FeatureCAM includes Vortex milling calculator
FeatureCAM 2015 R2 includes the Vortex milling calculator to help users obtain the maximum benefit from the high-efficiency area-clearance strategy. The 2015 R2 release of Delcam’s FeatureCAM feature-based CAM software incorporates a milling calculator to help users obtain the maximum benefit from the Vortex […]
Resource development framework has serious problems
New Zealand’s resource development framework has serious problems and needs urgent reform, says BusinessNZ. The Environmental Protection Authority today declined consent for Chatham Rock Phosphate to mine offshore for rock phosphate. The company had invested $33 million in its bid to meet EPA requirements for the enterprise, and now suggests […]
Wage growth needs productivity growth
The latest study by the Productivity Commission is a useful, although partial, insight into the economy, says BusinessNZ. The study Who benefits from productivity growth? – The labour income share in New Zealand measures the share of overall income earned by labour compared with that earned by capital. It shows […]
Start-up StretchSense wins world recognition in wearable technology
StretchSense, a start-up which develops and manufactures wearable sensors, has been selected by an international jury as one of the world’s most innovative wearable technology companies. The Auckland-based company was named a finalist from more than 500 global entries in the WT Innovation World Cup 14/15, the leading worldwide innovation […]
NZ jobless rate rises to 5.7% in 4th-quarter
New Zealand’s jobless rate unexpectedly rose in the fourth quarter, even as the participation rate climbed to an all time high, as employment lagged behind the record number of people entering the workforce. The unemployment rate rose to 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, from 5.4 percent three months earlier, […]
Vocus and Spark form construction joint venture for fibre
Vocus Communications, the Australian fibre network and datacentre company, has entered into an agreement with kiwi telco Spark New Zealand to form a new construction joint venture, Connect 8. Under the joint venture deal, Spark will acquire half of Connect 8 for an upfront cash payment and an agreed level […]
Local government funding review short on new ideas
The Funding Review report issued by Local Government New Zealand today offers few new insights on how councils should pay for the infrastructure needs of the communities they represent and exist for, the Employers and Manufacturers Association. “A much wider range of revenue raising measures and techniques are used by […]
SouthMACH 2015 an event to look forward to
SouthMACH 2015 is the South Island’s largest trade only exhibition and 2015’s must attend event for anyone in the Manufacturing, Engineering, Machinery & Electronics industries. Free to all registered visitors, SouthMACH will be held at the Horncastle Arena, Addington, Christchurch over two days from 22-23 July 2015 showcasing the latest […]
End of year cheer
Expansion in the manufacturing sector lifted during the last month of 2014, according to the latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI). The seasonally adjusted PMI for December was 57.7 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining). This […]
Low inflation allows for OCR cut
Today’s CPI release by Statistics NZ showed low inflation pressure, with a fall of 0.2% in the December quarter and a rise of 0.8% for the year ended December. This low inflation means the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) could cut the OCR to support growth and help with […]
Skilled job vacancies rise in December
The number of skilled vacancies advertised online in New Zealand rose 1.1 percent last month to its highest level in nearly six years as the Canterbury rebuild increased demand for skilled construction workers and engineers, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The skilled vacancies index increased to a […]
StretchSense develops and manufactures wearable sensor
The Auckland-based company was named a finalist from more than 500 global entries in the WT Innovation World Cup 14/15, the leading worldwide innovation competition in the fast-growing wearable technologies industry. One of its partners Heddoko, which has incorporated StretchSense technology into its 3D sensing sports body suit, was also […]
Innovation in adversity: Transformative approaches to outsourcing
As the year winds down, businesses across New Zealand reflect on lessons learned and strategise for growth. For some, this year has been transformative, driven by innovative approaches to overcoming industry challenges. Director of Auckland public relations agency Impact PR Mark Devlin, discusses how selective outsourcing can be leveraged to expand capacity and access lucrative export markets. For many SME manufacturers, this is a frenetic time of year. Trying to pack in two months of production and administration along with plans for time with the family in the three weeks before Christmas can be exhausting. The public relations sector is no different. Media continue to churn out content, client crises and issues still arise (frequently when the CEO is at the beach for some reason) and we work with journalists looking for stories they can hold to publish over the summer season when the news cycle tends to quieten. That said, the end of the year is often the only time many of us will get to reflect back on lessons learned and look ahead to better more efficient ways of achieving business growth. Over the past 12 months, I have worked with two businesses in very different sectors that stood out in this regard. Both of these have developed new ways of overcoming the challenges associated with outsourcing to dramatically expand their capacity and develop new export markets. Wool carpet manufacturer Bremworth is a great example of how unanticipated adversity can be turned into an opportunity for growth. In the months following the extensive damage to their Napier facility caused by Cyclone Gabrielle, the company moved to develop a hybrid manufacturing model under which New Zealand wool is sent offshore to be spun into yarn and dyed – before being sent back here to be made into premium wool […]