EN
Marking its 10-year journey of establishment and growth, TBS Song Tra Factory has become a proud highlight of TBS Group in the North. Through relentless efforts, TBS Song Tra has achieved remarkable milestones, making significant contributions to the Group’s handbag production chain as well as to the economic development of Thai Binh Province.
A bold decision amid economic transition:
A decade ago, Thai Binh was undergoing a major shift from an agriculture-based economy to a non-agricultural one. Despite being a key agricultural hub with high rice yields, the province faced limitations in available land and lacked secondary industries. As a result, most young people had to leave their hometowns to work in factories in larger cities.
In response to this reality, the leadership of TBS Group made the strategic decision to expand its production footprint to Thai Binh. The project initially faced skepticism regarding its feasibility: a factory located far from major hubs, a workforce without prior experience, and the challenge of long training periods. Yet, with resilience and strong faith in their homeland, the Chairman of TBS Group recognized this as a golden opportunity to enhance the Group’s competitiveness while contributing to the development of Thai Binh during its economic transition, guided by the principle: “ly nông không ly hương” – leaving farming but not leaving one’s homeland.
Challenging early days…
In 2014, the TBS Song Tra factory officially came into operation, marking a new milestone in TBS Group’s handbag manufacturing journey. The early days in this new land were filled with challenges. Recruiting a skilled workforce, especially among the younger generation, proved to be a difficult task, requiring significant time and resources for training. At the same time, managing and operating a new product line created additional challenges for the leadership team.
Confronted with these obstacles, the leadership of TBS Song Tra worked tirelessly to implement solutions that strengthened workflows and optimized production efficiency as quickly as possible. Their top priority was to establish a unified management system, ensuring that leaders, employees, and all resources were aligned toward common goals, thereby creating a professional, sustainable, and high-performing working environment.
In parallel, the leadership placed strong emphasis on cost optimization, strict management of input materials, and adherence to production schedules and quality standards. Continuous recruitment and training programs were also implemented, enabling workers to quickly adapt and master their jobs.
Archival photo of TBS Song Tra Factory
…toward remarkable achievements:
After overcoming numerous challenges, TBS Song Tra has steadily established its operations with a solid organizational structure and well-developed facilities. This foundation has enabled the factory to expand into new product lines, most notably backpacks for Decathlon and various other clients. It can be affirmed that TBS Song Tra has been a strategic step that helped TBS Group become a leading enterprise in the bag manufacturing industry both in Vietnam and across the region.
In 2019, TBS Song Tra was proudly recognized as a highlight in driving the economic development of Thai Binh province. Notably, the factory celebrated its 37 millionth product after only five years of operation — a milestone achievement. Despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic and political fluctuations, TBS Song Tra remained resilient, marking its 10th anniversary with a total output of 55 million bags and an annual maximum capacity of 3 million bags.
Contributions to the community and sustainable development:
To date, TBS Song Tra has provided stable employment for about 1,200 local workers, allowing many young people to “leave farming without leaving their hometown.” They can work close to their families while taking care of loved ones and raising their children. As a result, workers’ lives have gradually stabilized, and the local community has prospered.
At the same time, TBS Song Tra faces strong competition in attracting labor amid Thai Binh’s rapid socio-economic growth. The factory’s leadership consistently strives to improve both the material and spiritual well-being of employees. Managers regularly undergo training to enhance expertise and soft skills, fostering a professional and growth-oriented work environment. This has been a crucial factor in retaining employees, affirming the factory’s industry position, and contributing to the development of the national workforce.
Committed to sustainable growth, TBS Song Tra has always demonstrated responsibility to the community. The factory frequently organizes charity programs to support employees, children, and the elderly in difficult circumstances across the province. The TBS Song Tra team also actively contributes to local disaster relief efforts during stormy seasons, embodying a strong sense of social responsibility and community solidarity.
Connecting the future from traditional values
The year 2024 also marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between TBS Song Tra Factory and Decathlon, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer from France. Decathlon highly values the design and quality standards of the backpacks produced by TBS. Such success is attributed to TBS Song Tra’s strict quality management system and its proactive adoption of advanced Industry 4.0 technologies in production. In addition, the factory’s automation processes are being significantly accelerated, enabling it to meet the increasingly demanding requirements of both clients and the market.
