-
Cceremony attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark and His Excellency Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Binh Minh.
-
The company’s sixth plant worldwide and its second in Asia will support growth in the region.
-
The facility is designed to be the company’s most sustainable to date.
-
Factory design inspired by local children’s LEGO® constructions.
-
The company is committing $150,000 to support children in need.
On November 3, 2022, the LEGO Group celebrated the break-up of its new $1 billion factory in Vietnam’s Binh Duong province, adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City to the south. This is a Danish company’s largest investment in Vietnam and is part of the company’s strategy to expand its supply chain network to support long-term growth and establish manufacturing facilities close to its key markets.
###: Here’s how to set up a business in Vietnam as a foreign investor
The groundbreaking event was attended by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and His Excellency, Permanent Vice Prime Minister of Vietnam Pham Binh Minh, LEGO Group Chief Executive Officer Niels B. Christiansen, LEGO Group Chief Operations Officer Carsten Rasmussen, national and provincial officials, as well as business and social partners.
Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group said: “Today marks an important milestone for us as we celebrate that we have landed what will be our sixth factory worldwide and the first carbon neutral factory. Not only will it enable us to reach even more children through play-based learning and create long-term growth in the Asia-Pacific region, but it will also enable us to quickly adapt and respond to shifts. in consumer demand.”
“We are grateful for all the support we have received to realize our manufacturing ambitions and look forward to working with authorities and partners to build our factory and have a positive impact on the local economy and community.”
Inclusive workplace for jobs in technology and innovation
The 44-hectare site, the size of 62 football fields, will use state-of-the-art technology to form, process and package LEGO® products. Production will start in 2024 with skilled local staff trained to operate high-tech equipment ensuring each stone is crafted to 1/10th accuracye of a hair’s width. The factory will employ 4,000 people over the next 15 years.
The LEGO Group is committed to providing diverse and inclusive workplaces where everyone feels welcome, and the new factory will be no different. It will feature wellness and prayer areas, Braille signage and wheelchair access.
Most sustainable factory to date
The factory is designed to be the LEGO Group’s first carbon neutral run facility – and the most sustainable to date. It will feature solar panels on the roof and a solar park will be built on an adjacent plot of land, which together will correspond to the site’s total annual energy needs.
It will also use the latest energy efficient manufacturing equipment and will be built to meet a minimum standard of LEED Gold – a globally recognized green building certification. These efforts will contribute to the company’s goal of reducing absolute CO2 emissions by 37 percent by 2032 (compared to 2019).
Factory design inspired by children’s creativity
Guided by the belief that children are the role models of the LEGO Group, aspects of the factory’s design will be inspired by ideas from local children. Over 40 children from Hoi Nghia Primary School took part in a ‘Build the Change’ workshop where they used LEGO bricks to create ideas for the factory’s workers and play areas. Their ideas ranged from gardens filled with local plants to fun playgrounds consisting of a roller coaster, aquarium and football stadium, which some of the children shared with the guests during the groundbreaking ceremony.
As construction begins, the LEGO Group is working with local government, community organizations, NGOs and charities to ensure children in Vietnam can benefit from greater learning opportunities through play opportunities.
As an integral part of the community, the company is committing US$150,000 by the end of this year to bring more playful learning opportunities to children in the area and beyond with partnerships including Save the Children Vietnam and Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.
The LEGO Foundation has committed US$4 million to the VVOB iPlay program in Vietnam in 2019 for a four-year partnership designed to introduce learning through play practices to teachers.
