Nguyen Thi Cam Hang opened a coconut shell charcoal factory not only because she saw the opportunity from the market, but also for the purpose of creating stable jobs for people in her homeland.
The motivation for Nguyen Thi Cam Hang to open a coconut shell charcoal factory when she was appointed as a branch manager at a bank was not only because she saw the opportunity from the market, but also for the purpose of creating stable jobs for people in the homeland.
Lessons from the cooperation collapse
Cam Hang met me after she had just finished the deal to sell the remaining apartment to have money to invest in an additional coconut shell charcoal production line of Binh Phuoc Import and Export Co., Ltd., Binh Phuoc established by her at the beginning of the year. now on.
Started producing coconut shell charcoal in 2015 with capital from a foreign partner contributed to set up the first factory in Binh Duong, but by the end of 2019, Cam Hang left empty handed when a number of agreements Oral treatment is not carried out as originally committed.
Operating the business for more than 2 years, forming a production system, building a brand … then having to move, Cam Hang drew many lessons on its own.
“If I only look at negative things, I will not be able to do it again when I decide to open a second factory,” Cam Hang said. She said, more than 2 years working with partners, she considered the apprenticeship time. Despite the broken relationship, she has had the opportunity to learn to continue fulfilling her dream to bring direct benefits to the community, especially the people in her homeland.
In 2018, after 16 years working in the finance and banking industry, Cam Hang decided to leave the position of a branch manager of a commercial bank to grop for the first steps into the coconut shell charcoal production career on the occasion. accidental.
At that time, Cam Hang had to handle a misunderstanding due to a language barrier with a foreigner buying coal in Vietnam and distributing it to many markets. By the sensitivity of a person with “business blood”, Cam Hang saw an opportunity from the market. According to the research of Cam Hang, the Dubai market alone needs about 200 containers of coal of all kinds each month, due to the habit of eating home-baked dishes and smoking shisha.
After acquaintance, she and her friend opened a small factory, then brought the product to an exhibition, then met with a partner to contribute capital to set up a factory in Binh Duong.
When the cooperation collapsed, Cam Hang had to sell her house, plus the support from relatives and friends, she built a factory in an area of 11,000 m2 right in her hometown Binh Phuoc.
Currently the factory has only one line, capacity of about 10 – 12 tons / day. Running at full capacity, it still takes 5 days for a full container to export, while the demand of the market is very large. That is why Cam Hang decided to sell her second home.
Want to create more jobs for the homeland?
Two months after being officially put into operation, Binh Phuoc Highland Import & Export Co., Ltd. exported the first coconut shell charcoal container in April 2020.
In the domestic market, coconut shell charcoal branded Tcha Tchello and Highland Cool of the Company is also consumed at Barbecue Garden restaurant chain, My Le eco-tourism area (Binh Phuoc) …
Cam Hang said that the demand for coal in the domestic market is quite large, but coconut shell charcoal is not popular, even though it has a higher calorific value than charcoal, it is completely and safely burnt.
The material of coconut shell charcoal production is bought from coal from the Western people from coconut shells, then grind and mix with water to make molds, depending on the type.
When asked why he did not locate the factory near the material area, Cam Hang said: “If the factory is near the material area, it saves money and transportation time, but does not benefit workers, packaging and job searching for customers, because I define production primarily for export. ”
Another important reason is that the factory located in Binh Phuoc can create many jobs for the people of the homeland, including members of Cam Hang’s family.
Currently, in addition to customers in the Middle East, the partners of Binh Phuoc Plateau Company in Germany, Australia, Belgium, Turkey are increasing the number of each order and each customer has a different buying habit. .
Although difficult, Cam Hang did not hide her ambition to continue conquering big markets.
Comunication with Nguyen Thi Cam Hang
What made you quit your job at the bank to enter a manufacturing industry that you didn’t have experience in, when you were in your 40s?
When I see myself not giving much, I will stop. Moreover, I want to be proactive in business. Setting up a factory in the homeland will directly benefit the community. As a bank, I would definitely be in a high position, but only for my benefit. If they want to help their relatives, they can only support them a few million dongs, but when opening the factory, they will create jobs for them, help them with working skills, gradually improve their management skills.
During the period of social gap, your production has been disturbed?
Covid-19 broke out, many business owners closed the factory, waiting for a favorable market to reopen. Doing so is good for you, but a severed worker will have no money to live. So I try to maintain production. The lives of many people attached to me are the motivation for me to develop more.
