In 2026, Vietnam’s alcoholic beverage industry faces pressure from changing consumer behaviour, stricter alcohol-control regulations, and a roadmap to increase the special consumption tax on beer and spirits from 65% in 2026 to 90% by 2031. Nevertheless, IWSR still forecasts that alcoholic beverage consumption in Vietnam could increase by approximately 15% by 2035. At the same time, increasingly stringent requirements for safety, quality, and product management are pushing manufacturers to improve production flexibility, process control, traceability, and operational efficiency in order to adapt to the evolving market.
Challenges Faced by Manufacturing Plants
- Long fermentation cycles with limited room for corrective action: Brewing and fermentation take place over several days, with dozens of tanks operating simultaneously. If the temperature or pressure in a single tank deviates from the required range for several hours without being detected, the entire batch can be affected, while the value of each tank is significant.
- Bottling lines operating on end-of-life platforms: Many high-speed bottling lines still run on legacy control systems that are no longer technically supported and for which replacement parts are increasingly unavailable. As a result, even a minor hardware failure can shut down an entire line for several days.
- Safety risks from CO₂ and NH₃: CO₂ accumulation around silo and fermentation areas, together with NH₃ in utility and refrigeration zones, can create asphyxiation and toxic exposure risks for operators working in enclosed spaces.
Tan Tien’s Solutions
1. Brewhouse and Fermentation Control Systems: Design, supply, and program control systems for beer processing areas while integrating them with the plant’s existing systems.
- Applications
- Fermentation tank control systems
- Integration with the existing brewhouse system
- Upgrades to brewhouse and fermentation control systems
- CIP systems
- Reprogramming in accordance with the existing process requirements
2. Bottling and Packaging Line Modernisation: Upgrade high-value production lines to improve reliability and extend system lifecycle.
- Scopes
- Migration from SIMATIC S5 to SIMATIC S7-300 and S7-400
- Upgrade of I/O systems from ET-200L to ET-200S
- Replacement of operator panels
- Integration of Profibus and industrial communication networks
- PLC programme conversion
- On-site installation and programme fine-tuning
3. Gas Detection and Process Safety Systems: Integrate gas detection systems into the plant’s existing control architecture.
- Applications
- CO₂ detection in silo and fermentation cellar areas
- NH₃ detection in utility and refrigeration areas
- Integration with the existing Siemens S7-400 control system
- Cable trays, cabling, and control panel installation
- Sensor calibration and system commissioning
- User and operational training
4. Utility Systems and Centralised Monitoring: Develop a supervisory platform for multiple brewery utility systems.
- Functions:
- Supervisory control of multiple utility equipment groups
- Server and redundant server architecture
- Remote data access for multiple users
- Historical data storage
- Automated reporting
5. Wastewater Treatment and Monitoring Systems: Deploy effluent quality monitoring systems to meet environmental regulatory requirements.
- Applications:
- pH, DO, TSS, COD, and open-channel flow measurement
- Control panels and signal transmission units
- Data transmission to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment
- Operation and maintenance guidance after system acceptance
6. Supporting Infrastructure and Plant Safety: Deploy systems that help ensure safe and continuous plant operation.
- Includes:
- Faraday cage lightning protection systems
- Plant-wide earthing systems
- Upgrade of control networks from ControlNet to EtherNet/IP
Implementation Benefits
- Protect beer quality by continuously monitoring and controlling fermentation tank temperature and pressure
- Upgrade bottling lines to fully supported control platforms, reducing the risk of prolonged production shutdowns
- Improve plant safety through gas detection systems directly integrated with the control system and supported by operator training
- Extend the lifecycle of high-value production assets instead of requiring complete line replacement
- Centralise production and utility data monitoring, enabling remote access and automated reporting
- Meet continuous wastewater monitoring requirements set by environmental authorities
In the alcoholic beverage segment, Tan Tien works with leading beer manufacturers in Vietnam such as Heineken, Sabeco, VBL Tien Giang, and Phu Yen Beer. Tan Tien’s projects cover the full production chain, from brewhouse and fermentation areas to bottling and packaging lines, including a bottling line with a capacity of 30,000 bottles per hour at Saigon Bac Lieu Beer.
The beer industry is characterised by long fermentation cycles in which product quality must be maintained over several days, while high-speed filling lines require extremely high reliability to avoid direct impacts on production output and must also meet strict safety requirements. Tan Tien supports customers as an electrical and automation partner across the beer production chain, from bottling line upgrades to safety monitoring and utility systems, helping maintain batch quality, improve the reliability of high-speed production lines, and enhance plant operational safety.
