Excavators and trucks begin construction on the Fujikin R&D Đà Nẵng project at the city's Hi-tech Park. It's the first Fujikin R&D centre in Việt Nam worth US$35 million for operation in the second quarter of 2022. Photo courtesy of Phạm Trường Sơn

ĐÀ NẴNG — Fujikin International Incorporated from Japan officially commenced construction of an R&D centre at Đà Nẵng High-Tech Park worth a total of US$35 million, seven months after getting an investment licence.

Fujikin said the Đà Nẵng-based R&D centre is its first in Việt Nam after developing a series of projects in Osaka and Tsukuba in Japan as well as plants in the US, South Korea and Ireland.

It’s also the seventh investment project from Japan at the ‘green’ and hi-tech hub in the city and central Việt Nam, promoting Japanese investment projects to the top of foreign investors in the city with 55 in total worth $680 million.

The Đà Nẵng Hi-tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority (Đà Nẵng HPIZA) said the Fujikin Đà Nẵng factory plans to produce air valves using semi-conductor production lines, medical equipment, robots, drones, nano technology, new energy tech using hydrogen, facilities for the environment and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

It expects to be put into operation and provide products to the market in the second quarter of 2022, marking the 20th year of investment in Việt Nam by Fujikin.

The project inked a human resources training deal with Đà Nẵng College for Science and Technology under the Đà Nẵng University to provide high-quality manpower for the Fujikin Đà Nẵng R&D Centre in the coming years.

The central city said the Fujikin project is an exemplary investment project in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Japan-Việt Nam diplomatic ties in 2023, and friendship co-operation between Việt Nam and Japan as well as Đà Nẵng.

Head of the Đà Nẵng Hi-tech Park and Industrial Zones Authority (Đà Nẵng HPIZA), Phạm Trường Sơn said despite lockdowns and social distancing regulations, the 1,100ha ‘green’ hi-tech park attracted 17 projects, of which four were foreign direct investment (FDI) worth $145.31 million, and VNĐ544.4 billion ($23.7 million) from domestic projects in the first nine months of 2021.

The hi-tech park and six industrial zones of Đà Nẵng have drawn 503 projects including 130 FDI worth $1.8 billion and VNĐ27.56 trillion ($1.2 billion) from domestic investors.

A series of investors including aerospace components manufacturer Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC) of the US; Tokyo Keiki Precision Technology Inc and Niwa Foundry from Japan; and Dentium company from South Korea already operate factories at the hi-tech park.

Earlier this year, Japanese Daiwa Việt Nam company also began building its third factory in the central city’s Hòa Khánh Industrial Zone with an investment of $40 million, bringing its investment in Đà Nẵng to $90 million in 2005-20. — VNS