Vietnam’s export story is often told from the demand side. The supply side tells a more complex story.

In the first nine months of 2025, imports of key industrial inputs surged alongside export growth. The largest increases came from machinery, equipment, electronic products, components, plastics, and industrial metals.

One data point stands out clearly. Imports of computers, electronic products, and components increased by more than USD 31 billion year on year, reaching approximately USD 110 billion. Machinery, equipment, and spare parts imports rose by nearly USD 9 billion, reaching USD 44.3 billion. Together, these two categories alone accounted for well over USD 150 billion in imports.

This is not a temporary restocking cycle. It reflects how Vietnam’s manufacturing engine actually operates.

Export growth today is built on imported production capacity. Factories scale output by bringing in advanced machinery and high-value components, often sourced from East Asia. This enables fast expansion but also embeds structural dependency.

A double-edged effect for supply-chain managers

On one hand, imported inputs support productivity and quality. On the other, they expose operations to upstream shocks. Any disruption in component availability or price stability has an immediate downstream impact on production schedules and cost structures.

This is particularly relevant for companies implementing China+1 strategies. Vietnam reduces geopolitical concentration risk, but it does not eliminate upstream dependency. In many cases, it redistributes that dependency across a wider regional supplier network.

Ignoring this reality creates blind spots. 

Companies may focus on factory expansion and export orders while underestimating how sensitive their operations are to imported inputs.

A more resilient approach starts with mapping import exposure at the component level, identifying critical dependencies, and assessing which inputs can realistically be localized over time.

Vietnam’s manufacturing success is real. Understanding its import foundation is what allows companies to protect that success.

Let us map your input risks. 

Manufacturing.com.vn helps manufacturers analyze sourcing concentration and supply-chain exposure across complex production networks.

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