Thailand’s manufacturing sector is under growing pressure from technological disruption, rising costs, sustainability requirements, and intensifying global competition, prompting businesses to accelerate investment in advanced production technologies.
Against this backdrop, Manufacturing Expo 2026, billed as ASEAN’s most comprehensive machinery and technology exhibition for manufacturing and supporting industries, will take place from June 17-20 at BITEC Bangkok.
Organized by RX BITEC, the event is expected to bring together more than 2,000 brands from 30 countries and 29 international pavilions across over 45,000 square meters of exhibition space. Seven specialized exhibitions will showcase technologies spanning plastics manufacturing, mold and die production, automotive parts, robotics and automation, electronics manufacturing, surface finishing, and factory management solutions.
Ms. Varaporn Dhamcharee, Managing Director of RX BITEC (Thailand) Co., Ltd., said the exhibition’s 2026 theme, “Innovations that Define All Industries,” reflects the priorities of manufacturers seeking new ways to improve competitiveness. “We selected this theme because innovation is what our participants told us they are looking for. Last year, approximately 30 per cent of visitors were factory owners and senior executives, followed by 29 per cent management-level professionals, while the remaining 41 per cent comprised engineers, procurement teams, R&D personnel, QC teams, IT professionals, and other operational functions. Visitors traveled from 37 provinces across Thailand and 86 countries spanning six continents, representing diverse industries including automotive, electronics, medical devices, food and beverage, aerospace, packaging, and many others.”
Growing demand
Visitor interest at previous editions highlighted several key trends across industrial sectors. In plastics manufacturing, businesses showed strong demand for injection molding machinery, chemicals and raw materials, and packaging production technologies, reflecting efforts to increase productivity while adopting more sustainable materials.
The automotive sector saw significant interest in automotive electronics, parts manufacturing equipment, and design software, while electronics manufacturers focused on component design tools, surface-mount technology (SMT), inspection systems, measurement solutions, and printed circuit board (PCB) technologies.
According to Ms. Varaporn, exhibitor participation in PCB-related technologies has surged significantly. “This year, we have recorded a 91 per cent increase in exhibitors related to PCB technologies.”
Manufacturers attending InterMold Thailand have increasingly sought machinery, tooling solutions, mold design software, and additive manufacturing technologies. Meanwhile, interest in surface treatment technologies has expanded beyond aesthetics, with companies looking for coatings that provide UV protection, corrosion resistance, anti-bacterial properties, and anti-static performance.
Factory operators are also placing greater emphasis on automation, energy management, digital technologies, and smart facility management as they pursue productivity gains and sustainability targets.
Technology highlights
Among the technologies and solutions on display at Manufacturing Expo 2026 are:
• At InterPlas Thailand, KraussMaffei Machinery (China) will present its precisionMolding all-electric plastic injection molding machine, equipped with MuCell Micro-Foaming Technology to reduce product weight, support lightweight vehicle development, and meet the requirements of the medical and electronics industries.
• At InterMold Thailand, SODICK (THAILAND) will showcase the Wire-cut EDM AL i Groove+ Edition, which the company says can reduce energy consumption by up to 50 per cent while increasing productivity by 20 per cent compared with previous models.
• At Automotive Manufacturing, SUZHOU TOX PRESSOTECHNIK will present intelligent manufacturing solutions from Germany's TOX® at the AMTS Pavilion, covering end-to-end services from production design to turnkey production lines.
• At Assembly & Automation Technology, Creform Yazaki (Thailand) will launch the Free Navigations AGV, an intelligent system that requires no floor guidance lines and features iPad-based control, LiDAR, and advanced safety technology to support flexible factory logistics.
• At Surface & Coatings, PURERAY INSTRUMENT (THAILAND) will present the Pureray XRF Supreme, a high-precision, non-destructive coating analysis system capable of simultaneously analyzing up to 10 coating layers, making it suitable for electroplating and PCB applications.
• At NEPCON Thailand, ASMPT SMT SINGAPORE will showcase the SIPLACE V, a re-engineered high-speed electronic component placement machine designed to combine performance, flexibility, and precision while maintaining compatibility with existing SMT production lines.
• At FacTech, SCG will provide consultation on UPVC roofing, solar energy systems, and its ONNEX energy solutions platform, offering manufacturers practical pathways toward becoming more sustainable factories.
Discussing future trends
Beyond the exhibition floor, Manufacturing Expo 2026 will host an extensive knowledge program featuring 90 seminar sessions delivered by 133 speakers in collaboration with 43 industry organizations.
Key events include:
• Automotive Summit 2026, organized with the Thailand Automotive Institute, focusing on the future of smart mobility.
• TAPMA Conference, examining how the automotive sector is adapting to global industry changes.
• INTERMOLD FORUM, exploring innovations across the plastics injection value chain amid rising energy and material costs.
• ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION SYMPOSIUM, highlighting robotics and automation as critical drivers of industrial competitiveness.
• NEPCON Forum, discussing investment opportunities and the future of Thailand’s electronics value chain.
• Industrial AI Developer Summit, which will examine how artificial intelligence is accelerating the adoption of smart factories.
• FacTech Focus, featuring discussions on water management, waste management, and real-time monitoring technologies.
Special zones and initiatives
The exhibition will also feature dedicated zones focused on emerging technologies, including bio-based plastics, 3D printing, and tooling solutions.
Additional activities include the Surface & Coatings Innovation Prize 2026, which offers more than THB100,000 in prizes for industrial innovators and researchers, and an IPC Hand Soldering Skill Development Workshop based on international standards.
Skills development initiatives will continue through the 2nd WorldSkills Thailand Roadshow, covering mechatronics, robot systems integration, and autonomous mobile robotics. The event will also host the WorldSkills Thailand Friendly Match 2026 - Welding, bringing together welding representatives from 10 ASEAN countries.
To facilitate business opportunities, organizers will once again offer the Meet My Match business matching platform, allowing pre-registered visitors to arrange meetings with exhibitors before the event.
“Visitors who pre-register will receive credentials to access our online platform, where they can schedule meetings with exhibitors in advance before meeting onsite at the Business Matching Lounge,” Ms. Varaporn added.
Manufacturing Expo 2026 will be held from June 17-20 at BITEC Bangkok.
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