In the grand scheme of things, a year is just a short period of time. But a whole lot has happened in Vietnam in the past year.

Just ask Lloyd Hicks, a general manager at coatings supplier Akzo Nobel. Last year, his company opened an administrative and technical support office in Ho Chi Minh City. Since then, he has seen eight furniture plants built in the area, each capable of producing 200 containers a month of furniture or more. That has helped Akzo Nobel more than double its Vietnamese client base and allowed it to add some 60 employees.

Of course, you don’t have to take Hicks’ word for it. Ask any Vietnamese manufacturer and they will talk about their expansion plans. Not all are of the magnitude Hicks described. Still, the activity reflects growing demand for furniture from Vietnam in the U.S. and European markets.

Does Vietnam...Read More