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Vietnam attractive to foreign packaging producers

The Hanoitimes – Foreign providers of packaging and equipment are increasingly keen on the Vietnamese market as the industry is expected to grow at a minimum of 10 percent on average in the coming years, experts said.
BT Tee, general manager of SES Vietnam Exhibition Services (UBM VES), said that demand for food packaging will continue to increase driven by growing demand for food and beverages processed and packaged for domestic consumption and export.
Processing and packaging is one of the emerging industries with massive growth potential and whose development has greatly impacted other sectors and industries, he said, adding that many international food manufacturers and packaging producers have come to Vietnam to invest.
Luu Duan, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Association of Food Science and Technology, said the country’s packaging industry has seen rapid changes in recent years due to the strong development of the food processing industry.
Consumers are increasingly focused on food hygiene and quality, with more opting for packaged products, he said.
“The domestic food production sector, though diverse in terms of variety, has low yields, quality and value-addition and high post-harvest losses, mainly because it follows traditional preservation and processing methods.
 “Therefore, besides improving farming methods, Vietnam also needs to pay attention to harvesting, improving processing technology and rational use of advanced packaging to improve product quality and ensure food safety and hygiene.”
Packaging costs are currently high, accounting for more than 50 percent of cost for certain products, and food processors are looking for ways to cut packaging costs, including through the use of automation, he said.
Most machines as well as materials used in the packaging industry are imported, he said.
A major challenge faces the domestic packaging industry is that new technologies are in short supply. Such challenge results in local enterprises not fully participating in global value chains and losing sustainable benefits.
Solutions raised by industry insiders included the application of advanced technologies in production, the use of new materials, and investment in modern production lines, to increase efficiency and ensure product quality.
According to figures from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), the packaging industry for processed food in Vietnam will grow 38 percent between 2015 and 2020, while demand for machinery and materials will also increase, by 25 percent.
There are now some 1,500 industrial packaging enterprises operating nationwide, earning total revenue of more than US$2 billion a year.
Vietnam’s packaging industry has grown significantly in recent times, at an average of 15-20 percent annually.
The expansion of industrial production has contributed to the growth of industrial packaging and label printing in the country, according to the Vietnam Printing Association.
“Technology is considered key in the packaging and printing industry moving further ahead in the global context,” said Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia, adding that Vietnamese producers should focus on applying the latest technologies from Europe, the US, and other parts of Asia to remain competitive.
Source: http://www.hanoitimes.vn/economy/2018/03/81E0C33A/vietnam-attractive-to-foreign-packaging-producers/