STEEL OR CONCRETE STRUCTURES FOR INDUSTRIAL PLANTS? 07 PRACTICAL CRITERIA

When a foreign direct investment (FDI) investor prepares to build a factory in Vietnam, one of the issues they are very concerned about and often ask the engineering team is: Should steel or concrete be used for their factory's structure?

This isn't a question with a single answer. But if you look at the reality of large industrial parks in Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, and Thai Nguyen, such as the factories of LG, Amkor, and Foxconn that are currently operating, you'll notice a clear trend: steel structures are becoming dominant for large-scale industrial plants.

So what is the reason? And are there any cases where concrete is the right choice?

This article will analyze seven practical criteria that engineers and investors consider before making a decision.

The choice of structural steel materials not only affects the initial construction cost but also impacts several other important factors such as:

Progress in bringing the factory into operation.
Operating and maintenance costs over the next 10-30 years.
Scalability as production increases
Comply with fire safety standards and insurance requirements.

A suboptimal choice at this stage could delay the project by 3-6 months, meaning a risk of lost revenue.

Criterion 1: Construction speed

Steel structure: The components are fully fabricated at the factory, transported to the construction site, and erected using the "dry construction" method – eliminating the need to wait for concrete to harden. A 10.000m² steel-framed factory can have its structural framework completed within 6-8 weeks.

Cast-in-place concrete: Formwork is required, concrete is poured, it takes time to reach strength (at least 28 days), the formwork is removed, and the process is repeated for the next floor. For the same scale, a concrete frame can take 5 months or more.

Precast concrete: Significantly shorter than cast-in-place, but still about 30%–40% slower than steel structures due to limitations in joints and lifting weight.

Criterion 2: Initial construction costs

Category	Steel structure	Concrete
Material costs	15-25% higher	Lower
Labor costs	Lower (fewer people, shorter duration)	Higher
Cost of formwork	Do not have	Accounts for 8%–12% of costs.
Equipment rental costs	Crane + forklift	Concrete pump + formwork
Total direct costs	Equivalent to or slightly higher than 5-10%	Basis

Criterion 3: High-span capability – A crucial factor for modern industrial plants.

Modern manufacturing plants require ample space to accommodate flexible production lines, move large equipment, and operate cranes.

Steel structure: Clear spans of up to 36-60m are entirely feasible with composite steel girders or steel trusses.

Concrete: Typical column spans are 8–12m. Achieving larger spans requires prestressed concrete beams, significantly increasing the cross-sectional height and self-weight. Above 18m, concrete solutions become more expensive and complex than steel structures.

**Large span steel structures have many outstanding advantages, suitable for modern construction requirements.**

Criterion 4: Scalability and Functionality

This is a less-discussed but extremely important advantage for manufacturing businesses.

When the production line changes after 5-10 years (adding floors, expanding the factory, changing floor loads), the steel structure may:

Cutting, adding, and welding additional components.
Install additional columns and beams without demolition.
Easy integration of mezzanine floor systems.

Once concrete is poured, it's almost impossible to change the structure without demolition, which is costly and time-consuming.

Criterion 5: Meeting fire safety requirements

This is one of the weaknesses of steel. Steel begins to lose significant strength when the temperature exceeds 300 degrees Celsius and almost completely loses its load-bearing capacity at 550-600 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, concrete can withstand much higher temperatures before structural collapse.

However, this problem can be solved by several solutions as follows:

Fire-resistant paint – swells upon contact with heat, providing thermal insulation for steel structures.
Lightweight concrete or inorganic material casing around the steel column.
Design sprinkler systems and fire zones according to standards.

Criterion 6: Self-weight and foundation load

Steel structures are 3-5 times lighter than concrete while maintaining the same load-bearing capacity. This means:

Smaller foundations → significant savings on foundation costs.
Weak soil can still be used without requiring excessive reinforcement.
Building on a foundation with complex geological conditions (such as the coastal area of Hai Phong with weak alluvial soil) would be more advantageous.

Criterion 7: Reuse and residual value

At the end of a building's lifespan, steel structures have a salvage value of 30%–50% of their initial value (through scrap metal sales or component reuse). Concrete, on the other hand, has virtually no salvage value and may even require demolition and waste disposal costs.

For industrial plants with an area exceeding 5.000m², requiring large spans, rapid construction, and the ability to expand, steel structures will be the optimal choice in most cases.

That's why major corporations like Samsung, Amkor, and Foxconn all choose steel structures for their factories in Vietnam.

HAI LONG STEEL STRUCTURES IS A REPUTABLE MANUFACTURER OF STEEL BUILDING STRUCTURES.

Choosing the right steel structure fabrication partner is a crucial factor in the success of every construction project.

In a market that increasingly demands quality, timeliness, and safety, Hai Long Steel Structure Proud to be the leading brand trusted by many large domestic and foreign investors:

Team experienced engineers, architects and experts, knowledgeable about the design and construction of warehouse factories according to international standards.
Diverse construction capacity, meeting all project sizes and requirements, from simple to complex factories.
We own a steel structure factory with a modern system of machinery and equipment., ensuring fast, accurate and safe construction.
Professional construction process, is strictly managed.

You are looking for one Prestigious and professional steel structure manufacturing and erection unit?

Contact Hai Long Construction for free consultation and quotation: