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Getting Rich From Rubber Bands

There are products that are normally brought valuable foreign currency for the country. One of them is the rubber band.

Long Thanh private enterprise located on Ly Chieu Hoang (District 6, HCM City) specialize in manufacturing and exporting rubber band. Le Van Thiem boss said every year exported 8,000 tons Long Thanh elastic band into 17 markets, from Asia to Europe to America.

Back then, the craft of making rubber band in Saigon nearly profession ” exclusive ” Vietnam’s ethnic Chinese. Mr. Thiem are exceptions, a Vietnam has been in this business since chen 13 years. And him alone, exports were rubber ropes many colors, many sizes abroad.

Making things easier but none made

In 1990, he left empty-handed Thiem rubber cooperatives, tires of Chinese bosses to set up own business. Meanwhile, the distribution system from elastic goods manufacturer in the world to place Chinese consumption has been regulated, is set in perspective. He wedged Thiem understand something that is not simple, it’s hard to compete with the giants.

He sought to customers in smaller markets, as well as his little capital. Initially, he was waiting for customers thanks to smoke every time. He told at that time that every time scarce goods, the largest manufacturing base as the waist, waiting for passengers to pick up goods delivered not bother going as before. ” It’s an opportunity for me, ” he said. So he turned away every delivery, to get front row, after collecting money. Having a partner and he earned two more. Back then, the manufacturer does not sell rubber bands like now, they just made a long rubber tube and selling them to cast their affair brought into yarn cut, weighed, to sack. ” I do different from them, but no one has done so easy. I cut into the fiber before delivery ”, he said. Just so that he won big, get more customers.

Initially, his business only to escape poverty, but when he was working on the job, he has more passion for enrichment. And when it has a foothold in the domestic market, he wants to reach out to the outside. He said he exported rubber band, simply because no one has done it.

In 1994, Mr. Thiem hire someone who knows English, according to his book bag to knock on the doors of foreign business in the city. ” I said, they produce rubber bands, because they see the water they who need this item is introduced fears ” he recalls. Shortly after it was introduced a few Japanese and Korean customers. For him to have found such an opportunity. He said: ” Just sold a ” public ” (container) for a customer to have more chances of finding a new customer in their countries. Because if good, will definitely be cheaper then others come ”. The trick to find new market of 53-year-old boss only that. ” It creates a good impression, attention when it first appeared in a certain market. And when there are guests and they must know how to keep their customers ”, he said.

Stretch the rubber band is not … simple

For him, the experience was conceptualized keeping customers ” dropped the artist, wearing a ring letters ”. ” How is it that every criticism, they must know to understand their patient hearing. Have expressed their willingness to learn, to do better, they believed, sticking to his new ” he said. Thiem this experience he learned from the years of going to work for the Chinese boss. And do not forget it’s also thanks to which he succeeded.

At the new place to do business, his experience producing nothing much beyond the ” prescription ” that the processing facility also makes the other rubber band. Gradually, many customers require him to increase the durability of the rubber band up again. His student loan documents, and search for documents from outside of thanks to the translator to read. When introduced, the quality better than before, but still not satisfied guests. Seeing him hard, to want to progress, a Japanese customer has invited experts from Malaysia to always technical support for him for some time. In 1996, two customers in Hong Kong to help him ” fall ” in a rubber band factory in Thailand to see their units account and learn how to organize production lines rubber band.

Vocational training, from where only know how to test the durability of the rubber band by hanging heavy things, now he’s just heard the rubber band off is said to be reliable. At start-up, item unique is his lucky black rubber band, about two inches in diameter, long pull at full stretch was broken seven times. This is also the same size rubber band which, at full stretch to pull 40 new 1an off. Long Thanh private enterprises now have about one hundred kinds of rubber bands, hair tie tiny fibers until the elastic fibers for industrial use than an inch in diameter and a half. What goods any need to use a rope to tie that he can meet. Particularly elastic items votive column, each month he came to Taiwan 54 tons. That is not including the shipment elastic ” special ” to the US for those who worked the press release, or the kind of rubber band with different sizes or medical use in the food industry in Japan, France, Italy so that one bundle of vegetables or columns crab, crab …

Thirteen years after start-up, the machine must be purchased for $ 7 gold and six workers, his property is now staging machine Thiem 30 units, with 400 workers. He is now a dollar millionaire.

The last known, small items or large items is not very important. More important is to know how to do it.