Asia’s premier manufacturing innovation exhibition, Smart Factory and Automation World (AW 2025) opened on March 12 and will run until March 14 at COEX in Seoul, covering the entire venue in its largest edition yet.
This year’s event, co-hosted by COEX, the Korea Industrial Intelligence Association, the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Promotion Group, the Korea Machine Vision Industry Association, Advanced Media, and the Korea International Trade Association, features participation from 22 countries, 500 companies, and 2,200 booths.
Global and domestic manufacturing leaders have gathered to showcase cutting-edge smart factory and automation technologies, including AI-powered manufacturing solutions, collaborative robots, industrial and logistics robots, digital twins, sensors, and machine vision.
For the first time in Asia, Hyundai Glovis has unveiled Boston Dynamics’ logistics robot, named Stretch. Designed for high-speed and precision de-palletising, Stretch improves warehouse and logistics operations by efficiently handling containerised cargo. Hyundai Glovis also introduced its new smart logistics centre that is currently under construction at Incheon Airport.
Another first-time exhibitor, Hyundai AutoEver, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, presented its ‘NEO Factory’ solution, a software-defined factory system that enables autonomous manufacturing. The NEO Factory system integrates advanced automation technologies to optimise production capacity and capital efficiency.
France’s Schneider Electric (France) is marking its 50th anniversary in Korea with an exhibition under the theme 50 Years of Innovation: A Sustainable IMPACT for Smart Factory. The company is showcasing machine automation solutions and robotics innovations that improve human-machine collaboration and advance Industry 5.0 smart manufacturing environments, with a strong focus on sustainability and digital transformation.
The Smart Logistics Pavilion features leading global logistics companies, including Norway’s AutoStore, China’s Libiao Robotics, Taiwan’s Techman Robot, and Korea’s CMES. These companies are showcasing autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, logistics robots, and AI-powered logistics automation systems.
Additionally, top collaborative robot manufacturers such as Universal Robots, the world’s No.1 cobot company, and HD Hyundai Robotics, Korea’s leading industrial robot manufacturer, demonstrate the latest automation technology advancements.
During the exhibition, more than 200 expert-led conferences are taking place, including the “2025 Industrial Intelligence Conference and the AI Autonomous Manufacturing Innovation Forum. These sessions provide a platform to discuss trends in manufacturing innovation and autonomous production.
For the first time, the AW Open Innovation Round is being held, selecting the top six innovative manufacturing startups and connecting them with large and mid-sized enterprises for business collaborations and investment opportunities.
To support global business expansion, the Korea International Trade Association is hosting one on one export consultation meetings between 23 international buyers from nine countries, including Indonesia’s largest telecom company, Telkomsel, and 100 Korean companies.
This year’s Smart Factory and Automation World is expected to set a new attendance record, with over 60,000 pre-registered attendees and approximately 80,000 visitors. More than 1,000 international buyers from Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam are visiting Korea, solidifying AW 2025’s status as Asia’s leading industrial exhibition.
Lee Dong-ki, CEO of COEX, emphasised that AW 2025 provides a unique opportunity to witness firsthand how AI and robotics are transforming manufacturing. He expressed his hope that the innovations showcased at Asia’s top manufacturing innovation exhibition will help businesses discover new opportunities and breakthroughs.
