A subsidiary of Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will become the first foreign firm to open an aircraft related manufacturing facility in Vietnam, the plant's general manager said.
MHI Aerospace Vietnam began production of wing flaps for Boeing's 737 passenger aircraft in June, Masateru Akiyama said on Sept. 10.
Mitsubishi Heavy's president, Hideaki Omiya, is to attend the official opening on Sept. 14.
The seven-million-dollar facility employs more than 50 people and is located in Hanoi's Thang Long Industrial Park, he said, adding that the company aims to build flaps for 10 aircraft per month.
Announcing plans for the factory almost two years ago, Mitsubishi Heavy cited growing price competition and praised Vietnam's "diligent labor force, robust economy, stable public security and the presence of overseas transport routes."
Vietnam's relatively low wages were "of course" one reason for the move, Akiyama said.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
