Source: vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn, 02.19.2011

HA NOI — A technical seminar on the latest technology from Japan which uses steel pipe piles and steel sheet piles in construction projects, kicked off yesterday in Ha Noi.

The seminar was co-organised by the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and J-Spiral Steel Pipe Co Ltd.

Nguyen Van Hich, deputy head of the Science and Technology Department under the MoT, told the seminar that the country's infrastructure was being developed to boost the nation's economic growth. He said the country was open to new technology that might aid the development.

"The country is building more bridges, ports and harbours. The structure's design must be congruent with the country's unique geological make up," said Hich. "Technology using steel pipe piles may be suitable with Viet Nam's complex geological make up."

At the seminar, Professor Osamu Kiyomiya from Waseda University introduced the new technology and explained how it could be used to build ports and harbours.

Kiyomiya said Japan used 0.63 million tonnes of steel piles per year and the technology was used primarily to build bridges, foundations, ports and harbours.

Viet Nam used about 0.3 million tonnes of steel piles per year. Steel pipe pile plants were being built in Viet Nam and the material would be used to build ports, railways and other major infrastructure projects, Kiyomiya said.

He said steel piles were used to build Tokyo's International Offshore Airport and the Tokyo Port Bay Bridge. The material is earthquake resistant, reduces construction time and have advanced anticorrison technology.

New joint-venture

On the same day, J-Siral Steel Pipe Co Ltd, a joint venture established by three Japanese companies - JFE Steel Corp, Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd and Toyota Tsusho Corp, was introduced.

The Dong Nai-based company, previously known as Jeong An Vina Co Ltd - a Vietnamese spiral steel pipe manufacturer that produces 50,000 tonnes of steel annually, was acquired for about 18 billion won (US$16.16 million, 1.3 billion yen) from Korean Jeong An Steel Co Ltd.

The company, capitalised at $3.1 million, will manufacture high-quality steel pipe piles, steel pipe sheet piles and water pipes. The company hopes to utilise the strong demand for steel pipe in Viet Nam's construction steel market. — VNS