Coronavirus: Vietnam races to cut disruptions for suppliers of tech firms such as Apple, Samsung
- Cases in Vietnam have spiked in the past month, including in the northern industrial production hubs, as the government eyes economic recovery plans
- If the latest outbreak cannot be contained, Vietnam could lose the manufacturing gains it has made amid the US-China trade war, an analyst says
The chief executive of Ngoc Nghia, a firm that supplies plastic packaging to Coca-Cola and other brands, had a few dozen manufacturing workers doing three shifts a day at their factory in Bac Ninh, next door to epicentre Bac Giang.
Authorities on May 18 shut four of six industrial estates in Bac Giang, where the Vietnamese arm of Japan’s electronic parts maker Hosiden makes up the largest cluster, recording over 1,000 cases as of Monday. Some factories in Bac Ninh were also locked down.
La’s company raced to isolate workers in response to the outbreak. Manufacturing staff have been working and living between the factory and a designated hotel, with the firm paying for the accommodation and food. Other employees such as managers and office staff are working from home.
“We have to ensure that our supply chain is stable and is able to react to the situation of the industry,” said La, whose firm produces about 7 billion product units annually.
