Factory Scout for Vietnam Manufacturing

Technical Assignment Factory Scout & Manufacturing Partner Search – VEYRA Vietnam Project VEYRA is developing a premium prefabricated timber building system for the U.S. market. The first prototype is approximately 1,500 sqft (140–150 m²). Our objective is to identify one primary manufacturing partner in Vietnam capable of becoming our long-term production partner. Candidate Requirements The candidate must: * be based in Vietnam; * speak fluent Vietnamese and English; * have strong knowledge of Vietnam’s timber manufacturing industry; * understand timber construction and woodworking technologies; * have experience working with manufacturers rather than trading companies; * preferably have existing contacts within the industry; * be able to contact factories directly and, when necessary, visit them in person. Objective Identify and evaluate the best factory capable of becoming VEYRA’s primary manufacturing partner. This is not a supplier database project. This is a technical and commercial evaluation of potential manufacturing partners. Target Manufacturer Priority should be given to companies capable of manufacturing most of the timber package, including: * structural timber frame; * glulam beams (or willingness and capability to develop glulam production); * prefabricated structural wall frames; * insulated infill wall panels; * roof structure; * prefabricated roof panels; * timber façade cladding; * decking; * interior timber doors (preferred); * timber window frames (preferred); * other structural timber components. The ideal partner will also coordinate the complete prefab package by: * receiving components from third-party suppliers; * checking dimensional compatibility; * performing final fit-up and quality control; * making minor adjustments if required; * preparing export packaging; * loading complete building kits into containers. ⸻ Preferred Company Size Priority: 10–100 employees Acceptable: 100–200 employees Companies larger than 300 employees should still be identified but listed separately as secondary candidates. Preference is given to manufacturers that are: * flexible; * owner-managed or fast decision makers; * experienced with custom production; * willing to develop prototypes; * interested in long-term partnerships. ⸻ Required Work For every shortlisted company: * establish initial contact; * determine interest in cooperation; * evaluate communication quality; * evaluate technical capability; * evaluate willingness to develop new products; * evaluate long-term partnership potential. ⸻ Information Required For every company provide: * Company name * Factory address (Vietnamese) * GPS location * Phone * Email * Website * Facebook * Zalo * Main contact person * Position * Estimated number of employees * Factory size * Main products * Export markets * Certifications * Major equipment * CNC capability * Kiln drying * Finger-joint line * Presses * Large structural timber capability * Shop drawing capability * Prototype capability * Small-batch production capability ⸻ Evaluation Criteria Evaluate: * production quality; * technical capability; * production flexibility; * communication; * responsiveness; * management quality; * engineering competence; * willingness to cooperate; * long-term partnership potential. ⸻ Deliverables For each company provide: * strengths; * weaknesses; * risks; * recommendation; * suitability score (0–100). ⸻ Final Recommendation Prepare a separate section: Personal Recommendation Assume you are investing your own money. Answer: * Which company would you choose? * Why? * Which companies would you reject? * What are the key risks? * If production had to start tomorrow, which company would you approach first? Support your recommendation with clear technical and commercial reasoning. ⸻ Deliverables 1. Professional Excel database. 2. Ranked shortlist of the Top 3–5 recommended manufacturers. The final recommendation must be based on technical capability, manufacturing quality, communication, flexibility, and long-term partnership potential, not simply on company size or price.