[Collaboration Days 2026 Highlight] Professor Wesley Rosslyn-Smith shares insights on shifting trends in advanced manufacturing supply chains

In his speech, Prof. Wesley Rosslyn-Smith particularly emphasized a fundamental shift in the drivers of global supply chains, where cheap labor is no longer the deciding factor. He analyzed that, under the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and robotics, the global manufacturing map is decentralizing. Multinational corporations are no longer prioritizing low-cost labor sources; instead, they are relocating factories closer to two critical elements: raw input materials and regions with a critical mass of high-level skills.

Based on this shifting trend, the SACIT Director highlighted significant opportunities for emerging markets to embrace smart manufacturing models. Drawing from experiences in Africa, the Professor analyzed that positioning factories in resource-rich areas with a well-trained workforce will optimize costs across the entire supply chain. This also addresses the investment attraction equation for Ho Chi Minh City: international partners are looking for an ecosystem that is fully prepared in terms of both technological infrastructure and high-quality human resources for co-development.