As Southeast Asia accelerates its industrial transformation, smart manufacturing is no longer a distant ambition—it is becoming a strategic imperative for chief operating officers (COOs) and manufacturing leaders across the region.
With supply chain volatility, rising energy costs, and increasing global competition, manufacturers in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are turning to advanced digital technologies to future-proof their operations.
At the heart of this transformation lies a powerful convergence of digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT)—technologies that promise not just incremental improvements, but step-change gains in efficiency, resilience, and innovation.
According to Paul Miller, vice-president and principal analyst at Forrester, digital twins are increasingly central to industrial digitalisation.
“A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical thing’s data, state, relationships, and behaviour,” Miller explains. “If there isn’t a physical thing, there’s nothing to be a ‘twin’ of—and without a continuous data exchange, the twin quickly becomes outdated.”
This precise definition is critical. Too often, companies mistake static 3D models or point-in-time simulations for digital twins. True digital twins are dynamic, bi-directional systems that reflect real-world conditions in near real time.
In Southeast Asia, where manufacturing contributes over 25% of GDP in several economies, the implications are profound.
The rise of the composite digital twin
One of the most significant trends for 2026 will be the shift from isolated, component-level digital twins to composite or system-level twins. Early adopters began by creating digital replicas of individual machines, such as motors, pumps, or robotic arms.
But as Miller notes, “We’re now seeing far more interest in complex or composite digital twins, which combine twins of pumps, motors, compressors, robots, and conveyor belts to create a twin of the factory itself.”
This evolution enables holistic visibility across entire production lines. For example, a semiconductor plant in Penang could simulate the impact of power fluctuations on wafer yield, or a food processing facility in Jakarta could model how changes in humidity affect packaging integrity.
By integrating operational technology (OT), information technology (IT), engineering data, and external inputs like weather or energy pricing, manufacturers gain a unified, trustworthy data stream that powers smarter decisions.
Overcoming barriers to adoption
Despite the promise, adoption remains uneven. Miller identifies two primary challenges: confusion over what constitutes a true digital twin, and organisational barriers to integration.
“Many people use ‘digital twin’ as a buzzword for any digital model,” he says. “But without a live connection to the physical asset, it’s just a simulation.” This misperception leads to poorly scoped projects and unmet expectations.
The second barrier is structural. Digital twins are rarely procured as standalone products. Instead, they emerge from solving specific business problems—such as predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, or production scheduling.
A maintenance manager may care less about the twin itself than about reducing unplanned downtime. A production planner may need accurate output forecasts to meet delivery commitments.
The solution, Miller suggests, is to focus on foundational data readiness: cleaning, harmonising, and connecting disparate data sources across siloed departments. “Enterprises should be doing this anyway,” he notes. “Once you’ve built the data infrastructure, creating a digital twin becomes significantly faster and more cost-effective.”
For COOs, this means prioritising data governance and cross-functional collaboration. It also means rethinking vendor relationships. Rather than buying closed, proprietary systems, manufacturers should seek interoperable platforms that allow modular integration of sensors, analytics engines, and AI models.
From insight to action
AI is the catalyst that transforms digital twins from passive mirrors into active decision-support systems. While not strictly essential, machine learning (ML) and large language models (LLMs) dramatically expand a twin’s capabilities.
Predictive maintenance, for instance, relies on ML algorithms trained on historical vibration, temperature, and usage data to forecast component failures. In Thailand’s automotive sector, where just-in-time manufacturing dominates, even a 10% reduction in machine downtime can translate into millions of dollars in annual savings.
Generative simulation is another frontier. By combining physics-based models with AI, engineers can test thousands of operational scenarios—such as adjusting conveyor speeds or reconfiguring assembly sequences—without disrupting live production.
This capability is particularly valuable for high-mix, low-volume manufacturers adapting to customisation demands.
Meanwhile, LLMs are beginning to power natural language interfaces, enabling technicians to query a machine’s service history or operational parameters using plain speech.
“An engineer in the field could ask, ‘What caused the last shutdown on Line 3?’ and get an instant, context-aware response,” Miller observes. This lowers the skill barrier and accelerates troubleshooting.
ROI beyond technology
For manufacturing leaders, the ultimate question is return on investment. How do you measure the success of a digital twin strategy?
Miller’s advice is clear: “Focus on the business problems you implemented digital twins to address.” If the goal was a 20% reduction in maintenance costs, did you achieve it? Were the savings greater than the implementation and ongoing maintenance costs? Can the gains be sustained?
In practice, this means defining KPIs upfront—such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), mean time between failures (MTBF), or energy consumption per unit produced—and tracking them rigorously.
Early adopters in Singapore and Malaysia report OEE improvements of 12–18% within 18 months of deploying AI-enhanced twins.
Another critical metric is time-to-insight. Traditional root cause analysis might take days; with a well-integrated twin, it can take minutes. This agility is invaluable in an era of supply chain disruptions and rapidly shifting customer demands.
Interoperability, regulation, and ecosystems
Looking ahead, several forces will shape the future of smart manufacturing in Southeast Asia. First is the push toward interoperability. As digital twins become increasingly complex, the need for open standards—such as ISO 23247 for digital twin manufacturing systems—will intensify.
Industry consortia, such as the Digital Twin Consortium and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), are already working on frameworks to ensure cross-platform compatibility.
Second is regulation. Governments across the region are beginning to recognise the strategic importance of industrial data. Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry has launched a Smart Industry 4.0 roadmap, while Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology is piloting data-sharing protocols for state-owned enterprises. These initiatives could accelerate adoption—but also introduce compliance complexities around data sovereignty and cybersecurity.
FutureIoT discussions with operational leaders reveal the growing importance of partnerships – the third pillar. Most manufacturers will not build twins in-house. Instead, they will collaborate with technology providers, system integrators, and even competitors in pre-competitive alliances.
For example, Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is fostering joint ventures between Japanese automation firms and local manufacturers to co-develop innovative factory solutions.
The year is 2026
By 2026, smart manufacturing in Southeast Asia will be defined not by isolated automation projects, but by integrated, AI-driven digital twins that span entire production ecosystems. These systems will enable manufacturers to anticipate disruptions, optimise resource use, and respond to market changes with unprecedented speed.
For COOs, the journey begins not with technology, but with strategy. Identify high-value assets—those with high maintenance costs, significant downtime, or direct revenue impact. Build a robust, real-time data foundation. Then, deploy digital twins as targeted solutions to specific operational challenges.
As Miller reminds us, the twin is not the end goal—it is a means to better business outcomes. In a region where manufacturing competitiveness hinges on agility and efficiency, that distinction could make all the difference.
