Businesses step up technological innovation for sustainable development

Technology is increasingly becoming a key factor in business competitiveness as requirements for higher productivity, better quality, and greener production continue to rise.

Air-conditioner brackets made by Phuoc Hung Mechanical Production Trading Co., Ltd. in Long Binh ward.

In Dong Nai, many businesses are stepping up innovation efforts to maintain their competitiveness and unlock new growth opportunities.

Market pressures drive innovation

Economic growth is underpinned by the production and business activities of tens of thousands of enterprises. However, alongside opportunities to expand production, businesses are facing growing pressure to control costs, improve product quality, meet delivery schedules, comply with environmental standards, and satisfy increasingly demanding export markets.

In the past, advantages in production space, labor costs, and geographical location could give businesses an edge. Today, such advantages are gradually diminishing. To retain customers, businesses must ensure more stable and efficient production, reduce defects, shorten production times, and use less raw material and energy.

This is why technological innovation is receiving increasing attention from businesses. At the Nestlé Tri An factory, Nestlé commissioned a new coffee packaging line for glass jars in August 2026. The line has an initial capacity of more than 350,000 jars per day and incorporates multiple automated processes and quality-control stages.

What is noteworthy is not the scale of a production line, but how businesses approach technology. Automating inspection, packaging, and quality-control processes helps reduce reliance on manual operations while also generating data for production management.

Binu Jacob, General Director of Nestlé Vietnam, said technological investment must go hand in hand with upskilling the workforce so that employees can master new equipment and processes. Enhancing production capacity is aimed not only at meeting immediate demand but also at laying the foundation to increase product value and move further up the value chain.

According to economic experts, businesses are gradually changing their approach in response to market pressures. Modern machinery is no longer purchased simply to increase production capacity. Technology must help businesses address specific production challenges, including reducing defect rates, saving materials, shortening production times, improving quality control, and meeting new standards. For exporters, these requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. Partners are concerned not only with whether products meet required standards but also with production processes, traceability, energy consumption, and emissions.

Strengthening competitiveness

Delaying technological innovation risks eroding competitive advantages. As a result, not only large enterprises but also small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are stepping up their efforts.

Nguyen La Anh Dao, Director of Phuoc Hung Mechanical Production Trading Co., Ltd. in Long Binh ward, said mechanical engineering businesses seeking to participate more deeply in supply chains must continuously improve their equipment and production processes. This is particularly important when working with major customers, whose requirements for precision, consistent quality, and delivery schedules are becoming increasingly stringent. SMEs cannot afford to invest across the board and instead must identify the areas where improvements are genuinely needed. This could involve new equipment, automation at a particular stage of production, or management solutions that help reduce production time and costs.

In addition to attracting major investment projects, Dong Nai is paying greater attention to improving the technological capabilities of businesses operating in the city. As domestic enterprises improve productivity and quality, their ability to participate in global supply chains will increase, enabling the city to retain a greater share of the value generated locally.

This is also the challenge facing many supporting-industry enterprises in Dong Nai. To become suppliers to major corporations, domestic businesses need more than products; they must demonstrate their ability to maintain stable production and consistently meet required quality and technical standards.

Dong Nai is assessing the technological level and capabilities of manufacturing businesses, focusing on key processing and manufacturing industries such as mechanical engineering, food processing, electrical and electronics, plastics, rubber, chemicals, textiles and garments, and leather and footwear. This is a necessary step to determine where businesses currently stand, what they lack, and which direction they need to take to pursue technological innovation.

For SMEs, such assessments are even more important because funding for technological innovation is often limited. Choosing the wrong equipment or unsuitable technology can turn an investment into a burden rather than a source of higher productivity. Therefore, support policies should be more closely aligned with businesses’ actual needs. Instead of simply helping enterprises purchase machinery, support should help them identify suitable technologies and connect them with solution providers, research institutes, universities, and experts.

The Dong Nai Supporting Industry Development Program for 2026-2030, with a vision through 2035, aims to advance this goal. By 2030, the city expects to have around 1,200 enterprises operating in the supporting industry. The city will promote international cooperation, help businesses expand their markets, and connect supply with demand. At the same time, it will accelerate digital transformation and encourage the application of smart-factory solutions in production and business management to enhance competitiveness.

By V.The – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho