This year’s MTA Vietnam series of exhibitions for the machine tool, precision engineering and metalworking technology industries started in Ho Chi Minh City Tuesday with 320 exhibitors, mostly from overseas.

This year’s MTA Vietnam series of exhibitions for the machine tool, precision engineering and metalworking technology industries started in Ho Chi Minh City Tuesday with 320 exhibitors, mostly from overseas.

Up to 83% of the exhibitors are foreign companies, said Mr. Stephen Tan, CEO of Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd.

The Singapore company co-organizes the four-day MTA Vietnam together with Exhibition Services Co. of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, better known as VietchamExpo.

The high percentage of foreign exhibitors shows that Vietnam is still a positive market while the current global crisis continues, Mr. Tan said at a press briefing on the MTA, which is running at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in Phu My Hung Town in District 7.

This year’s is the largest show since first the MTA Vietnam was held in 2005, he said, adding that next year’s MTA Vietnam would be organized in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in March and July, respectively.

“Vietnam is a big country and we need to have the show go in both hubs. We cannot wait more and must bring it back to Hanoi.”

He added that Hanoi first hosted MTA Vietnam in 2008 and stopped. “Ho Chi Minh City shows to be a bigger market than Hanoi, so we focus more here. But Hanoi will see it again next March.”

MTA Vietnam 2011 in HCM City sees firms in sectors like aviation, automotive, precision engineering, electricity, electronics, construction, supporting industries and chemicals, who come to introduce their latest products at the event.

Collated with the show are Metrology Vietnam 2011, ToolTec Vietnam 2011, Subcon Vietnam 2011, and Automation Vietnam 2011, which are also for manufacturing solutions.

The group booths at the event are the China Pavilion, Germany Pavilion, Italy Pavilion, Japan Pavilion, Korea Pavilion, Singapore Pavilion, Taiwan Pavilion, Thailand Pavilion, UK Pavilion, and newcomer Turkey Pavilion. 

The well-known names include Bystronic, Mitsubishi Electric, Nikon, TRUMPF, Mitutoyo, Amada, Mazak, Yamazen, Guehring, Jainnher, Salvagnini and Renishaw.

Vietnam imports more than 90% of its metalworking equipment and mechanical products, according to market analysts.

A series of seminars are held alongside the MTA show. The engineer maintenance and production waste management seminars, held on July 7 and 8 respectively, will provide opportunities to network, listen to expert viewpoints from industry professionals, exchange ideas and stay up to date on the technologies in the manufacturing sector, according to the exhibition organizers.