VIETNAM'S INDUSTRIAL SECTOR SPRINGS INTO NEW YEAR.

HANOI, Feb 2 Asia Pulse - Some of the country's industrial enterprises shortened their Tet holidays this week, hoping to get a jump on their lunar new year goals.

The chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Garment Association, Le Quoc An, said companies in his sector restarted operations on Sunday, the fourth day of the first lunar month.

"All companies are full of orders, with many garment products being shipped abroad," he said.

An said many companies, including Nha Be, Viet Tien and Phuong Dong, were exporting goods to the US, the EU and Japan on Tet Eve.

The sector earned an estimated turnover of VND610 billion (US$39.4 million) in the first month of the regular year, he said, a 5 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, and roughly 7 per cent of this year's target.

Lilama director, Le Van Tuan, said more than 150 workers from his company worked over the holiday to install a cement mixer at the Holcim Cement Factory at the Thi Vai construction site in northern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

He said the workers enjoyed a base salary of VND100,000 ($6.66) along with a VND100,000 daily bonus for working during the Tet festival.