le ky ket (4).jpg

Dear: 
• Mr. Đỗ Thắng Hải, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, and honorable ministerial representatives 
• Mr. Lê Đình Thọ, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transport
• Mr. Lê Văn Thanh, Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Province People’s Committee and other provincial leaders
• Mr. Michael Kamper, Vice President, MFTBC, and senior executives of Daimler Asia 
• Distinguished guests, editors in chief and reporters

First of all, please allow me, on behalf of more than 17,000 employees of Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO), to send our greetings and best wishes to the leaders and all distinguished guests for spending your valued time attending today’s “Signing ceremony of FUSO Truck & Bus License and Distribution Agreement” in Vietnam.

Dear distinguished leaders and guests,

The predecessor of Truong Hai Auto Corporation (Thaco) more than 20 years ago was a specialized repair shop for trucks and buses. In 2002, in response to the development strategy of the Vietnamese automotive industry to 2010, with vision up to 2020 per Prime Minister decision No 175/2002/QD-TTg, Thaco started investment in the automotive production and assembly, beginning with truck and bus segment. 

As of now, Thaco has sold more than 250,000 trucks and 14,000 buses in Vietnam. In 2016 alone, sales volumes consisted of 43,787 trucks and 3,312 buses, accounting for 41% of the market. Our product portfolio comprises of a full range of cargo trucks, dump trucks, specialized trucks of different kinds with loading capacity from 550 kg to 45 tons, as well as city buses, long-distance buses, and bed buses from 12 seats to 47 seats.

Local content of Thaco trucks and buses vary from 25% to 60%. Through continuous efforts in localization, we have produced trucks and buses with suitable technical specifications and functions for customers’ needs and traffic conditions in Vietnam, and especially, offering our products at reasonable prices to deliver the highest economic efficiency for cargo and passenger transportation to our customers.

In addition, Thaco has invested in a network of showrooms and repair shops along the key highways throughout the country in order to support R&D works that aim to develop suitable products for different regions, as well as  to provide warranty and repair services and spare parts distribution for customers in the most convenient and timely manner.

As of now, Thaco has been seen as Vietnam’s largest automotive manufacturer and assemblerer, and our trucks and buses are most trusted and used in the country.

Dear distinguished leaders and guests,

To maintain the leading position and be in pace with the development trend of the market, especially during ASEAN economic integration in 2018, together with Thaco’s vision to become customers’ top of mind truck and bus brands in terms of reliability and supply to overseas markets, Thaco pursues the strategy to develop a new truck and bus product line of higher positioning, that varies in kinds and payloads.

With global strategic direction to separate its Passenger Car & Van and its Commercial Vehicles businesses for better focus on the different target customers, and Vietnam as one of the most important markets for its growth strategy in South-East Asia, Daimler Trucks, with world-wide notable German Mercedes Benz and Japanese Mitsubishi Fuso brands, has initiated a cooperative relationship with THACO.

Over the course of nearly six months, Daimler and Thaco shared each other’s business philosophies, visions, strategies and strengths, discussed and worked together to achieve today’s signing ceremony of FUSO Truck & Bus License and Distribution Agreements. 

Accordingly, Thaco receives the transferring of Fuso truck and bus business in Vietnam from Mercedes Benz Vietnam, including equipment, vehicle products, spare parts, personnel and dealers. Thaco is responsible for continuing after-sales service such as warranty, repair, and spare parts supply for current customers of Fuso trucks and buses in Vietnam and will commence wholesale distribution and retail sales from January 1, 2018. 

At the same time, Thaco also signs with Mitsubishi Fuso the License Agreement and Master Supply and Distribution Agreement. Thaco will produce and assemble all types of Fuso trucks, Rosa buses, purchase motors and main spare parts for the manufacturing and assembly of other buses, as well as manufacturing of localized parts and components in compliance with Mitsubishi Fuso and Daimler quality standards.

Today's signing ceremony is especially meaningful to THACO – we reached a new height in our truck and bus business. That is, we have the opportunity to work with two globally established and respected automotive manufacturers – Daimler and Mitsubishi Fuso with history of 100 years. The two manufacturers hold the spirits of Germany and Japan; both countries are seen as the cradles of the automotive technology and also the world automotive leaders. 

On the other hand, if we create success with Fuso trucks and buses, we will have the opportunity to extend our partnership with Daimler for Mercedes-Benz brand luxury trucks and buses. At the same time, we are looking to raise the localized content to 40% to qualify our products for exports to ASEAN countries, enjoying 0% in tariff.

Dear distinguished leaders and guests,

On this very special occasion, on behalf of Thaco, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our customers for their trust in Thaco trucks and buses. Our commitment is to provide the market with a full range of Fuso trucks and buses, of all kinds and loads, at the most reasonable prices, together with warranty, repair service at utmost convenience and in the timeliest manner. I would like to add that Daimler, since ownership of Mitsubishi Fuso brand in 2014, has developed many new and diverse products.

I would also like to express our deep gratitude to the Government, Prime Minister, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Science and Technology for sound policies and timely support, and Thaco commits to make every effort to develop its business in line with the approved development strategy for the Vietnamese automotive industry.

I would like to express my gratitude to leadership of Quang Nam Province at different levels as accompaniers and will continue to strive for further business development, contributing to the socio-economic development of Quang Nam and Central Vietnam. 

In particular, I would like to thank the leaders and employees of Daimler Group and Mitsubishi Fuso for their spirit of respect, equality, sharing and attention to mutual interests in a transparent and sustainable manner. Particularly, I would like to thank the leaders and employees of Daimler Asia, Daimler Regional Center, and Mitsubishi Fuso for their direct involvement in the negotiations for this partnership. We have learned from your professionalism and honesty.

I would also like to thank Mercedes Benz Vietnam, Indochine Counsel law firm in HCMC and other partners who have contributed to the success of this signing ceremony.

I would like to thank the reporters who have been with us all this time and are presence here to cover today signing ceremony.

We wish all of you good health, happiness and success.

Thank you!