Critical Manufacturing, UST partner on SEA India MES

Critical Manufacturing has formed a strategic partnership with UST aimed at manufacturers in Southeast Asia and India.

Under the agreement, UST will serve as an implementation and engineering partner for Critical Manufacturing's manufacturing execution system and broader industrial software platform. The focus is on high-tech industries, particularly semiconductor and electronics manufacturers looking to modernise production operations.

The partnership gives Critical Manufacturing added delivery support in a region where manufacturers are increasing spending on factory software and related engineering services. For UST, it expands its role in manufacturing technology projects by linking its regional teams to a specialist supplier of manufacturing operations software.

Both companies are targeting customers that need support with system rollouts, process changes and the expansion of existing production environments. UST's teams in Southeast Asia and India are expected to provide consulting, implementation and local engineering support alongside Critical Manufacturing.

Manufacturing execution systems, often known as MES, sit between factory-floor machinery and higher-level business software. They are used to manage production workflows, track materials and processes, and provide visibility into plant operations.

Demand for these systems has grown as electronics and semiconductor producers face pressure to improve output, quality control and traceability. In Southeast Asia and India, demand has risen alongside new investment in manufacturing capacity and government efforts to build domestic supply chains in advanced industries.

Critical Manufacturing, which is owned by ASMPT, has been building its presence in sectors that require tight process control and detailed production data. It positions its software as a platform that combines MES functions with connectivity, automation and analytics across factory operations.

UST brings a different part of the offering. The technology services group has experience in digital engineering, manufacturing transformation and delivery programmes for global manufacturers, with local teams already established across the target markets.

Regional push

The deal also reflects the importance of India in Critical Manufacturing's regional plans. Continuing public and private investment in the country is creating opportunities for advanced manufacturing software as companies build new plants or upgrade older facilities.

India has become a growing focus for technology and industrial suppliers seeking exposure to semiconductor packaging, electronics assembly and other high-value manufacturing segments. Southeast Asia has followed a similar path, as global manufacturers spread production across countries including Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand to diversify supply chains.

For software providers, that expansion creates demand not only for licences but also for local implementation expertise. Manufacturers adopting MES platforms typically require site-specific integration with equipment, quality systems and enterprise software, making delivery partners central to the project.

That appears to be the gap this partnership is designed to address. By pairing Critical Manufacturing's software with UST's engineering resources, the companies aim to offer manufacturers a more complete route from system selection to deployment and ongoing optimisation.

Weng Keong Lan, Managing Director of Critical Manufacturing Malaysia, described the logic of the arrangement as much in terms of execution as technology.

"As high-tech manufacturers continue to modernize and expand their operations, having the right implementation expertise is just as important as having the right technology. UST's engineering capabilities, industry experience, and regional presence make them a valuable partner as we continue expanding our ecosystem and supporting customers throughout their digital transformation," said Lan.

The emphasis on ecosystem growth is notable because software suppliers in industrial markets often rely on service partners to extend their reach. Such partnerships can help vendors enter new geographies more quickly, especially when customers want implementation support close to their production sites.

Factory software

UST framed the partnership around manufacturers' efforts to extract value from technology spending rather than simply install new systems. That is a common challenge in factory modernisation projects, where software alone does not guarantee gains in productivity or operational visibility.

Amar Chhajer, Vice President, SEA at UST, said manufacturers were looking for more than software tools.

"Manufacturers across Southeast Asia and India are investing heavily in modernizing their production environments, but technology alone isn't enough to realize value. By combining Critical Manufacturing's Industrial Operations Platform with UST's AI, engineering and manufacturing expertise, we're helping clients accelerate time-to-value, improve efficiency, and build more connected, intelligent factories," said Chhajer.

Beyond software integration and engineering support, the broader commercial backdrop is a race among manufacturers to make plants more data-driven. Semiconductor and electronics factories in particular depend on precise control, detailed records and rapid response to production issues, making them attractive markets for MES suppliers and implementation firms.

Critical Manufacturing's parent, ASMPT, supplies semiconductor and electronics manufacturers with equipment and software used in assembly, packaging and surface-mount technology. That gives Critical Manufacturing a link to customers already investing in production infrastructure across the same industries targeted by the new partnership.

UST will support customers from initial MES deployments through to the optimisation and extension of existing systems, with regional engineering teams handling local delivery.