Coherent Viet Nam: Connecting high-tech manufacturing capabilities with global value chains

Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan meets with Coherent Chief Supply Chain Officer Jeff Place.

More than two decades of partnership with Viet Nam

Coherent is a global technology company specialising in photonics, advanced materials and connectivity infrastructure. Founded in 1971, the company operates in more than 20 countries, providing innovative technologies for data centres, telecommunications, industrial manufacturing, life sciences and advanced semiconductor applications. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker COHR, Coherent is recognised as a global leader in photonics.

According to Mr. Jeff Place, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Coherent, the company has maintained a strong manufacturing presence in Viet Nam for more than two decades, establishing production facilities in Ho Chi Minh City, Bac Ninh and Dong Nai as part of its long-term strategy to strengthen global manufacturing capabilities and build a more resilient supply chain.

In 2026, Coherent further expanded its manufacturing footprint in Viet Nam by leasing 30,000 square metres of ready-built factory space at KTG Industrial Nhon Trach 2 in Dong Nai, following the commencement of operations at its Nhon Trach 1 Industrial Park facility in 2025. The Nhon Trach 2 expansion, with the potential to reach approximately 6,500 positions as the project reaches full scale, enhances production capacity for advanced photonics, precision components, and semiconductor-related technologies, enabling Coherent to better serve growing global demand while improving operational flexibility across Asia.

At the same time, Coherent is developing a new manufacturing facility (8 buildings) at VSIP III Industrial Park in Ho Chi Minh City, marking another important milestone in the company’s long-term growth strategy in Viet Nam. The new facility is designed to strengthen Coherent’s global manufacturing network, increase production capacity and reinforce supply chain resilience. During its initial phase, the VSIP III project is expected to create more than 1,000 high-tech jobs, with the potential to expand to approximately 4,000 positions as the project reaches full scale, supporting Viet Nam’s ambition to become a regional hub for advanced manufacturing and semiconductor technologies.

The commencement of operations at Nhon Trach 1, with the potential to expand to approximately 2,100 positions as the project reaches full scale, together with the continued expansion of Nhon Trach 2 and the launch of the VSIP III manufacturing facility, represents a significant milestone in Coherent’s long-term investment journey in Viet Nam. Together, these projects substantially strengthen the company’s manufacturing capacity, enhance its ability to support customers in high-growth industries, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced industrial technologies, and reinforce Viet Nam’s role as a strategic manufacturing and innovation hub within Coherent’s global value chain.

Through these developments, Viet Nam is assuming an increasingly important role in Coherent’s manufacturing, product development and technological innovation activities. More importantly, Coherent’s continued expansion demonstrates the company’s long-term confidence in Viet Nam’s stable investment environment, competitive industrial ecosystem and highly skilled workforce. As a result, Viet Nam is no longer regarded solely as a manufacturing location but is progressively becoming a strategic centre for advanced manufacturing, innovation and sustainable growth within Coherent’s global operations.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding among Coherent Viet Nam, the National Innovation Center and Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City.

Strengthening high-tech manufacturing capabilities

After more than two decades of operations, Coherent Viet Nam has developed a highly skilled workforce, a diversified manufacturing platform and an increasingly extensive network of partnerships. Today, products manufactured in Viet Nam support some of the world’s fastest-growing industries, including semiconductors, data centres, telecommunications and advanced industrial technologies.

During a meeting with Vietnamese government leaders, Jeff Place, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Coherent, noted that Viet Nam is one of the company’s strategic markets, with local manufacturing facilities ranking among the best in its global network for productivity and quality.

Coherent’s presence has become an important part of Viet Nam’s high-tech manufacturing ecosystem, particularly in advanced materials, photonics, laser technologies, precision engineering, testing and technical services. These sectors require highly skilled talent, rigorous process control and internationally recognised quality standards, contributing to the development of a more competitive industrial base.

Drawing on its global technological expertise, Coherent is also supporting Viet Nam’s efforts to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem. Beyond manufacturing, the company contributes to the development of specialised capabilities by introducing advanced technologies, sharing international best practices and creating opportunities for local suppliers, engineers and technical professionals to participate in higher-value segments of the global supply chain.

The long-term significance of these investments extends beyond production capacity. As Vietnamese engineers work in internationally standardised manufacturing environments, they gain practical experience, technical expertise and advanced management skills that enhance the country’s industrial competitiveness and innovation capabilities.

From an economic diplomacy perspective, Coherent’s continued expansion reinforces international confidence in Viet Nam as an attractive destination for high-quality foreign direct investment. It also promotes technology exchange, industrial cooperation and stronger integration into regional and global manufacturing networks.

This approach aligns closely with Viet Nam’s strategy of attracting high-value investment linked to innovation, advanced manufacturing and human capital development. Through its long-term commitment, Coherent is contributing not only to industrial growth but also to the development of a resilient high-tech ecosystem that supports Viet Nam’s ambition to become a leading manufacturing and innovation hub in Asia.

Coherent’s manufacturing footprint in Viet Nam: the Nhon Trach 1 facility in Dong Nai (top) and an artist’s rendering of the planned VSIP III facility in Ho Chi Minh City (bottom).

Long-term investment begins with people

Alongside the expansion of its manufacturing operations, Coherent has implemented internship programmes, scholarships, training support and career development initiatives, while encouraging students to pursue studies in science, engineering and technology.

In 2025, Coherent Viet Nam signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Innovation Center (NIC) and Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City. The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in talent development, research and innovation, helping align university curricula with the evolving needs of advanced manufacturing and global technology industries. Through this cooperation, students and young engineers gain greater opportunities to develop internationally relevant skills, while Coherent strengthens its long-term pipeline of highly qualified talent.

Corporate culture is also an integral part of Coherent’s sustainable development strategy. In 2026, Coherent Viet Nam was recognised with the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia Award, reflecting the company’s commitment to developing talent, fostering an inclusive workplace and strengthening employee engagement.

This recognition highlights Coherent’s long-term philosophy that sustainable growth in high-tech manufacturing depends not only on advanced technologies, but also on continuous investment in people, professional development and a culture of innovation.

As Coherent continues expanding its manufacturing footprint in Viet Nam through the development of its facilities in Dong Nai and the new manufacturing project at VSIP III, the company expects to create thousands of jobs during the 2026 - 2030 period. The expansion is expected to provide new opportunities for Vietnamese engineers, technicians and skilled professionals to participate in globally integrated manufacturing operations while supporting the development of a highly qualified workforce for the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries.

Through these long-term investments in people, innovation and manufacturing capacity, Coherent is contributing to Viet Nam’s ambition to become a regional centre for high-tech manufacturing, innovation and sustainable industrial development.

Vietnam - RoK expand supply chain, manufacturing cooperation Beyond sourcing products, RoK companies aim to build long-term partnerships with Vietnamese firms through product showcases, business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking, investment opportunities and sustainable supply chain ...

Connecting science with policy, harnessing Vietnamese intellectual resources WVR - The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has launched a series of science diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy activities in Austria. The event opens ...