FROM THE WORLD CUP STADIUM TO A $700 MILLION MUSEUM

On an early June day in 2024, a flight from Tan Son Nhat Airport to King Khalid International Airport (Saudi Arabia) carried a passenger on a mission—to further the dream of bringing Vietnamese enterprises to the global stage.

Perspective View of the Science and Technology Museum – A Landmark in Riyadh

Mr. Dao Nhat Duy (43 years old), International Business Director of DaiDung Group and CEO of DaiDung Arabia, embarked on this journey with great excitement. He would serve as the “captain” in a foreign land, leading the construction of the steel structure for a $700 million museum—a project DaiDung won against top-tier competitors.

A Fortunate Connection with the Middle East

As a leading enterprise in steel structures, DaiDung had already made a name for itself on the global construction scene. It was the only Vietnamese company successfully supplying steel structures for two stadiums that hosted World Cup 2022 matches in Qatar.

This remarkable entry into the Middle Eastern market paved the way for DaiDung to win another prestigious project: the Science and Technology Museum, a landmark development in Riyadh with a total investment of $700 million. The steel structure package alone was worth $52 million (approximately 1.3 trillion VND).

A glance at the 3D design of the museum is enough to impress—an innovative sphere housing numerous large-scale functional areas.

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who attended the World Cup final in a stadium with steel structures supplied by DaiDung, was highly impressed.

As a result, the project’s investors—established by the Crown Prince and his wife—invited DaiDung to bid alongside major firms from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey…

These days, DaiDung’s headquarters near the museum project is filled with an intense working spirit, even as the desert nation enters winter.

Every day, CEO Duy personally oversees both office operations and on-site construction, managing an enormous workload. His team includes 18 top experts from around the world, along with skilled workers from multiple countries.

“We are managing leading steel structure specialists from Europe, Brazil, the U.S., Egypt, and more in Saudi Arabia—offering them highly competitive salaries. We will further increase the number of experts as the project reaches its peak,” Mr. Duy shared.

“This is an extremely wealthy nation, and when they build something, it has to be the best. During the bidding process, they evaluated us as the top contender because of our superior project implementation plan, construction solutions, production, and quality management—all while ensuring on-time delivery,” Mr. Duy explained.

After securing the contract, the investor drafted a record-breaking agreement—spanning 1,428 pages in English—with stringent requirements. Given that the project is directly overseen by the Crown Prince’s wife, any mistakes must be reduced to zero, from contract details to on-site execution.

Mr. Dao Nhat Duy (far left) discussing work with experts at the Saudi Arabia office – Photo: NHAT HUY

“Strike the Snake at Its Head”

DaiDung’s journey to the international market is akin to growing bamboo—first, it establishes deep roots in the domestic market, then expands overseas. Since 2013, the company has followed the strategy of “striking the snake at its head.”

Mr. Duy, who played a key role in the early international expansion strategy alongside the Group’s chairman, recalled how they targeted the largest firms in their industries in the chosen markets to establish partnerships.

Initially, they started with factory and industrial park projects before moving on to national landmark constructions—projects with unique architectural and symbolic significance.

In an interview with Tuoi Tre News, European expert Mr. Andersen stated that when working with DaiDung’s team from Vietnam, he was impressed by their excellent technical skills and high international standards.

He emphasized that the company consistently ensured on-time delivery, upheld exceptional product quality, and demonstrated professionalism with meticulous attention to detail.

Today, DaiDung exports products to 50 countries, has executed major international construction projects, and operates subsidiaries in Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, and Cambodia, along with representative offices in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

Leveraging its accumulated experience, the company aims to become one of the world’s leading steel structure corporations.

It also hopes to inspire other Vietnamese businesses to boldly enter the global market—asserting the nation’s brand and capabilities while contributing to what it calls “the era of Vietnam’s rise.”

DaiDung workers producing international orders at the Ho Chi Minh City factory – Photo: NGOC HIEN

Preparing a Workforce for Global Expansion

According to Mr. Duy, attracting top global experts to work for a Vietnamese company requires more than just high salaries. The key factor is the professionalism of the management team. These experts highly appreciate the dedication and eagerness to learn demonstrated by Đại Dũng’s Vietnamese workforce.

Mr. Duy noted that the Vietnamese community in Riyadh is small, with only around 70 people. Currently, only three Vietnamese companies have representative offices there—DaiDung, FPT, and recently, VinFast.

In addition to Mr. Duy, young Vietnamese engineers at DaiDung are gaining invaluable knowledge, experience, and management skills from working with international specialists. This serves as a strong foundation for the company to independently lead large-scale international projects in the future.

Excellence in Engineering, Commitment to Sustainability

Mr. Trinh Tien Dung, Chairman of DaiDung Group, affirmed that the company’s mission is to “bring Vietnam to the world” through high-quality mechanical and structural products—driven by Vietnamese creativity and ingenuity.

To date, DaiDung has cemented its reputation and the Vietnamese brand in both regional and global markets, leaving its mark on national and international landmark projects that demand exceptional aesthetics and engineering precision.

With the business philosophy of “always striving for sustainable development,” the company prioritizes workforce development, uses eco-friendly materials, reduces emissions, and creates products with regenerative capabilities.

“We believe that in the near future, DaiDung’s vision and ambition to become a world-leading steel structure and mechanical solutions corporation will be realized,” Mr. Dung asserted.

Source: TUOITRE.VN