ACE Automation Center Launches to Accelerate Industrial Automation in Vietnam

Binh Duong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, September 8, 2025: The Vietnam Automation Center of Excellence ACE was officially inaugurated in Binh Duong, a key industrial zone.

The objective is operational. Enable manufacturing enterprises to access, test, and deploy automation and AI directly in production environments.

ACE is designed as a platform connecting factories, robot suppliers, and technology companies to accelerate automation across Vietnam’s industrial sector.

Addressing structural constraints in manufacturing

Vietnam’s manufacturing sector faces persistent challenges:

• Limited production capacity growth under manual operating models
• Increasing shortage of skilled labor

Currently, up to 53% of domestic enterprises report difficulties recruiting highly skilled workers.

At the same time, foreign direct investment into Vietnam’s industrial sectors continues to rise², increasing demand for technically capable labor.

This creates a structural gap. Automation is no longer optional. It is required to sustain competitiveness and absorb industrial growth.

Responding to global trade and compliance pressures

Manufacturers are also adapting to new international requirements.

Examples include:

• The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism CBAM
• High tariffs from the United States

These measures increase pressure on enterprises to modernize production systems, improve efficiency, and meet sustainability standards.

Operational models must evolve from labor-intensive processes to controlled, automated, and data-driven production.

A practical bridge from strategy to deployment

ACE was established to shorten the gap between automation strategy and implementation capacity.

The center enables enterprises to:

• Test robotics and AI solutions in real-world settings
• Validate technical feasibility before full deployment
• Connect with experts and solution providers within an open ecosystem

This first model of its kind in Southern Vietnam positions ACE as an execution platform, not a policy initiative.

It is built to support measurable deployment.

Alignment with national technology strategy

The launch aligns with Vietnam’s broader policy direction on science, technology, and industrial modernization.

ACE reflects the orientation of:

• Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024, issued by the Politburo.
• Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2025 on science, technology, and international integration

The center represents an early operational step in translating policy direction into applied automation within industrial production.

Gradion’s role in operating ACE

Mr. Kien Nguyen, Head of Industrial Solutions at Gradion, the operating unit of ACE, stated:

“This is an important milestone that demonstrates our long-term commitment to promoting and supporting the automation journey of enterprises in Vietnam. By working alongside the Government and businesses, ACE is a pioneering platform with an open ecosystem that supports the path towards sustainable industrial development and acts as a bridge between factories, robot suppliers, and technology partners to implement advanced technological solutions.”

Gradion operates ACE with a focus on structured deployment, ecosystem coordination, and sustainable industrial capability.

Enabling modern manufacturing capability

With a mandate centered on applied Industry 4.0 technologies, ACE is positioned to support Vietnamese enterprises in advancing toward modern, automated production systems.

The direction is clear.

From manual constraint to controlled automation.

From fragmented experimentation to structured industrial deployment.