For people living through the period of the country’s centrally planned subsidized economy in the 1980s, a Thong Nhat bike meant a fortune. Founded in 1960, Thong Nhat, the most famous bike brand in Vietnam, has continuously renewed itself to maintain its leading role in the domestic market and has expanded to the rest of the world.

In its 58 years of development using the business slogan “When thinking about bikes, one immediately relates to Thong Nhat”, Thong Nhat (Unification) has gone through many ups and downs to build a trusted brand.

After being privatized in 2017, Hanoi Thong Nhat Joint Stock Company made drastic changes from production to management, paying special attention to improving its human resources.

Technical drawing of spare parts.  Rim balancing stage.  Installing spare parts. High quality bicycle wheels. A Thong Nhat high class bicycle for women.  Checking the frames. The final assembly stage.  Thong Nhat has a daily capacity of 500 bicycles.

"The company has invested in qualified human resources, ensuring that its employees are well compensated to make the best contributions to the company,” General Director Vu Duc Linh said in revealing the secret behind his company’s success.

Each year, the company produces 60,000 bicycles, 2,000 of which are exported to Thailand, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong with an average value of 5 million US dollars. At home, it has a nationwide distribution network of 500 dealers.

The company is also a leading manufacturer in Vietnam where its products have a local content rate of 75% thanks to its investment in advanced production lines.

Thong Nhat currently has 38 product lines, including children’s bikes, common bikes and mountain bikes. The bike frames are all made of force-bearing steel, welded with TIG (tungsten inert gas) technology, and electrostatically painted in three layers. Its mountain bikes are favored by foreigners travelling around Vietnam.

“Foreign tourists love using Thong Nhat mountain bikes with their strong frames which ensure safety for the users,” said Le Quoc Viet, Director of Santa Villa Hoi An.

Thong Nhat, a leading bike brand in Vietnam. Thong Nhat bicycles meet export standards. Thong Nhat currently has 38 product lines, including children’s bikes, common bikes and mountain bikes. Four-wheel bicycles for children. Thong Nhat bicycles displayed at the Vietnam Two Wheels Vehicle International Exhibition in Hanoi. Thong Nhat bikes for children are favored in the domestic market. Thong Nhat pavilion at the Vietnam Two-Wheel Vehicle International Exhibition attracts a lot of visitors.  Thong Nhat mountain bikes are free for tourists in Hoi An. Photo: Files

Dinh Vu Minh Viet, Thong Nhat Sales Manager, said Thong Nhat is not only a leading bicycle brand in Vietnam, but also “a wheel” linking the past, present and future. The nearly-60-year development of the company proves the remarkable growth of the engineering industry, Viet said.
 

Story: Bich Van – Photos: Thanh Giang