MES Workshop Recap: Your Smart Factory Roadmap with MES HYDRA X & APS FEDRA

Ho Chi Minh City, 23 June 2026

The workshop Your Smart Factory Roadmap with MES HYDRA X & APS FEDRA brought together plant managers, operations directors, and business owners from Vietnam's manufacturing sector for a structured half-day of technical demonstration and expert discussion.

The workshop was led by Sascha Graef, Managing Director of MPDV Asia, and Loc Nguyen, Industrial Solutions Engineer at Gradion.

A Framework for Sequencing Smart Factory Investment

The session opened with Smart Factory Elements, a phased deployment framework for sequencing MES and MOM rollouts from initial machine connectivity through to full production intelligence. The framework addresses a challenge common among manufacturers at early digitalization stages: investing in technology before establishing the operational foundations required to realize its full value. 

“Most Industry 4.0 journeys don’t stall on technology. They stall in sequence.” - Sascha Graef, Managing Director, MPDV Asia

Live Demonstration: APS FEDRA and MES HYDRA X

Attendees received a technical walkthrough of APS FEDRA - MPDV’s Advanced Planning and Scheduling System, demonstrating how manufacturers can optimize production schedules, balance capacity, and synchronize planning with ERP systems. 

This was followed by a session on MES HYDRA X - MPDV’s Manufacturing Execution System, demonstrating how real-time production data enables greater visibility, traceability, and operational decision-making across the shop floor. 

Q&A Panel: Where Vietnam’s Manufacturers Stand

A structured Q&A panel closed the session, with Loc Nguyen taking questions from the floor. The discussion reflected the current state of manufacturing digitalization in Vietnam: For many participants, the conversation has shifted beyond whether to invest in digitalization toward how to prioritize implementation, integrate systems, and build internal capabilities.  

“Vietnam’s manufacturers are not asking whether to digitalize. They are asking in what order.” - Loc Nguyen, IS Engineer, Gradion

The workshop highlighted the growing maturity of Vietnam's manufacturing sector, where discussions are increasingly shifting from whether to adopt smart factory technologies to how they can be implemented effectively. Through practical demonstrations and open discussion, participants gained a clearer roadmap for their own digital transformation journey. 

Learn more about the Vietnam Automation Centre of Excellence (ACE) and upcoming events in Ho Chi Minh City at https://gradion.com/vietnam-automation-centre-of-excellence