Will the election matter?
Comment is welcome on this post. What are you looking for? Do you have expectations from the upcoming election? Editorial, July issue, NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Yes, if the party you want to get in, gets in. How about the rest of it – what will the victor do to […]
Kemppi Australia’s Art of Welding Competition now open
Kemppi Australia’s annual Art of Welding Competition is now open for 2023. The competition showcases “welding art” which can take the form of a welded sculpture, pattern design, a motif or an object. The welding process involved to create the art piece can be manual or use more advanced techniques […]
The rise and rise of portable welding machines
It is not that long ago that portable welding machines were seen as heavy, clunky equipment. Limited in their capability, they could usually only perform one type of welding, such as stick, TIG or MIG. And because of their power output, were mainly relegated to performing light and small welding […]
Is your network ready for industrial digital transformation?
The Internet of Things (IoT), the cloud, and artificial intelligence (AI) are the most popular and most common referenced industrial digital transformation technologies. Thanks to these technological advances, preventive maintenance, production optimization, defective rates reduction, energy savings, carbon reduction, etc. are easily achieved. Supporting these technologies, however, requires a secure […]
Using single-use packaging in your business – read on
– Natalie Martin, 3R Group Materials Innovation Manager Rightly or wrongly, single-use plastic packaging gets the lion’s share of attention in terms of sustainability and waste reduction. While much of this is focused on consumer goods, it’s far from a problem faced exclusively by retailers. Single-use plastic packaging is so […]
Sustainability and productivity: happy bedfellows
-Dr Barbare Nebel, CEO thinkstep – anz It’s good news for local manufacturers: investing in sustainability makes your business more productive. In this article, we look at how sustainability is helping New Zealand manufacturers achieve more with less. The traditional approach: more productive, less sustainable Many people view productivity and […]
Productivity Training: The Missing Link?
-Ian Walsh, Argon and Co As I have raised previously there are a number of elements required to achieve a productive economy and the benefits that affords us as a country. These include: Collaboration between business, government, and educational institutions Access to best practice knowledge Access to funding to support […]
Who is exporting?
NZ Manufacturer, June 2023 A mere 30 New Zealand companies, according to the Productivity Commission, account for over half of all exports. They say focus really needs to be on innovation and moving away from volume to value-added products. So, what are overseas trade visits for? Do business legations need […]
Q&A: Keren Cook, NatureBee CEO and Global Consumer Advocate
Q: How are you finding current business conditions? A: Continued talk of a recession and the rising cost of living is reducing consumers’ discretionary spending, which naturally makes sales growth tougher. For us, this means working harder to position our product in a crowded marketplace where price is king for […]
Major international summit to boost Kiwi healthcare, tech & food exports
A major international healthcare summit to be hosted in New Zealand is set to boost export access for Kiwi health, tech and food product manufacturers into over 10 nations with a combined GDP of US$33 trillion. A number of foreign dignitaries will be among the projected 10,000+ international and domestic […]
Empower Software celebrates 21 years in business.
Empower Software have pioneered engineers’ and manufacturers’ use of labour productivity software using touch screens on the workshop floor, since commencing business in 2002. Empower Software is cloud based, an Add On and an App; manufacturing clients interface to their accounting software. Empower is supplied and supported as SaaS (Software […]
Kayasand receives backing from NZGIF to reduce carbon emissions from concrete
Kayasand, a distributor of premium sand manufacturing technology, is opening its first V7 high-technology manufacturing demonstration plant in New Zealand, which uses waste products such as recycled glass, concrete and slag, and turns them into premium sand for concrete. Kayasand has received the backing of New Zealand Green Investment Finance […]
International Women’s Day Profile: Kate Ricketts, developer of world first biofluorescent nit treatment
This year’s theme: Inspiring Inclusion Kate Ricketts, a Kiwi mother and entrepreneur has created the world’s first biofluorescent nit powder to improve visibility of head lice during treatment, address the stigma associated with the condition and increase access for vulnerable children. The product, which was recognised with a UN Sustainable Development Goal associated award, has now entered production for domestic and international markets. NZ Manufacturer caught up with Kate ahead of International Women’s Day to hear about her journey. What does International Women’s Day mean to you? It is a time to celebrate the amazing things that female innovators are currently doing and recognise the pioneers who have paved the way for change. It’s also a time to reflect on the areas where progress is still needed. In today’s business environment, do you see opportunities and also recognition for aspirational female entrepreneurs? Having developed my product with the University of Auckland, I’ve been fortunate to have experienced their entrepreneurship incubators and how they feed into the wider world of industry. You have access to amazing people who have helped when the training wheels came off and who understand some of the additional pressures that come with being a female founder. Tell us about what you do I’m the founder of ISpyNits, a company that produces a glow-in-the-dark head lice treatment product that allows you to better identify lice eggs and remove them to prevent reinfections. We have developed a supporting education programme using biofluorescence to destigmatise the condition among children. How did the idea for a biofluorescent powder come about? The product was developed in response to a frustrating problem that many parents have faced treating head lice and missing eggs. As a vet nurse I used UV light to confirm the presence of ringworm and read an article suggesting […]