Vietnam robotic industry sees promising future

Tran Thanh Thuy, deputy head of the Institute of Electronics - Computer Science & Automation, said that domestic enterprises are financially and technologically capable of manufacturing robots for production lines. 

The biggest strength Vietnam has is its high-quality labor force of programmers who can develop apps for robots.

Kieu Huynh Son, deputy chair of HAMEE (HCMC Association of Mechanic Electricity Enterprise), said that some Vietnamese enterprises have begun exporting robots, but the products have not been advertised for several reasons.

Tosy JSC is a well-known Vietnamese brand in the global robot market. The first Vietnamese company to make robots provides a large number of toy robots to the world market and is developing industrial robots. 

Idea, Autotech and Truc Quang have also become more popular. However, they mostly implement projects according to orders placed by partners.

Do Hoang Trung, chair of Idea, said several robot models of Idea are waiting for commercial development. It has three noteworthy models, including the AGV (automated guided vehicle) which can carry goods, a 6-axis robot, and the Delta, which can pick up products.

However, Idea’s financial capability is still not sufficient to manufacture robots on an industrial scale and it can only make products as ordered.

Trung said the company is seeking to lease land in HCM City Hi-tech Park and financial support from HCM City support programs. If everything goes smoothly, Idea will begin industrial production by 2020.

“If we can get appropriate support from agencies, we would be able to develop a Vietnamese robot brand with scale closer to Japanese ones,” Trung said.

Experts said the feasibility of the plan would still depend on the state’s support. 

They said most Vietnamese enterprises are small and medium sized and don’t have sufficient financial capability, leaving them vulnerable to Chinese competition.

The government of Vietnam has decided that automation is one of six priority industries, while robotics plays an important role in the field. 

Robotics has been included as a subject at polytechnic universities. Several robot research institutes have been set up and many international workshops on automation have been organized.

The Prime Minister has approved a strategy on developing the robotics industry in Vietnam in 2025-2035. Hi-tech industrial products would make up 45% of GDP by 2025 and over 50% after 2025.