The media

From a poor engineer, Mr. Tieu Van Dat has transformed DAT Engineering Company Limited (DAT) into the largest supplier of inverters in the Vietnamese market for industrial automation, one of the leading companies in solar energy development, and a reputable entity in integrated smart solutions for elevator control.

Over 14 years of establishment and development, DAT has gone through various stages but always persevered in its goal to build an ecosystem of value aimed at maximizing benefits for customers and partners. The captain believes that this journey is far from over; he is still just a novice entrepreneur. However, the most important thing is that DAT is heading in the right direction and always believes in the karma philosophy—only by sowing seeds can one harvest.

“Dat will buy whatever you sell.”

This quote is from a former customer who once worked with the CEO of DAT on a morning in March 2006 when he knew engineer Dat from the days he used to install machines and has now established his own company. It wasn’t just a casual remark; it was the result of a long journey building personal credibility, gaining the complete trust of customers with sincerity and professional competence. In the subsequent years of DAT’s development, the founder still struggles with the core mission of bringing value, benefits, and building trust among customers and partners. Most clearly and practically, it is about constructing a comprehensive ecosystem of DAT’s value, broad and inclusive.

From the nickname “Inverter Dat” to the DAT Ecosystem

Graduating in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in Physics, Tieu Van Dat ventured into Saigon to make a living, seeking opportunities to start a career amidst difficulties and uncertainties. He quickly found a job as a technician at the Electronics and Computer Division of Ho Chi Minh City, with a meager salary. He worked as a technician during the day and as a security guard at night to stay there for free, reducing living expenses. After 2 years, he proactively resigned when he felt that the job was not suitable for his aspirations.

Fortunately, after several job interviews, he was hired as a technical position at Control Techniques, a subsidiary of Emerson (USA). Working diligently here was a significant turning point that opened the door to a bright future for this engineer. For 10 consecutive years, while directly installing machines and interacting with customers, he gained professional experience, life experience, close relationships, and especially the nickname “Inverter Dat,” which later taught him the karma philosophy that soaked there.

“At that time, many people also said that I was crazy because I repaired machines for many factories. They gave me money, but I didn’t take it. I worked on Saturdays and Sundays without pay. Whenever customers needed it, I came immediately, even in the middle of the night, to solve machine problems to meet production deadlines. Back then, the company’s policy was to only receive a salary; I could not accept any additional payments from customers. I felt fortunate and grateful for that time because it molded my professional and dedicated work style. Later, I tried to transmit all those values, spreading them to my DAT colleagues.” Dat confided.

At the end of 2005, after 10 years with the Emerson Group, he decided to quit to build his own career. He realized that inverter technology was essential for manufacturing enterprises. However, at that time, imported inverter prices were too high, far beyond the financial means of most Vietnamese enterprises. Their customer service was also very limited, causing difficulties for Vietnamese factories. Finding his mission—to bring this technology to a broader audience in Vietnam at more affordable prices, with good quality and suitable functionality, especially requiring good solutions and timely service.

“At that time, everyone saw that inverters were excellent, but they didn’t have the money to buy and use them. I remember one time when I visited a customer. Even though I explained the functions and benefits very well, the customer shook their head. They said one of these products cost as much as half of this entire workshop. Where could they get the money to install it? At that moment, I really felt troubled.”

After 3 months of researching various inverter manufacturers worldwide, he was fortunate to choose INVT for collaboration. This could be considered a significant affinity, and he always appreciated it. INVT had the most crucial thing he needed—reasonably priced products, multifunctionality, and suitable quality. INVT had a large and young R&D department, with over 400 R&D engineers. Their development direction aligned perfectly with what Dat was aiming for. He established DAT Engineering Company Limited with the slogan “Meeting Your Expectations,” distributing INVT’s inverter products with two valuable assets in hand: over ten years of dedicated professional experience and good relationships with many friends and business owners. The company initially had only 4 people. Due to his previous personal reputation, he gained the trust of customers, with orders pouring in. The work was non-stop: during the day, he was the Director, and at night, he became an employee going to install machines for customers. Gradually, the company developed further.

