Vietnam Supplier Verification & Factory Audit
Capacity has grown fast since 2018. The equipment is often new, and the quality systems are often newer than the equipment.
Manufacturing profile
Vietnamese export manufacturing splits north and south. The north, around Hanoi and Hai Phong, is dominated by electronics assembly built around the large Korean investment supply chains. The south, around Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai, carries garments, footwear and furniture. Much of the machinery is recent and a large share of plants are foreign-invested, with Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese ownership common.
Typical sourcing risks
- · Quality systems are newer and thinner than in comparable Chinese plants. Many were built in the last five years.
- · The factory you visit may depend on imported components with long lead times, which makes the quoted delivery date optimistic.
- · Subcontracting to smaller local workshops is common in garments and footwear, particularly for washing, embroidery and finishing.
- · Business records exist but are less complete online than China's, so identity checks take longer.
- · Summer electricity constraints in the north can interrupt production schedules.
Supplier verification considerations
- · Vietnamese entities hold two documents: the Business Registration Certificate and, for foreign-invested firms, the Investment Registration Certificate. Ask for both.
- · Check the registered address against the production site. Foreign-invested firms frequently split the two across different provinces.
- · Confirm who owns the machinery. A plant that leases its key equipment has less control over its own schedule than one that owns it.
- · Ask which entity signs the export contract and which entity holds the export licence.
Factory audit considerations
- · Social compliance experience is widespread in garments and footwear. WRAP, BSCI and SMETA audits are routine in the south.
- · Quality system maturity varies far more than in China. Plan a longer first audit and expect to spend time on records that may not exist yet.
- · English documentation is often thinner than the Chinese equivalent. Ask for Vietnamese originals where the English version looks simplified.
- · Auditor availability in the north is tighter than the south, so schedule earlier.
Main production hubs
- · Hanoi and Hai Phong: electronics assembly, components
- · Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen: electronics, Samsung supply chain
- · Ho Chi Minh City: garments, footwear, light manufacturing
- · Binh Duong and Dong Nai: furniture, footwear, wood products
- · Da Nang: garments and seafood processing
Relevant industries
- · Textiles and garments
- · Footwear
- · Furniture
- · Electronics assembly
- · Food and seafood processing
Relevant standards
- · ISO 9001
- · ISO 14001
- · BSCI
- · SMETA
- · WRAP
- · SA8000
- · HACCP for food processing
Local logistics considerations
Hai Phong serves the north and Cat Lai or Cai Mep serves the south. Cat Lai congests during peak season and truck queues are common. Road infrastructure is improving but transit times remain less predictable than coastal China, so build buffer into your booking.
Where we check company records
National Business Registration Portal (dangkykinhdoanh.gov.vn), plus the provincial Department of Planning and Investment for investment certificates.
Available services
Relevant tools
Suppliers listed for Vietnam
- Ho Chi Minh Garment JSCHo Chi Minh · Risk 35 / 100
Frequently asked questions
Why do Vietnamese factories need two registration documents?
A domestic company holds a Business Registration Certificate. A foreign-invested company also holds an Investment Registration Certificate that records the project, the capital and the investor. Both are relevant when you check who owns the plant and what it is licensed to produce.
Is Vietnam cheaper than China?
On direct labour, often yes. On total landed cost, frequently not. Vietnamese plants import more components, so lead times are longer and inventory carrying cost is higher. Yield on a new production line is usually lower for the first few months. Run the comparison on landed cost, not on the unit price in the quote.
How common is undisclosed subcontracting in Vietnam?
Common in garments and footwear, especially for processes the main plant does not hold in-house, such as washing, embroidery, printing and finishing. Ask directly which processes leave the site and get the subcontractor names in writing.
Can you audit in the north and the south?
Yes. Both regions are covered. Auditor capacity is tighter around Hanoi and Bac Ninh than around Ho Chi Minh City, so allow more notice for northern sites.
Need a supplier in Vietnam checked?
Send us the company name and address. We confirm the registration, the site and the documents before you pay anything.