HCM City (VNA)🍃 – The international BIFA WOOD Vietnam 2025 fair opened on August 6 in Ho Chi Minh City, spotlighting "Smart Furniture Solutions" as the central theme.

The event was organised by the Vietnam Wood Industry Fair JSC, in support of the goal to accelerate digital transformation and automation in wood processing. This year’s exhibition highlights advanced manufacturing solutions, including process optimisation and digital technologies, positioning the fair as a key platform for connecting policymakers and businesses and fostering sustainable production-consumption partnerships in the wood sector. The event features over 1,000 booths, gathering hundreds of companies from Vietnam, the US, Europe, Japan, China, and China’s Taiwan. In addition to showcasing high-quality machinery and materials, the fair includes B2B networking events, market trend seminars, and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements between local and international enterprises. Organisers expect to draw nearly 10,000 industry professionals. According to Ha Van Ut, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Industry and Trade, the fair not only introduces cutting-edge technologies but also reflects the robust development of Vietnam’s wood processing industry. This sector plays an increasingly important role in the country’s export structure and value-added production. In the first half of 2025, Vietnam’s wood and wood product exports reached approximately 8.2 billion USD, up nearly 9% year-on-year, with a trade surplus of around 6.7 billion USD, among the highest across all industries. Ut emphasised HCM City's pivotal role as Vietnam’s most dynamic economic hub following the recent administrative merger. The city is instrumental in expanding and diversifying both export and domestic markets. He added that while export growth remains essential, more attention should be given to the domestic furniture segment, especially in serving the city’s 14-million-strong population. Nguyen Phuc, Director of Transformer Robotics PTE Ltd., noted that the former Binh Duong area remains a key hub in the country’s wood processing value chain. However, he warned of increasing competition from regional players. The push toward high-tech production requires full automation, digital control, and AI integration, putting pressure on enterprises to secure highly skilled labour, which remains in short supply./.