Leading manufacturer Universal Robots (US) has announced its interest in Vietnam’s burgeoning automation and control market – set to be worth US$184.5 million by 2021, according to Frost & Sullivan estimates. 

 

Present in the country since 2016, UR distributes cobots through its Vietnamese technology distributor and system integrator partners – Servo Dynamics Engineering and Tan Phat Automation JSC. In Vietnam, cobots are deployed in industries such as automotive, electronics, textile, footwear and food processing industries.

 

“Cobot demand is rising in Vietnam as businesses are recognising the importance of employing advanced technology and robotics to maintain a competitive advantage,” observed Shermine Gotfredsen, General Manager of UR’s business in South East Asia and Oceania. She added that government there has made Industry 4.0 a top priority, developing action plans to accelerate the adoption of new automated technology, and attract more foreign investors. 

 

“Cobots provide endless benefits for businesses of all sizes, as they increase productivity, improve output quality and enhance workers’ wellbeing,” she continued. “Early adoption of such automation will allow manufacturers to stay ahead of the curve, equipping them to tackle various issues such as rising operational costs, delivering a working environment that is more sympathetic to workers’ health and safety and human rights issues, and the need for businesses to expand globally to remain competitive,” added the executive, whose company supplies industrial robots to a diverse array of clients, including the likes of motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj, top tyre producer Continental, and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions.

 

Growing importance of automation in Vietnam

 

In Vietnam, UR cobots are improving production efficiency and workers’ safety at Meiko Trading and Engineering Co., Ltd Vietnam, a PCB board manufacturer. “The cobots’ small footprint, flexibility and safety relieved our operators from repetitive and strenuous tasks, providing ease of use and raising the level of work satisfaction in the company,” said Tuan Anh Tran, Deputy Manager, Automation & Sales, Meiko Trading and Engineering Co., Ltd, Vietnam.

 

Deployment of robots in Vietnam remains low when compared to other countries in South East Asia. Across the region, robot density is led by Singapore with 488 units per 10,000 employees, followed by Thailand and Malaysia with 45 units and 34 units each.

 

Early this year, Vietnam was named among the countries least prepared for the Fourth Industrial Era by a World Economic Forum report, ranking low in terms of innovation and technology. Refuting this claim, the government has been aggressively focusing on developing initiatives and legislations to speed its progress in the era.

 

Among such efforts include the 2011-2020 Strategy for Science and Technology Development to enhance economic competitiveness and speed up industrialisation, prioritising the importance of industrial robots and hi-tech automation.

 

The Vietnamese economy is one of the fastest growing in the world today. The country recorded a 6.8-per-cent increase in GDP last year on the back of a humming manufacturing sector. The economy in 2017 was worth US$223 billion.