Callaghan provides roadmap for lifting Innovation
Callaghan Innovation’s first full three year Statement of Intent has been tabled in Parliament today, setting out how the new organisation will help increase business innovation, and speed up the commercialisation of new products and services. The Statement of Intent sets Callaghan Innovation’s strategic direction and priorities for the next […]
Kiwi Tech Firm to Increase Staff By 60% for Export Growth
A leading cloud software company has relocated its offices and increased its staff salaries to 20% above market average in a bid to attract more local IT talent to support its international growth. Unleashed Software which employs 25 staff, relocated its offices to Auckland’s North Shore so local team members […]
The ultimate on-machine seasoning system
The latest evolution of the leading intelli-flav seasoning range, the tna intelli-flav OMS 5, offers consistent coverage and flavour for both wet and dry seasoning. Fully integrated with both oil spray and flavour injection systems, the new OMS provides total control of adhesion and fast flavour changes for snack lines. […]
Reliable CBN010 insert grade for turning steels
CBN010 is a new, uncoated grade designed to provide excellent performance in continuous to moderately interrupted cuts. Offering an extremely homogenous structure, the new grade provides stable performance and consistent tool life to minimise downtime and machining costs. Similar in composition to the existing CBN10 and CBN100 grades, CBN010 incorporates […]
Handy plug-in map reading light
PIC CAP The new L.E.D flexible map reading light can now plug directly vehicle accessory outlets. The L.E.D map reading light can now be directly plugged into a vehicle’s accessory outlet, making it more versatile and easy to use. A version features an accessory plug at the end of […]
EX Series injection moulders manufacture infusion equipment
Six EX Series full electric injection moulding machines are manufacturing medical infusion equipment, i.e. three-way stopcocks and large volume syringes. Close to 1 billion injection-moulded parts leave the B.Braun production lines each year under very stringent quality specifications, as most of the parts are used directly on the human body. […]
Short term improvements, structural concerns
The latest New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) Survey of Business Conditions completed during June 2013, shows total sales in May 2013 increased 1.09% (export sales increased by 23.4% with domestic sales decreasing 12.1%) on May 2012. The NZMEA survey sample this month covered NZ$501m in annualised sales, with […]
New role to address economics of disasters
A Chair in the Economics of Disasters which has been established at Victoria University will provide new knowledge to guide New Zealand in the aftermath of disasters like the Canterbury earthquakes. The Chair, believed to be a world first, will be focused on economic policy and disaster management and is […]
Consumer demands partly to blame for company failures
A University of Waikato lecturer says society needs to take some of the blame for business failures and company disasters, such as the Pike River Mine collapse and BP oil spill. Dr Heather Connolly, who lectures in strategic management at Waikato Management School, has written a book with her father […]
Our waste policies stuck in the past
New Zealand’s waste policies are stuck in the 19th century as ever-rising levels of rubbish are dumped to landfill instead of systems fit for the 21st century of more and better recycling and possibly waste incineration, a leading environmental law expert says. Waikato’s Professor Al Gillespie told the ICUN Academy […]
Cost-sharing plans needed for Auckland infrastructure
Business is in favour of an integrated, long-term approach to developing major city infrastructure, says BusinessNZ. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says Government proposals announced today for road, rail and tunnel infrastructure for greater Auckland will help address the congestion that is a huge productivity cost to New Zealand, and […]
Candid recognition of Auckland’s transport issues applauded
Recognition from the very top of Auckland’s transport issues is gratifying, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says. “We welcome the Prime Minister’s candid recognition today of the transport congestion limiting Auckland’s productivity,” said Kim Campbell, EMA’s chief executive. “The government’s efforts to make an early start on the AMETI- East […]
Propelling Smart Manufacturing in APAC to the next frontier with AI
Attributed to: Leonard Lee, President APAC, Beyond Limits As one of the global hubs for manufacturing, Asia Pacific (APAC) accounts for about 48.5% of the worldwide manufacturing output. In the region, opportunities are ripe for smart manufacturing to move to the next level, largely due to the well-developed manufacturing ecosystem and government support. Spending within the artificial intelligence (AI) market is also expected to grow to US$49.2 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.5% from 2021 to 2026. The increased investments are expected to fuel the growth of automation through the use of technologies such as robotics and control systems, thus enhancing the performance metrics of the production processes. For APAC manufacturers, the most pressing challenges in the implementation of Industry 4.0 include the reluctance to embrace new technology, a shortage of skilled personnel to oversee its implementation, as well as difficulties in measuring the ROI of smart manufacturing digital solutions. There is also a sense that competitive differentiators are rising in importance. Manufacturers know they must step up on their digital investment, as those companies with higher digital maturity have shown greater resilience and are better able to adapt to supply chain challenges with increased supply chain visibility. Providing manufacturers with a competitive advantage AI has already transformed many enterprise processes, and the use of AI technology is now treated as a business imperative. Manufacturers are exploring ways to effectively utilise their existing data and insights, boost efficiency, reduce expenses, and achieve operational advantages. However, conventional AI technology that manufacturers still rely on acts as a “black box” that creates models from data without providing any explanations. To allow manufacturers to reap the full benefits of technology, they must pivot to Cognitive AI. Cognitive AI acts as a “glass box”, providing detailed justifications for […]