HCM CITY — PROPAK Vietnam, a major annual processing and packaging technology exhibition held in HCM City this month, promises to provide an outstanding sourcing platform for many industries.

To be held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre from March 21 to 23, the expo will feature technologies for food and pharmaceutical processing and packaging; bottling, beverage and canning; printing and labelling; food safety and hygiene; and others.

It has attracted more than 380 exhibitors from 28 countries and territories, including 11 international group pavilions from China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Italy.

BT Tee, general manager of SES Vietnam Exhibition Services, one of the event’s organisers, said this year’s exhibition would be over 40 per cent larger than last year’s in terms of scale, a testament to the importance of the Việt Nam market.

More than 72 Vietnamese exhibitors, including distributors of international brands as well as representative offices, will participate.

They include Altech, Bibus, Bosch Rexroth, Phú Lộc Technologies, Song Song, Tâm Dương, and Rieckermann Việt Nam.

Nguyễn Bách Khoa, country sales manager, drive and control department, Bosch Vietnam, said Bosch Rexroth would showcase its electric drives and controls and motion control automation systems.

Conferences and seminars will be held on the sidelines of the expo, including on water quality and management for food processing and on improving the quality of rice and rice-based products.

Trần Việt Dũng, vice director of VCCI Exhibition Service, another organiser, said Việt Nam’s packaging industry continues to expand, driven by growing demand from consumer products like food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care items.

But it faces challenges mainly due to insufficient technology, he said.

To keep up with the fast growing packaging industry, investing in flexible product designs and manufacturing systems becomes a strategic advantage, he added. — VNS