HÀ NỘI – The supporting industry boosted the development of Việt Nam’s industrial real estate market last year, according to CBRE Việt Nam Co, Ltd.
“The export-orientated manufacturing industry is the backbone of Việt Nam’s economy, with various large businesses such as Samsung, Pou Chen Group, THACO Group and VinFast,” Lê Trọng Hiếu, director of the Industrial & Logistics Services at CBRE Việt Nam said at a conference held in Hà Nội earlier this week.
The most important impact of their production plants in Việt Nam was forming and developing hubs for support industries and suppliers, he said.
In the automotive industry, Vietnamese private conglomerates, including THACO and Vingroup, have ambitious plans to create manufacturing complexes with concentrated chains of suppliers, according to CBRE Việt Nam.
THACO Group has the 325-ha Chu Lai Trường Hải automotive complex in Quảng Nam Province, comprising a 100-ha automotive component industrial park. Targeting a 40 per cent localisation rate, THACO is cooperating with experienced foreign suppliers to develop more than 11 component factories, providing auto parts for assembly and export.
Vingroup has launched the 335-ha VinFast automotive complex in Hải Phòng, which is home to the most modern auto and auto parts factories in Việt Nam.
“Industrial property developers can now open ready-built factories focusing on support industries, along with the application of technology in industrial property management,” Hiếu said.
Leading developers in the ready-built factory sector, such as BW Industrial, KTG Industrial and An Phát Holdings, are ready to welcome new component manufacturers and suppliers.
Đặng Trọng Đức, KTG Industrial’s Sales Development Director under the Khải Toàn Group (KTG), said Việt Nam’s industrial real estate sector had seen strong development in recent years, especially 2019, due to globalisation, political stability and infrastructure development, including highways and system of seaports.
Hiếu from CBRE Việt Nam said: “The strong development of the domestic industrial property market in 2019 was mainly due to the Government’s large investment in infrastructure, including seaports, highways and airports.
“Việt Nam has signed free trade agreements with many partners to promote exports, increasing demand for production and warehouse facilities in Việt Nam.
“In addition, the US-China trade war has promoted Việt Nam’s industrial property,” said Hiếu. This has made companies in China want to move to neighbouring countries, avoiding US taxes.
Moreover, the cost of production in China continued to rise, expediting the relocation process to alternative locations in Southeast Asia, including Việt Nam, he said.
The recent surge in demand has made the country’s industrial property market more vibrant than ever, according to CBRE.
The average occupancy rates of industrial parks in northern and southern localities were over 92 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively, at the end of 2019.
When there is limited vacant land, developers of existing industrial parks tend to switch to ready-built factories, which are more time and cost efficient to tenants who prefer a speedy setup.
In 2019, southern regions and cities in Việt Nam, including HCM City, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Long An, welcomed about 380,500 sq.m of ready-built factories, up 18.9 per cent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the new supply in the northern region, including Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Bắc Ninh, Hải Dương and Hưng Yên, was 321,420 sq.m – up by 25.2 per cent y-o-y.
The rapid occupation of ready-built factories is a strong basis to believe that the outlook for this type of industrial property is very positive, Hiếu said.
Hà Nội’s market
On the same day, CBRE Việt Nam released a report on Hà Nội’s property market in the fourth quarter of 2019, showing strong growth in the condominium market.
Last year, Hà Nội’s condominium market continued to maintain a high level of new launches, with around 36,000 units offered.
The mid-end segment accounted for 80 per cent of total new launches in 2019, higher than the average rate of 40 per cent in 2010-14 when affordable apartments were the most popular products.
The highlight of last year was the dominance of products from mega projects such as Vinhomes Ocean Park, Vinhomes Smart City and Park City. New launches from those projects covered more than 50 per cent of total new launches.
The market saw more than 29,000 units sold during 2019, up by 1 per cent year-on-year, according to the report.
Demand from foreign buyers was one of the drivers leading to positive sales performance in Hà Nội, especially for projects in good locations in western and West Lake areas.
“Previously, the number of foreigners buying houses in HCM City was more than in Hà Nội. But in 2019, the Hà Nội market welcomed a higher number of foreign buyers than HCM City, mainly Korean customers. There were also customers from other Asian countries like Singapore or Japan. Foreign tenants also increased,” said Dương Thùy Dung, Senior Director and Head of Research and Consulting at CBRE Việt Nam.
“Foreign companies have expanded their operations in Hà Nội and neighbouring localities, increasing the number of foreigners buying and renting houses in the capital city.”
The average selling price in the primary market in the fourth quarter rose by 5 per cent year on year to US$1,370 per sq.m. Projects in urban areas, with comprehensive amenities and completed infrastructure, had higher prices compared with the average price, especially in Gia Lâm, Long Biên and Hà Đông.
In 2020, mid-end products are expected to dominate the market with new launches in urban regions. For upscale segments (high-end and luxury), it is forecasted that there will be more offerings from this segment this year.
