Today, September 24, 2018, we landed at Venice Airport (Italy) – a very special day!
On this day 20 years ago, September 24, 1998, the first Terrazzo tiles in Vietnam were produced by Secoin at the Secoin Cau Dien factory in Hanoi (later moved to the new factory now Secoin Ha Tay).
Recalling the story more than 21 years ago. In late spring 1997, my wife and I first went to Italy at the invitation of OCEM and Longinotti, the two largest manufacturers of cement tile production equipment using airtight technology in the world at that time. The trip was to choose one of these two companies to cooperate in providing technology transfer to the Vietnamese market.
Due to problems with visas to Italy, Ugo Giannelli, General Director of OCEM, who came to pick us up at the airport, had to sign a guarantee before we could enter the country. However, the Italian border guards only allowed us to stay for exactly 24 hours. All plans were disrupted, we only had enough time to survey and work with OCEM. After the visit, the two sides agreed to cooperate with each other.
In the Vietnamese market 10 years later, we, OCEM-Secoin, competed fiercely with Longinotti. 25 OCEM equipment were installed in the Vietnamese market, while Longinotti only had 1.
A very good relationship not only stopped at the two companies but also later on, the intimacy of the Giannelli and Dinh families.
Remembering the early 1997 period after the first visit to establish a cooperative relationship. It took nearly half a year for us to transfer any equipment. But with the perception of the potential of this type of brick, we decided to be the pioneer in producing it.
After many months of preparing a rented factory in Cau Dien (Hanoi), importing equipment and having Italian experts fly over to guide the installation, on September 24, 1998, the first bricks appeared in the Vietnamese market.
We named them terrazzo in Italian. A name that is very unfamiliar to the Vietnamese market and even difficult to pronounce. We have exclusively registered the Terrazzo brand and after 20 years, our brand name has become the name for a type of tile commonly used in all 63 provinces and cities of Vietnam.
Immediately after producing the first tiles, just 1 year later, Secoin terrazzo tiles were chosen by the Hanoi People’s Committee to repave the main streets of the capital on the occasion of the 990th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi. Notably, the 6 most beautiful terrazzo tile models were chosen to pave around the sacred Hoan Kiem Lake, which is still there today. At that time, in order to be chosen to pave at Hoan Kiem Lake, terrazzo had to go through nearly 30 signatures of the competent authorities of the Central Government and Hanoi.
Terrazzo tiles were later called Ho Guom tiles by many people. The echo of its beauty began to spread throughout the country. The sidewalks of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, and the ancient capital of Hue were the next places to be used. Today, you can see terrazzo tiles on any sidewalk in 63 provinces and cities.
Even more proudly, after only 1 year of production, at the end of 1999, terrazzo tiles were exported to Japan. For nearly 20 years, terrazzo tiles have been continuously exported to this demanding market. Today, going to any DIY Home Center building materials supermarket in Japan, you can see the presence of Secoin terrazzo tiles – from Vietnam. And not only Japan, 5 states of Australia also sell Secoin terrazzo tiles.
Not only manufacturing, we also transfer technology and provide OCEM equipment to nearly 20 factories out of 50 non-fired brick factories nationwide that Secoin supplies. Many years later, the country also manufactured this brick making equipment. Up to now, more than 100 large and small manufacturers nationwide have been producing this type of brick.
Given the popularity of this important type of construction material, since 2007, the State has issued a set of quality standards for terrazzo tiles TCVN 7744 and in 2013 upgraded it to TCVN 7744:2013. The Secoin terrazzo brand name has been officially named by the State for a type of brick. The Secoin brand has also been recognized by the Government as a National Brand.
Today, after 20 years since the birth of terrazzo, 14 other types of Secoin construction materials have been present on the market. Not only supplying the Vietnamese market, these Secoin products are present in 60 countries across 6 continents.
And it is a pleasure that on this day when we returned to Venice, Italy also became the 7th largest customer buying Secoin products.
Venice, 24-9-2018
Dinh Hong Ky
