Meiko plans Vietnam research centre for robotics and automation
Vietnam is Meiko’s largest manufacturing base, employing around 9,000 people. To Lam urged the company to deepen local supplier and university ties.
Japanese electronics manufacturer Meiko intends to set up a Vietnamese research and development centre covering humanoid robots, equipment for automation and sensors needed for physical AI, Vietnam News Agency reported. Vietnam’s Party General Secretary and President To Lam visited the company in Kanagawa prefecture on November 10.
The proposed centre is part of Meiko’s plans for Vietnam, where it also aims to broaden research and manufacturing involving industrial automation and Internet of Things applications. The printed circuit board maker employs around 9,000 people in the country, its biggest manufacturing location globally, and built its first Vietnamese factory in 2008.
During the visit, Lam urged a broader partnership encompassing research, design and innovation rather than manufacturing and assembly alone. He said Vietnam wanted to develop its technological capabilities and gain a greater role in higher-value activities within global electronics and semiconductor supply chains.
Lam asked Meiko to involve more Vietnamese suppliers in areas including materials, automation, precision engineering and technical services. He also proposed university partnerships for semiconductor workforce development, with shared curriculum design, internships, student scholarships and doctoral training.
He pledged government support for Meiko’s projects through infrastructure, resources and institutional conditions, while urging environmental safeguards, safe workplaces and protection of workers’ rights. Lam and Kanagawa Governor Kuroiwa Yuji also witnessed Meiko exchange cooperation documents with Vietnamese businesses, universities and localities.
