Put aside engineering degree, return to hometown to start a handicraft workshop

Mr. Dang Tien Dung talks with customers about the Khue Van Cac model he produced.

In 2020, after graduating from Hanoi University of Civil Engineering with an excellent engineering degree, Mr. Dang Tien Dung (born in 1998) chose to work in interior design and construction in Hanoi. In 2021, through a friend, he learned about environmentally friendly wooden decorative toys and handicrafts. At that time, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, work was difficult, so he decided to return to his hometown to start a business with the small capital he had saved after more than 1 year of working.

Choosing to start a new product was a bold move for the 24-year-old man, but he was determined to do it with the hope of spreading environmentally friendly products to many people.

Mr. Dung started his business with an old laser cutting machine, a computer and a small amount of capital saved after more than 1 year of working.

In August 2022, with only an old laser cutting machine bought for 80 million VND and a laptop for design, Mr. Dung opened a handicraft workshop in Hoang Dieu commune (Gia Loc) called "Moc Thinh Woodworking Workshop".

At that time, this model was not popular in Hai Duong, so he had difficulty importing wood materials for production. The output for the product was also limited because not many people knew about this item. At that time, he just produced and consigned it to souvenir shops, posted it on e-commerce booths or participated in fairs to reach more customers.

The Optimus Prime character model is nearly 2 m tall and weighs about 100 kg, produced by Photo Construction.

To produce a wooden handicraft model, he has to import oak, pine, and wood panels... then create a design file on the computer, put the wood into a cutting machine and cut according to the file. From these cut wood panels, he hires workers to assemble the details into toy and architectural models.

“If a customer wants to order an architectural project, I will make a detailed design file and then put it on the cutting machine to execute. If it is a famous architectural project, it is easy to find the design file, you can buy it or collect it online,” said Mr. Dung. Up to now, he has made many famous architectural models out of wood such as Khue Van Cac, One Pillar Pagoda (Hanoi), Thuy Dinh in Trang An (Ninh Binh), Eiffel Tower (France)... In the near future, he also wants to research and execute some famous projects in Hai Duong such as Mao Dien Temple of Literature, Xu Dong Cultural Center or Con Son - Kiep Bac relic to spread the image of his hometown.

In addition to producing models of famous architectural works, he also makes children's toys, hangers, picture frames, photos, car and train models, etc. The price of each product ranges from 150,000 VND to 5 million VND depending on the size, level of sophistication and production time. These products are all made from natural wood, do not contain toxic chemicals and are environmentally friendly.

On the occasion of Tet, Mr. Dung promoted the production of Tet decoration frames and they were favored by many customers.

The model he is most passionate about is Optimus Prime from the Transformers series, nearly 2 meters tall and weighing about 100 kg. This is the largest model in his workshop. To produce this model, he spent 2 weeks designing files, processing and assembling.

On the occasion of Tet Quy Mao 2023, he promoted the production of Tet decoration frames. This product is popular with customers, and the market is expanding nationwide. On Tet alone, he produced and sold 9,000 Tet decoration frames at prices ranging from 30,000-60,000 VND/frame.

After only half a year of starting the business, Mr. Dung's Moc Thinh woodworking workshop achieved a revenue of 150 million VND. Mr. Dung is modest and does not dare to admit that he has successfully started the business, but considers this as a motivation to strive on this journey.

In March 2023, to expand production, he moved the workshop and showroom to Yet Kieu Street, Hai Tan Ward (Hai Duong City) to reach more customers. Currently, Mr. Dung's handicraft workshop is creating jobs for 10 workers with an income of 5 - 10 million VND/month.

In the coming time, Mr. Dung will continue to improve product quality and bring goods to foreign markets.

WOODEN SPRINGS