Bien Hoa 1 IP: The cradle of Vietnamese brands

From Cogido’s deer-cover notebooks to Bien Hoa granulated sugar, from Dien Quang light bulbs to Dong Nai batteries -- all took root on this 370-hectare plot of land along the Dong Nai River in the eponymous province.

Now, as factories are being relocated to make way for new urban developments, the story of these pioneering Vietnamese brands has become even more meaningful.

The beginnings with Cogido

Tran Trong Quang, 86, former factory manager and head of the technical department at the Dong Nai Paper Company (Cogido), vividly recalled the early years: “Cogido has been here since 1959, weathering many ups and downs in history. It helped establish a reputation for Vietnamese paper products.”

Founded on 24 hectares, the company was first run by a bank director with support from seconded engineers.

By 1961, the paper mill was officially inaugurated, boasting a modern system of workshops, factories, and housing for engineers and workers.

A turning point came in 1966, when Quang and his team of technicians partnered with Japanese firms and traveled to Finland and Italy to purchase machinery to expand production.

“At that time, Cogido already had three mills producing thin paper for printing, writing, and cigarette rolling,” Quang recalled.

From here the Givina brand was born, supplying paper to the domestic market and exporting to several regional countries.

The deer-cover Cogido notebook became a cherished part of childhood for generations of students in southern Vietnam.

“In times of scarcity, it was even used as a notebook for recording memories and sentiments,” Quang said.

Cogido gradually became self-sufficient, shifting from imported pulp to straw and bagasse.

With a workforce of 700 engineers and laborers, the company reached an annual capacity of 9,000 metric tons, making it a leader in Vietnam’s paper industry.

After 1975, the Ministry of Light Industry and Ho Chi Minh City took over the mill. Despite difficult years, officials and workers kept production alive.

Capacity rose from 4,000-7,000 metric tons per year to 20,000 metric tons.

By 2007, Cogido was exporting 20,000 metric tons of notebooks to the United States.

Iconic sugar brand

Alongside Cogido, the Bien Hoa Sugar Factory also became an icon of the park. According to Le Dinh Nghiem, director of TTC Bien Hoa - Dong Nai Sugar Co., Ltd., the factory was established in the 1960s and placed along the Dong Nai River.

Between 1965 and 1968, sugarcane was transported from the area formerly known as Long An Province, which is now part of Tay Ninh Province.

After 1968, using Japanese war-reparation funds, the plant was able to expand significantly.

“Before 1975 there was also the Khanh Hoi Refinery, but after it closed, Bien Hoa was the only refinery in Indochina that processed raw and brown sugar into refined sugar,” Nghiem recalled.

The factory survived difficult years, with generations of workers borrowing funds to sustain and grow operations.

Out of this legacy came the Bibica confectionery brand, which flourished. The names 'Bien Hoa sugar' and 'Canh Mai granulated sugar' became household staples across millions of Vietnamese families.

Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park was not only home to Cogido and the sugar plant but it also gave rise to other Vietnamese brands such as Dielac milk powder, Dong Nai batteries, Dien Quang light bulbs, Vicasa steel, and Casumina tires.

In 1963, the South Vietnam government issued a decree establishing the Bien Hoa Industrial Zone over more than 370 hectares, taking advantage of its strategic location along the Dong Nai River and National Highways 1 and 51.

After 1975, with about 90 production facilities, it was officially renamed Bien Hoa 1 Industrial Park.

Over time, however, the growing number of factories and outdated wastewater treatment led to the pollution of the Dong Nai River.

To address this, Dong Nai Province has drafted a plan to transform the industrial park into an urban-commercial-service area, reclaiming about 329 hectares of land.

By 2025, all businesses must dismantle and relocate their factories, clearing the site for redevelopment into an administrative center and for land auctions.