The "golden hands" of workers in Nghe An
Today, the workforce in Nghe An is asserting a new position through their intelligence, technological mastery, and self-dedication. From this, the spirit of creative labor extends beyond mere profit figures to encompass a fervent desire for self-improvement and advancement.
Today, the workforce in Nghe An is asserting a new position through their intelligence, technological mastery, and self-dedication. From this, the spirit of creative labor extends beyond mere profit figures to encompass a fervent desire for self-improvement and advancement.
The spirit of mastering the million-dollar production line.
In the "capital" of TH milk (Nghia Dan), the story of engineer Tran Van Manh (born in 1994) is widely shared. Manh has always aspired to master million-dollar production lines. After graduating from Vinh University of Technology and Education and honing his skills for a year at Saigon Beer Company, in 2018, Manh decided to join TH Milk Joint Stock Company. For Manh, this was not only a job close to home but also an ideal environment for a young engineer to showcase his creative abilities.
With a long list of innovative ideas, Tran Van Manh affirms that the most difficult period was the transition from the maintenance department to the improvement department – when old knowledge had to give way to newer and more complex operating procedures. Fortunately, within that "technical family" of over 100 people, Manh met special "inspirers" who helped him define a clear career path and cultivate the spirit of "turning the impossible into the possible."
The most significant achievement in Mạnh's career is his project of an automated robot for loading milk cartons into boxes. This is a project that Mạnh personally researched and completed from the very beginning. Launched in September 2022, this initiative not only won the prestigious WIPO award but also benefited the company by over 13 billion VND. To date, the system still operates with 98% efficiency, proving that Vietnamese workers are perfectly capable of doing this.International technology leader.
Recalling his most memorable experience, Mạnh emotionally recounted the time he fixed a malfunction in the ice cream machine. For 14 days and nights, the entire technical team ate, slept, and worked alongside the machinery. The entire system, from the mechanical components to the control panel, which was imported from abroad, was completely dismantled and redesigned to 100% according to Mạnh and his colleagues' vision at TH.
When the first products that met the standards were released, the brothers embraced each other, overwhelmed with emotion. It was the joy of completely mastering the production line, transforming the exterior design into their own technology.
Engineer Tran Van Manh shared his thoughts.
Following the success of his CMMS maintenance management system and EPMS power management system (which won third prize at WIPO 2026), Mạnh doesn't allow himself to rest. He is nurturing new projects related to AI and image processing to further optimize production processes. For Mạnh, every failure is just a test, and the greatest motivation is the dedication and solidarity of the engineering team – where everyone stands shoulder to shoulder, confident in all circumstances.
Tran Van Manh's achievements include: Third Prize at the WIPO Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation Award (2026); Creative Labor Award from the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor (2025); and two Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province (2024, 2026).
Self-taught engineer
At Minh Anh – Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company (Bac Vinh Industrial Zone), Pham Nguyen is still referred to as an "amateur engineer." This is because this man, born in 1984, is essentially a factory worker, never having received formal training in programming or advanced mechanics, yet he holds the "secrets" of operating the factory's most complex machinery.
Pham Nguyen's journey to the garment factory was quite a long and winding one. Before settling in Vinh, he struggled through various jobs in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2007, with the mindset of "mastering one trade," he decided to learn garment repair in Binh Duong. In 2015, he chose to return to his hometown and joined the maintenance department of Minh Anh - Kim Lien Garment Joint Stock Company.
“Initially, I was in charge of maintaining about 20 production lines. But interestingly, when the company imported new technological machinery, it required programming skills to operate it. To master it, I had no choice but to teach myself,” Mr. Nguyen recounted. His connection with innovation began with those nights spent tinkering with coding and electronic circuits.
In reality, the pre-programmed software on the machines usually only meets basic requirements. Meanwhile, customer orders are becoming increasingly demanding in terms of design. To make the machines "understand" and run as intended, Pham Nguyen researched designs himself, tested each task, and improved the process. It sounds simple, but behind it all were months of eating and sleeping with the machines, and many projects had to be abandoned midway because they couldn't be applied in practice.
Speaking about his creative projects, Mr. Pham Nguyen enthusiastically shared about his innovative collar placket machine. This project consumed the most of his efforts but also brought him great joy, especially when it was widely applied throughout the corporation. This solution not only ensures the quality of the stitching but also helps the company save two workers in this step.
Despite being hailed as a "master craftsman" for generating hundreds of millions of dong in profits for the unit, Mr. Nguyen humbly attributes his success largely to the support of his superiors and colleagues. For him, happiness is simply seeing workers perform tasks more easily, production time shortened, and products with fewer defects.
Pham Nguyen's work philosophy is: Work doesn't stop when the clock strikes closing time. For him, creativity is a state of freedom, where he is allowed to nurture and realize ideas even while eating or traveling.
Even though his home was 30km from the company, he refused to take the company's shuttle bus and rode his own motorbike to have more control over his time, allowing him to comfortably linger in the research lab after his shift, diligently working on his unfinished improved designs. Because of this, the image of the gentle, small-framed man leaving the company alone late at night has become very familiar to many.Workerat Minh Anh Garment Joint Stock Company - Kim Lien.
"As long as I can be creative, no matter how hard it is, I find it worthwhile," he smiled, the gentle smile of a craftsman who always finds joy in the turning of his machines.
Mr. Pham Nguyen's achievements include: 2 Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province (2022, 2025); a Certificate of Merit from the Nghe An Provincial Labor Union (2024); and for many consecutive years, receiving Certificates of Merit for "Creative Labor" from the Company's Board of Directors.
