Vietnam car maker begins build for North Carolina electric vehicle plant that will employ thousands

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. employ / ɛmˈplɔɪ / (v.) – to use someone’s skills or service to do a particular job or task and pay him/her for it
    Example:

    The company will employ 1,000 workers next year in line with its plan to expand in different cities.


  2. manufacturing / ˌmæn yəˈfæk tʃər ɪŋ / (n.) – the business of creating a product in large amounts or numbers
    Example:

    My uncle used to work in a toy manufacturing company in the U.S.


  3. permit / ˈpər mɪt / (n.) – an official document that allows someone to do something
    Example:

    We need a permit to visit this part of the country.


  4. pivot / ˈpɪv ət / (v.) – to completely change how someone does something, especially in business
    Example:

    The smartphone company that’s known for its innovative technology recently pivoted toward cameras.


  5. target / ˈtɑr gɪt / (v.) – to direct a product or service at a specific person or group
    Example:

    My sister designs clothes for a shop that targets young adults.


Article

Read the text below.

A Vietnamese company planning an electric vehicle plant in central North Carolina that would employ 7,500 workers met a milestone as its top executive joined Gov. Roy Cooper and others for a ground-breaking ceremony.


VinFast announced last year that it would build its first manufacturing facility outside Vietnam in Chatham County, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Raleigh. The planned $4 billion investment also would create North Carolina’s first car manufacturing plant and North Carolina’s largest-ever, state-backed economic development project as far as job creation, according to news outlets. North Carolina had missed out on car plants over the years to other Southeastern states.


(For) “decades we’ve wanted an automaker in North Carolina, and you know, somebody was looking after us. We were just waiting for that EV market,” Cooper said.


VinFast, which makes fully electric SUVs, aims to open in 2025 a manufacturing and assembly plant with an initial production capacity of 150,000 vehicles annually. The company has submitted site plans to Chatham County government and received county and environmental permits to begin work.


The state and Chatham County offered VinFast up to $1.25 billion in incentives that can be reached if it meets hiring and investment thresholds. The amount includes $450 million that the General Assembly set aside for infrastructure around the plant.


A car company that was only formed in 2017, VinFast pivoted two years ago toward electric SUVs and targeted foreign markets. The company says it’s so far delivered 350 of its five-seat model to U.S. customers since shipping its first batch late last year.


“Our project represents a significant investment and we’re proud to create thousands of jobs here in North Carolina, but we believe the recognition that we receive here goes beyond the figures and reflects the mutual ambition that we all are pursuing,” VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said at the ceremony.


Earlier this year, the company announced it would delay the production start in Chatham County from 2024 to 2025. A company executive acknowledged that their original timeline had been aggressive but reaffirmed the company’s commitment to build.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • VinFast announced last year that it would build its first manufacturing facility outside Vietnam. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this expansion (ex. advantage: bigger market access, disadvantage: cultural barriers)? Why? Discuss.
  • If you were the CEO of VinFast, in which country would you like to expand the business? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • According to the VinFast CEO, the recognition they receive in North Carolina reflects the mutual ambition that both the company and the community are pursuing. What mutual ambition do you think they have (ex. innovation, cultural exchange)? Discuss.
  • Like North Carolina, do you think your country should welcome foreign businesses? Why or why not? What foreign businesses do you think should be welcomed in your country (ex. pharmaceuticals, technology and innovation companies)? Discuss.