Manufacturing & Industrial

Vietnam - China dominates Vietnam farm machinery market

Source: Thai News Service, 29 September 2009

Chinese imports have a significant presence in agricultural machinery used in Vietnam. The country imports more than 60% of agricultural production machinery from China. Many components used to produce machinery locally are also Chinese imports, according to the Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation.

The high reliance on Chinese imports is because local engine makers cannot produce many essential components that are cheap but also of high quality. One machinery expert said there were more than 20 Chinese businesses in Vietnam that can produce components at a quarter the local cost. Vietnam's businesses have manufactured approximately 40,000 diesel engines since 2007, accounting for about 30% of the market. There are about 550,000 agricultural production machines currently in use nationwide, including ploughs, threshing machines and electric generators.

South Korea - More shipbuilders enter wind turbine market

Source: Asia Pulse, 02 October 2009

More South Korean shipbuilders are entering the wind power generation market in a bid to diversify their market as shipbuilding orders continues to drop. The companies hope to apply their manufacturing technologies and expertise in the wind turbine market.

Most recently, Hyundai Heavy Industry Co. agreed to supply turbines to U.S. firm Wave Wind LLC. It is also building a turbine plant in Gunsan which would have annual production capacity of 800,000kw by 2013. Other South Korean firms entering the wind power industry includes Daewoo Shipbuiliding and Samsung Heavy Industries.

Japan - Business looking promising for space industry

Source: Nikkei Weekly, 05 October 2009

The global space business is worth around Y2 trillion (US$22.5 billion) a year, and companies from across the globe are eager to grab a slice of the market. Backed by world-beating technology, Japanese space-related companies are carving out a solid reputation in the global industry. Despite lagging their Western counterparts in the headline-grabbing areas of satellites and rockets, they are earning high marks for engine valves and other specialized parts needed to make space missions successful.

One challenge facing Japanese space equipment makers is how to fully leverage their reputation for advanced technology to expand actual sales. According to the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies, Japan's space equipment industry generated sales of about Y244.4 billion (US$2.71 billion) in fiscal 2008, significantly less than the Y380 billion (US$4.3 billion) recorded 10 years earlier. Moreover, the ratio of exports to total sales has hovered below 10% in recent years, after peaking at slightly more than 20% in fiscal 1996.

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