ABB Robotics hosts SOMA Value Provider Conference in Vietnam

ABB Robotics hosts SOMA Value Provider Conference in Vietnam

ABB Robotics successfully hosted the SOMA Value Provider Conference 2026, marking the first time the country served as host for this flagship event.

The conference brought together more than 250 value providers, partners, and global ABB experts from across South Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa (SOMA), reinforcing ABB Robotics’s pioneering role in shaping the future of more autonomous and versatile robotics in the industry.

“The SOMA Value Provider Conference 2026 was a launchpad for enhanced collaboration and greater adoption and development of more autonomous and versatile robotics,” said Khang Tran, local division manager of ABB Robotics Vietnam.

“By combining strong partnerships, open knowledge exchange, and cutting-edge technology, we are collectively shaping the next chapter of robotics and automation in Vietnam and across the SOMA region.”

Vietnam’s selection as host country reflects its growing importance as a strategic investment destination, supported by strong economic growth, a shift towards high-tech manufacturing, and progress on green transition. Hosting SOMA VPC 2026 underscores ABB Robotics’ commitment to supporting Vietnam’s industrial transformation and strengthening regional collaboration.

SOMA VPC 2026 brought together over 250 attendees for an ABB Robotics–hosted regional conference

SOMA Value Provider Conference 2026: the new era of robotics and AI

Over the two-day conference, participants engaged in plenary sessions led by global and regional ABB leaders, covering market trends, portfolio and technology innovation, emerging industries, and the evolution of the ABB Value Provider (AVP) Programme.

Niclas Sjöstrand, head of Technology, ABB Robotics, sharing the latest portfolio and innovation.

Technology, innovation, and practical insights

Attendees participated in hands-on demonstrations and technical breakout sessions showcasing ABB’s latest solutions, including OmniCor controllers, EyeMotion vision technology, RobotStudio and AppStudio, OptiFact, collaborative robots, and advanced service offerings.

These sessions provided practical insights and early exposure to innovations that help partners enhance productivity and customer value. During the plenary sessions, ABB Robotics also shared updates on Autonomous Versatile Robots, outlining how intelligent, vision-enabled, and adaptive robotics will enable greater autonomy in dynamic industrial environments.

Live demonstrations throughout the event included the IRB 1520ID with 3D vision–based weld tracking and automatic path generation, PoWa – the latest member of ABB Collaborative Robot family – premiered exclusively for partners, the IRB 1200 with LPS enabling accurate 3D vision–based bin picking, and YuMi, collaborative robot, serving Vietnamese coffee to highlight safe, human-centric collaboration.

Craig McDonell, managing director – Industries, ABB Robotics, and Khang Tran, local division manager, ABB Robotics Vietnam, celebrating local heritage and global collaboration with Vietnam’s traditional conical hat.

Celebrating partner excellence

The ABB Value Provider Awards Ceremony, held during the gala dinner, recognised noteworthy partner achievements across the SOMA region. Awards honoured excellence in robot applications, innovation, sustainability, performance, and long-term commitment through Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Award recipients represented partners across Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia, India, and Vietnam, highlighting the diversity, strength, and collaborative spirit of ABB’s regional Value Provider ecosystem.

About ABB Robotics

ABB Robotics as one of the world’s leading robotics companies, is the only company with a comprehensive and integrated AI-powered portfolio covering robots, cobots and Autonomous Mobile Robots, designed and orchestrated by our value-creating software.

We help companies of all sizes and sectors – from automotive to electronics and logistics – to outperform by becoming more resilient, flexible and efficient. ABB Robotics is at the forefront of developing and commercialising a new generation of Autonomous Versatile Robotics, leading a global innovation ecosystem of partners in advancing efficient hardware and intelligent software with industrial performance. The business employs approximately 7,000 people. go.abb/robotics.

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