HCM CITY — ProPak Vietnam 2019, an international exhibition on the processing and packaging industry, opened in HCM City on March 19 with a diverse range of products, technologies and solutions tailored for the food, drink, pharmaceutical, and FMCG sectors.

The annual exhibition features over 540 exhibitors from 30 countries and territories, including eight international pavilions from Taiwan, Germany, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Italy.

Among the exhibitors are ABB, Bosch Rexroth, Đại Chính Quang, Dong IL Machinery, Fuji Machinery, Ishida, NPC VINA, Mỹ Lan Group, Huỳnh Long, OMORI, Song Song, Tam Duong, Thiên An Lộc, Turati, and VMS.

ABB showcases latest robotics solutions and services, including ABB Ability^TM Connected Services, a suite of digital services to optimise the performance of robotic systems.

It has also brought its ABB IRB1200 and FlexPicker IRB360 that help manufacturers pick, pack and palletise with greater agility to meet increasingly diverse consumer needs and shorter product cycles, the company said.

Khổng Hữu Huy of Bosch Rexroth, the drive and control division of Bosch Việt Nam, said the company had brought the Factory of the Future to the expo, including a variety of products from its automation, assembly and linear motion technology portfolios, electric drives and controls.

Propak Vietnam is running concurrently with Printech Vietnam, which features products and technologies used in the packaging and printing supporting industries.

Paolo Lemma, Italian Trade Commissioner to Việt Nam, said 22 Italian companies are showcasing their latest processing and packaging solutions and technologies for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, food processing technologies and packaging and converting technologies.

Aldo Peretti, president of the Italian Manufacturers Association of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting and Paper Industry, said: “The strong developing market of Việt Nam is tempting more international and European companies to root themselves on this side of the world and market data confirms the trend: there’s a growth in food and beverage, healthcare and personal care industries, a bright future for our business.

“Việt Nam, a country where the demand for new technologies increases every day, is a great challenge for us. And Italian companies are ready to boost the Việt Nam market with our Industry 4.0 know-how.”

BT Tee, general manger of UBM Vietnam, organiser of ProPak Vietnam, said: “The processing and packaging industry faces many challenges. Consumption is a dual edged sword-driving economics and its reluctant benefits, but also contributes to environmental degradation through plastics abuse.

“Therefore, the exhibition hopes to address these issues over the longer term and to nurture next generation leaders and technologists who will be entrusted to balance this complex challenge in Việt Nam and beyond.”

The exhibitions at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre will run until March 21. — VNS