On October 5th, 2024, the Vietnam Plywood Association Branch held its third-term congress for the period 2024 – 2027. The congress elected five members to the Executive Board, with Mr. Trinh Xuan Duong, Director of Kego Company Limited, being elected as the Branch Chairman.
In his opening speech, Mr. Nguyen Van Dong, Secretary of the Vietnam Plywood Association Branch, stated that the branch was established in October 2019. Over the years, the Vietnam Plywood Association has reached its third congress. The Vietnam Plywood Association Branch is a member of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association. The branch plays a bridging role between businesses, the timber association, and relevant state agencies.
Key Achievements of the Previous Term
In the previous term, the Vietnam Plywood Association Branch and its Executive Board actively connected enterprises with government agencies. This included providing feedback on circulars related to timber traceability, addressing anti-dumping lawsuits on Vietnamese plywood products, and investigating origin fraud by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) concerning Vietnam’s plywood exports.
Additionally, the branch appointed representatives to the Executive Board of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association. They actively participated in briefings by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on development strategies for the wood sector, particularly plywood. The branch also worked with the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association and the Department of Trade Remedies to provide recommendations on anti-dumping duties imposed by South Korea on plywood.
From its initial 14 members, the Vietnam Plywood Association Branch has now grown to 42 members, encompassing various production strengths. The branch has included both mid-range and high-end product manufacturers. Furthermore, the branch organized exchange delegations for experience sharing among different production units. Notably, during the recent Typhoon No. 3, the branch raised VND 359 million in donations for recovery support in Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, and Yen Bai provinces.
Challenges and New Goals for the 2024 – 2027 Term
Despite the achievements, the branch’s activities in the previous term still faced certain limitations. The recruitment efforts for new members have not matched the scale of the industry. Currently, the plywood industry has over 400 manufacturers, yet the branch only has 42 members, mostly located in the northern region—a modest number.
Moreover, the dissemination of new state regulations has not been thorough. This issue arises from the branch’s limited and weak human resources, resulting in delayed information sharing. The branch’s industry forecasting activities were also limited, with insufficient information exchange among members. Additionally, the proposals and recommendations submitted by the branch to the association and relevant authorities were inadequate, and the branch lacked funds for human resource activities.
At the congress, members elected the Executive Board for the 2024 – 2027 term. The branch’s new goal is: “Innovation – Connection – Success.” The congress selected five individuals for the Executive Board, including:
- Mr. Trinh Xuan Duong – Director of Ke Go Co., Ltd. and Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Plywood Association
- Mr. Nguyen Cong Thanh – Director of TTTK Co., Ltd. and Vice Chairman
- Mr. Kim Xuan Nam – Chairman of Kim Gia Production and Trading JSC and Vice Chairman
- Mr. Doan Minh Diep – Director of Vin Coner JSC and Vice Chairman
- Mr. Nguyen Cong Thuc – Director of An Lam Co., Ltd.
The congress also elected Mr. Trinh Xuan Duong as the Branch Chairman. The Executive Board hopes that these dedicated and capable individuals will lead the branch into a new phase, addressing existing challenges and strengthening the branch’s activities to match its scale.
