Industrial automation is the driving force for industrial progress and a sign of a manufacturing power. It is of special significance to China at present, because China is currently in the first decade of the implementation of the Made in China 2025 manufacturing power strategy. Manufacturing is the main body of our national economy and the foundation of our country. In a world of rapid economic development and change, China has become a major player in the global market, and China's share of the world's manufacturing industry accounts for a large proportion. my country's demand for industrial automation equipment is more important than ever. For many years, my country has relied on manual packaging equipment that was suitable for its needs at the time, but now it is entering the era of automation. The Belt and Road Initiative has strengthened China's communication and cooperation with other neighboring countries in more ways, making China's influence on Asia and the world unprecedented. China is leading the whole of Asia to make this automation transformation together.

The reasons behind Asia's increasing shift to automation are no longer an open question: Asia's population growth and the development of the middle class are creating more disposable income. These two factors have led to growing demand in many areas, such as fast-moving consumer goods, food, etc. In some Asian countries, per capita GDP has grown rapidly, and as a result, consumption levels have increased. Countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and India have experienced this growth and are now significant buyers of industrial, commercial, and consumer goods. In fact, the Asia-Pacific region spends more on industrial automation products than anywhere else in the world, accounting for 46% of global spending in 2014.

Impact on the Packaging Industry

The packaging industry is now part of this revolution. In fact, automated packaging equipment is becoming more and more popular every year, especially in the Asian manufacturing industry. Given the low labor costs, manual packaging has been the logical choice for many years, but with the changing demographics, the Asian market has had to adjust its facilities. Higher labor costs, difficult working conditions, the need for better safety standards, reduced legal working hours, and many other issues have prompted the top management of companies to consider the profitability of automation equipment. With the rapid population growth, production lines need to keep up, thereby increasing productivity levels and becoming faster and more efficient.

The ROI of switching to automated equipment is no longer justifiable because of all the savings gained by reducing costs related to labor and injuries. With this important growth, Asia is now a significant supplier of automation equipment products and has established partnerships with European and American companies. Asian countries are now no longer out of reach and can benefit from the quality supply in their own countries.

What will happen in the next few years? Statistics show that more and more Asian countries are experiencing growth in automated manufacturing. For years, financial forecasts still place Asia in a good economic position. Emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and India are expected to see the strongest growth, while economies continue to grow at above-average rates.

Rice: Asia’s Gold

All the changes affecting Asia’s economies and markets have also had a considerable impact on specific industries such as rice production. Rice is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population and is one of the largest markets in Asia, accounting for 90% of the world’s crop production and consumption in the region. Rice is essential to Asia’s lifestyle, culture, and economy. While rice consumption is mainly concentrated in Asian countries, the export market is increasing, forcing governments and organizations to control the amount of rice exported. Asian companies must adapt to the growing export demand and improve production efficiency by replacing manual production lines with automated packaging solutions.

Thailand: Automation Change Leader

Due to its progress in terms of demographic and economic changes, Thailand (the world’s leading rice exporter) has decided to allocate more land for rice cultivation, which will increase annual production. With strong export demand, but having to deal with low unemployment and high labor costs, companies in Thailand now know that automation is the key to success. Automated offline packaging equipment such as baggers, palletizers and stretch wrappers are more reliable than ever and can increase production capacity at a lower cost.