The nation's paper industry rapidly expanded capacity during 2010,adding eight major new production facilities with a total capacity of430,000 tonnes per year.
Tan Mai Joint Stock Co,meanwhile, built four new paper mills in the central and southernprovinces of Quang Ngai, Lam Dong, Kon Tum and Dong Nai with a totalcost of 6 trillion VND (285 million USD).
A 3.35trillion VND (159 million USD) packaging plant was opened by the VinaKraft Paper Co in the southern province of Binh Duong, while the Sai GonPaper Co invested around 2 trillion VND (95.2 million USD) in its MyXuan 2 plant in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Bai Bang Paper, meanwhile, opened a 520 billion VND (24.7 million USD)mill during 2010 to produce newsprint, while Diana Joint Stock Coinvested roughly 20 million USD in launching a tissue paper plant on a10ha site in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
Sizeable investment in the past year is a good sign for the industry,reflecting a growth rate expected to reach 11 percent this year andreducing import, said Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association generalsecretary Vu Ngoc Bao.
However, paper producerscontinued to barely break even or even operate at losses, Bao said.Manufacturing costs rose by 30 percent last year, he noted, whileproducers increased product prices by only 14-20 percent.
Paper import duties have been reduced by 20 percent since September2008, he said, and Vietnam has opened the door to foreign competitorsfrom the US , China and Japan , increasing competition fordomestic producers./.
Tan Mai Joint Stock Co,meanwhile, built four new paper mills in the central and southernprovinces of Quang Ngai, Lam Dong, Kon Tum and Dong Nai with a totalcost of 6 trillion VND (285 million USD).
A 3.35trillion VND (159 million USD) packaging plant was opened by the VinaKraft Paper Co in the southern province of Binh Duong, while the Sai GonPaper Co invested around 2 trillion VND (95.2 million USD) in its MyXuan 2 plant in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Bai Bang Paper, meanwhile, opened a 520 billion VND (24.7 million USD)mill during 2010 to produce newsprint, while Diana Joint Stock Coinvested roughly 20 million USD in launching a tissue paper plant on a10ha site in the northern province of Bac Ninh.
Sizeable investment in the past year is a good sign for the industry,reflecting a growth rate expected to reach 11 percent this year andreducing import, said Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association generalsecretary Vu Ngoc Bao.
However, paper producerscontinued to barely break even or even operate at losses, Bao said.Manufacturing costs rose by 30 percent last year, he noted, whileproducers increased product prices by only 14-20 percent.
Paper import duties have been reduced by 20 percent since September2008, he said, and Vietnam has opened the door to foreign competitorsfrom the US , China and Japan , increasing competition fordomestic producers./.
