Businessman Le Viet Hai: Hoa Binh firmly overcomes difficulties, strives to bring Vietnam's industrial construction industry to the world

Saigon Center project by Hoa Binh as the general contractor is an affirmation of the capacity of domestic contractors in Vietnam.

Steadfastly overcome the storm

During its three decades of establishment and development, HBC is one of the few businesses with a "super-fast" growth rate, maintaining stability, increasing five times every five years. In 2019, the real estate industry in Vietnam continued to face difficulties for a long time due to not having many newly licensed projects. HBC tried to find civil undertakings, which are the company's strength, and has actively shifted its approach and expanded its capacity to construct industrial projects.

Although growth did not meet the target, the company's revenue still reached VND 18,822 billion - the highest one of a domestic construction company at the time of 2019. In 2020, the "blow" of the Covid-19 pandemic that is still lasting has crippled the business activities of many industries. The construction sector, which has faced many difficulties from previous years, is now seriously affected.

The Covid-19 pandemic poses many challenges and is considered a "test" for businesses. As Vietnam's leading general construction contractor with a 34-year history of construction and development, experiencing many ups and downs, HBC faces this great challenge once again.

Like previous times, HBC calmly and quickly locates the path in the storm, seeking solutions to cope with the crisis, consisting of a focus group of solutions including restructuring the management system, business model, human resource, and finance in parallel with restructuring products, services, and market, etc.

More than three months of "freezing" due to the pandemic, many domestic projects were suspended to comply with the social distancing rules, HBC is still trying to find new projects and prepares resources to restart again when the cities/provinces removed and loosened the distance at the beginning of October.

As a result, based on the cumulative total value of winning bids by the beginning of this October, HBC had exceeded the target set for 2021 by 14.6%.

At HBC, "Success is not complacent, failure is not discouraged" - a saying that is considered the enterprise's guideline and the principle of action and each member. In more than three decades, the waves, ups, and downs have molded the steel bravery of the Hoa Binh people, led by Captain Le Viet Hai.

The signing ceremony between Hoa Binh Group and Korean partner Hyundai.

Joining hands with the community to fight against Covid-19

During the three months of the Covid-19 raging, Mr. Le Viet Hai is constantly worrying about solutions to control the epidemic, protect the safety of people's health, and not prolong the disruption of economic production.

Not only thinking, but in July, he sent a petition to propose the formula "7K + 3T" in disease prevention (7K: "Mask - Distance - Disinfection - Do not gather - Declare medical report - Fresh air - Healthy" + 3T: "Self-discovery - Self-isolation - Self-care").

The formula was developed based on the 5K Message of the Ministry of Health and distilled from the information learned and studied according to the guidance documents of the Ministry of Health and the advice of doctors and experts to disseminate within the company and members' families in the spirit of being very proactive in preventing the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the beginning of August, representing Ho Chi Minh City Association of Construction and Building Materials (SACA) in the role of President of SACA, he continued to send a Documentary to the Prime Minister and Government members presenting existing problems and propose solutions for pandemic prevention and control in the whole country in general, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular.

The Documentary indicates the inadequacy and proposes the necessary solutions. Some of these proposed contents have been reviewed and applied by the Government, the Ministry of Health, and several ministries and agencies, such as: having a unified plan to direct the pandemic prevention plan of units in the locality, ensuring safety against pandemic and production and business, giving priority to vaccination for those working at ports, delivery staffs and drivers in the transportation supply chain.

Along with recommendations for solutions, HBC has actively participated in volunteering programs for frontline medical forces, helping poor people overcome the "covid disease" with empathy and compassion and the spirit of mutual affection.

Pioneering to bring Vietnam's construction industry to the world

At the online celebration of 34 years of the establishment at the end of September, Mr. Le Viet Hai shared about the Group's target orientation in the next ten years. “I hope that also on this day in 2032 when we celebrate 45 years of establishment, Hoa Binh Construction Group will have to be a Vietnamese construction group that has grown strongly in foreign markets and has overgrown. Achievement of the previous six cycles must be restored”.

HBC first went abroad precisely ten years ago in 2011, participating in the management of the high-end project Le Yuan Residence in Kuala Lumpur; since then, it has expanded to Myanmar, Kuwait... step by step penetrated the world market although encountered many difficulties.

From only working as a subcontractor for international contractors in large-scale projects, up to now, the capacity of domestic contractors is no longer inferior to any foreign contractors. Since 2014 when Hoa Binh won the Saigon Center project, and in 2015, Coteccons won the Landmark 81 project, the figure of foreign contractors has gradually decreased in the Vietnamese construction market. "However, in another aspect, the fact that we no longer have many opportunities to learn, no chance to rub shoulders has slowed our progress," Mr. Hai said frankly.

That is also the reason for HBC to establish the Research and Development Center in Thu Duc. The works are being thoroughly implemented before going into operation. The large and potential foreign construction market is the goal that HBC wants to conquer, the development path since setting foot abroad in the last decade, and defining a pioneering role, the leading bird of the construction industry in the country.

"HBC can't just go on solving simple problems, can't always walk on a flat road to get great success, and deserve to be proud of the business." Mr. Le Viet Hai often reminds and encourages himself and his employees that "it is the difficult problems, it is the difficult challenges that are worthy of our efforts".

Dedicating dedication and service to society to bring about the most valuable things is the mission that Mr. Le Viet Hai always considers and implements in his life. He is a businessman who constantly worries about the pain of his fellow human beings and wishes to contribute even a tiny amount of his talent to bring Vietnam's construction industry to the world.

Chairman Le Viet Hai and his book "New Decade - New History Page" in June 2020, about the development opportunities of Vietnam's construction industry.

Promoting the implementation of the “peace” initiative starts with education

As the founder of a business named Hoa Binh, Mr. Le Viet Hai has made great efforts in finding solutions to create sustainable peace for the world; thereby, further enhancing Vietnam's position. He is actively campaigning for an initiative intended to be submitted to the United Nations. That initiative is to ask the United Nations to organize the drafting of the subject "Global Citizenship Education" and through the United Nations to shape a mechanism to ensure that 100% of children around the world have an entire course.

If that petition is implemented, humanity will have a new generation full of compassion, forgiveness, respect for law and justice; know how to love and keep the peace, to fear and shun war. From there, it will contribute to creating long-term and sustainable peace for the world, including Vietnam.

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