“The more I work, the more I understand the karma philosophy. The trust customers place in me today is the result of what I did well for them in the past. Therefore, I always tell my colleagues to do their best, be responsible for their products and services, and their customers. I always practice those values rigorously until today.” He opened up.

Mr. Tieu Van Dat and his colleagues at the inception of the company

Over 14 years of operation and development, DAT continuously provided the largest quantity of inverters in the Vietnamese market, becoming INVT’s exclusive distributor, consecutively achieving the best business performance partner award globally for many years and in 2019, DAT had the honor of receiving the “Best Global Distributor of 2019” award from INVT. Mr. Tieu Van Dat still does not dare to consider himself successful; he only demonstrates that DAT is on the right path, and he is just the first to lay the foundation for DAT’s development. The road ahead is long. With a strategic vision, DAT’s Board of Directors, especially CEO Tieu Van Dat, has established a policy to build a value ecosystem to help DAT’s customers and partners increase production efficiency, good business development, and sustainable development.

DAT’s value ecosystem has been built over 14 years, including a system of professional human resources, quality products, specialized solutions, new high-efficiency technologies, large-scale supply capacity, dedicated services, and comprehensive cooperation strategies with reputable domestic and international partners. Owning a special value ecosystem for customers, partners, and employees helps DAT maintain its position as a leading provider and developer of solutions in the market for Inverter – Automation, Elevator Control, and Solar Energy.

Today, DAT has assembled over 300 talented staff members, immersed in the core cultural values: Commitment, Sharing, Dedication, and Innovation. For a company specializing in automation technology, this is an impressive figure, especially with over 50% being technical personnel, including R&D teams and application engineers, along with 6 specialized departments, 3 branches in HCMC, Hanoi, Can Tho, and 2 INVT service centers with thousands of partners across the country. Engineers are continually sent abroad for regular training, working directly with INVT’s experts to design a series of highly efficient specialized solutions for the Vietnamese market. This includes the machine control solution for making candles, increasing productivity, and breakthrough profits for customers—a unique solution from DAT that currently no other supplier can provide a similarly effective solution. Along with a series of breakthrough solutions such as the integrated cabinet GD35-09 controlling the rotating blade machine (similar to the printing machine) for the carton packaging paper industry, the GD300-16 multi-pump control solution, the MH800 servo solution saving up to 80% electricity for plastic molding machines,… These are gray matter, intelligence, and great effort of the entire DAT team led by Captain Tieu Van Dat.

DAT was honored as the “Best Global Distributor of 2019” by INVT

I’m just starting a business.

Although he has been in business for 14 years in a fiercely competitive market and achieved impressive success with many people, DAT’s CEO does not dare to consider himself successful; he thinks he is just starting a small part.

“Today’s market is entering a super competitive era in all fields. To achieve sustainable development, there are only two ways: to build trust and commit to delivering value and benefits to customers, where value must be 360 degrees including solutions, services, people, systems,… Our ecosystem does not stop at specialized products, solutions, and services but also includes strategic cooperative relationships at home and abroad, especially the core corporate culture of DAT.” Mr. Tieu Van Dat shared.

According to his sharing, he has many plans and directions for DAT’s development, wanting to do better with what he has been doing, believing he has not come close to the end, this is a marathon race where participants must have the mindset that cannot succeed in short steps. He aims to develop the solar energy field to bring green, clean, and efficient energy sources, saving energy with industrial automation solutions to reduce costs, helping to increase efficiency and competitive advantages for businesses both at home and in exports. He sees himself as only accomplishing a small part, wanting society to improve requires many other links; each person does their job well, and everything will be better for society and future generations.

“The long road knows the horse. DAT and we will have to strive more every day to do better than what we have done well, to sow good seeds for ourselves, for customers, partners, and for the community.”