As the world begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries hasten to adapt and prepare to compete under a new context, especially the New Normal, Carbon Neutrality, and Sustainable Development Growth (SDG) in various dimensions. Thailand inevitably joins these endeavors.

Thailand has been facing a number of challenges amidst rapid change. MTEC, as the country's research agency, needs to quickly adapt in response to these changes by focusing on its core R&D and engineering missions from the laboratory to pilot plant levels. These undertakings include the development of its competency and utilization in the relevant technologies. MTEC also focuses on change management, such as the design of the process, to get more work from the manufacturing sector and turn research work into applications, leading tangible outputs, outcomes, and impacts.

No matter how fast and drastic external changes are, materials science is still vital to the industrial sector. Currently, the world is focusing on designing and using sustainable and renewable materials conforming to the circular economy concept. MTEC researchers will support entrepreneurs in solving production problems and developing innovative products and processes so that Thai industries could compete in the global market. MTEC has set work directions to create beneficial economic and social impacts, and, at the same time, meet the real needs of the industrial sector.