The new Hitachi Energy power grids factory in Bac Ninh, Vietnam, was officially commissioned in July 2022. PENETRON ADMIX was specified to ensure a waterproof – and non-toxic (NSF-61-certified) – solution for the Bac Ninh facility's new domestic water and firefighting water storage tanks.
A global joint venture between Hitachi, a Japanese technology conglomerate, and ABB’s Power Grids, a Swiss conglomerate business, Hitachi Energy develops and manufactures grid automation, high-voltage components, grid integration, and transformers. Active in 90 countries, the company is a market leading supplier of the world’s energy transmission and distribution sectors.
“The initiative by Hitachi Energy to expand local manufacturing of essential energy grid equipment – such as power transformers – will help meet quick turnaround times required for the solar and wind power plants being implemented in Vietnam and across the region,” explains Kim Khanh Ngo Xuan, CEO & Managing Director of Penetron Vietnam. “The Bac Ninh project is a big step forward for our country's ongoing transition to a sustainable energy network, where electricity will be the backbone of the entire energy system.”
Located 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Hanoi, in the northern part of the country, the new Hitachi Energy factory is in the Tien Son Industrial Zone in Bac Ninh Province. With a total floor area of 627,000 ft2 (57,000 m2), the facility also comprises a two-story warehouse, a finished goods area, and utility buildings such as an oil filling area and a power station with a generator room.
Completely Non-Toxic Admixture
Tuan Le, the general contractor, worked with the Penetron Vietnam team to ensure an optimal concrete mix for the Bac Ninh facility’s new underground water storage tanks for the domestic water and firefighting water tanks. Completely non-toxic and without any VOCs (NSF-61-certified), PENETRON ADMIX is an ideal solution for concrete structures that are in constant contact with drinking water resources.
Once added to concrete, the proprietary chemicals in PENETRON ADMIX react in a catalytic reaction to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. These crystals permanently seal micro-cracks, pores, and capillaries against the penetration of water or liquids from any direction – making the concrete impermeable.
“Because the water tanks, once completed, are underground and inaccessible for repairs, the specified waterproofing solution needed to be completely reliable and permanent,” adds Kim Khanh Ngo Xuan. “This was a key factor in the contractor’s choice of PENETRON ADMIX to ensure a durable concrete structure.”
For solar and wind power plants: The new Hitachi Energy factory in Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam manufactures key energy grid equipment – such as power transformers – for the Southeast Asia market.
