the two sides implemented a range of projects to develop supply chains for components and parts in the electronics industry, with the aim of identifying and supporting potential suppliers capable of meeting Samsung's criteria, thereby contributing to an increase in the localization rate.

Notable initiatives included the Project on Training Vietnamese Consultants in Production Improvement and Quality Enhancement (2018 - 2019), the Project on Training Vietnamese Human Resources in Mold Making (2020 - 2024), and the Smart Factory Development Project (2022 - 2023).

At the October 8 working session, Samsung Vietnam representatives also outlined the company's efforts to expand its network of domestic suppliers. Samsung Vietnam has been actively engaging with the Group's product development and procurement divisions in the Republic of Korea (RoK) to explore opportunities to expand the supplier network, enabling Vietnamese enterprises with appropriate capabilities to access and gradually integrate into Samsung's supply chain.

Acknowledging the achievements of the partnership, Tran Viet Hoa, Director of the Vietnam Industry Agency, highly appreciated the programs aimed at strengthening production capabilities, promoting technical improvements and developing human resources for Vietnamese supporting industry enterprises. These achievements provide a foundation for both sides to further align enterprise support activities with the practical requirements of the supply chain.

Alongside the achievements, the two sides discussed the difficulties and challenges facing domestic supporting industry enterprises, particularly the need to improve technological capabilities, production management, product quality and the ability to meet the standards required by leading companies in supply chains.

Cooperation in 2027 to focus on developing Vietnamese suppliers

According to the Vietnam Industry Agency, the next phase of cooperation should maintain and enhance the quality of training and consultancy programs while placing greater emphasis on connecting Vietnamese enterprises with Samsung and creating opportunities for their direct participation in its supply chain. Support should focus on enterprises with strong potential, long-term development orientations and the capacity to meet requirements concerning technology, quality and supply capabilities.

The Agency called on Samsung Vietnam to continue serving as a bridge to the Group's headquarters in the RoK and to strengthen information sharing on supplier demand and selection criteria. This would provide state management agencies and Vietnamese enterprises with a basis for identifying appropriate directions for production improvement, investment and capability enhancement. At the same time, both sides should strengthen information exchanges and regularly evaluate cooperation outcomes, with a view to achieving concrete results in developing the domestic supplier network.

For Samsung Vietnam, Shim Sang Yong, Director of the Partner Collaboration Department, emphasized that the company would continue working closely with the Vietnam Industry Agency to identify, select and support enterprises with strong potential. Samsung Vietnam would also intensify discussions with the Group in the RoK to explore opportunities for expanding Vietnamese enterprises' participation in its supply chain.

Samsung Vietnam representatives expressed their hope that the Vietnam Industry Agency would help identify and introduce enterprises with suitable capabilities and needs, thereby providing a basis for developing support roadmaps, enhancing production capabilities and gradually meeting the standards required to become Samsung suppliers.

Regarding cooperation orientations for 2027, the two sides discussed the continued implementation of consultancy, training and support programs to modernize production and strengthen the competitiveness of Vietnamese enterprises. The primary focus will be on jointly reviewing and selecting potential enterprises, identifying their support needs and developing tailored capacity-building roadmaps to help them meet Samsung's supplier selection criteria.

The two sides also discussed the possibility of strengthening cooperation in human resource training and exploring the use of facilities at the Industrial Development Support Center (IDC) to organize training activities that combine professional knowledge with practical experience at enterprises.