Day 8 had two site visits in line for us at Coherent and SHTP, about an hour outside Ho Chi Minh City. Coherent focuses on four pillars in their business; Advanced Thermal Management, Wearable Health Monitors, Ultrafast Lasers, and Ion Implantation Foundry Services. Coherent will build momentum for the next 50 years by having one of the largest photonics and compound semiconductor companies. Their materials expertise drives differentiation in multiple growing markets. Coherent has a history of insightful targeting and successful integration of strategic acquisitions. They also have an experienced management team with a successful track record. Some of Coherent’s goals include diverse global manufacturing footprints, resilient growth, and strong execution. SHTP or the Saigon Hi-Tech Park is a park for high technology enterprises with 8 buildings in the Hi-Tech area of Ho Chi Minh City. SHTP has 47,018 workers 540 of them being foreign and the rest being from Vietnam. In addition to the workforce from the Vietnam National University, SHTP hosts FPT University, Training Centers, and high-tech Research Institutes of Hutech University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, with annual graduates ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 students, with 50% majoring in IT. Coherent has 1500 + employees but plans to have 5000 + by 2028. I understood from the visits today that the main motivations for the move to Vietnam were the low manufacturing costs and intermediate tax system brought upon by the government. However as a global organization, Coherent will bring together a various group of perspectives, expertise, and a diverse customer base.