New Competenz and EMA partnership strengthens support and capability for NZ business
NZ Manufacturer magazine, August 2026 Competenz and the EMA (Employers and Manufacturers Association) have announced a new partnership that extends support for employers beyond apprenticeships and vocational training into broader business capability. With both organisations supporting thousands of New Zealand businesses across engineering, manufacturing and trades sectors, the partnership gives […]
What is stopping competition in New Zealand?
As New Zealanders grapple with the cost of everyday essentials, from the supermarket checkout to power bills and bank fees, pressure is growing to address weak competition in critical sectors. Rebalancing Markets: Competition, power, and a fair economy, hosted by Business School research centre Juncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism, saw experts […]
Want to break free from big tech? ‘Self‑hosting’ could be the answer
Nikolai Hampton, School of Science, Edith Cowan University Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University You’re probably familiar with the idea that in the world of big tech, “we” are the product. Our data is the currency being traded every time we navigate our social […]
Mind the Gap: Closing the distance between AI hype and factory reality
From August 2026 issue NZ Manufacturer magazine. Manufacturers are under pressure to adopt AI fast. But an AI that doesn’t know your operation isn’t a productivity tool — it’s a liability with good grammar. Here’s why AI needs grounding before you let it loose on your business. By Ursula Riemer, […]
From Garage to Global: 20 years of Brolly Sheets
Family-owned, Kiwi-designed brand Brolly Sheets began with a problem at home. Founder Diane Hurford sewed the first Brolly Sheet after repeated middle-of-the-night bed changes during toilet training. The reusable, absorbent, waterproof bed pad quickly gained traction. What started as a homemade solution grew into a New Zealand manufacturing and export […]
NZ’s largest industrial landowner set to invest $110m in rooftop solar
New Zealand’s largest industrial landowner is set to invest over $110 million in a rooftop solar and battery storage rollout it says will lower production costs for local and export firms while reducing pressure on the national electricity grid at peak times. Over the next decade, the initiative will see […]
Stop managing outcomes, start managing behaviour
Your culture is the operating system driving those results — whether you measure it or not Ask a room of manufacturing leaders whether culture matters and every hand goes up. Ask them how they measure it, or when they last deliberately intervened in it — and the hands come down. […]
Profile: Green Gorilla tells sustainability story that matches its impact
Green Gorilla has spent more than a decade challenging the idea that waste should simply be hauled away and buried. Since 2010, the 100% New Zealand-owned business has grown into a major waste and resource recovery operator, helping customers recover more materials, reduce landfill and take a more practical approach […]
Manufacturing’s automation moment is here – now comes the workforce challenge
Jo Verry, Senior Key Account Manager at industry training organisation, Competenz You lock up your warehouse at night, switch off the lights and press play on an autonomous drone. By morning, it has flown the aisles, scanned barcodes, completed stocktakes and delivered real-time inventory data before the first staff member […]
Why the most valuable asset in your plant isn’t on the balance sheet
-Mike Warmington, Director, Platform 1 As the owner you can be the most valuable asset in the business. Manufacturing companies focus on equipment, inventory, capacity, and productivity. All are very important to success, however what is often overlooked is that a key asset is the systemisation and transferability of the […]
New Zealand talks about productivity, but does not build the capability to deliver it
From July 2026 issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine.We invite readers to feedback to us on this excellent article. How do you see things? How is Productivity in your workplace? Ian Walsh, Partner, Argon & Co New Zealand does not have a shortage of productivity commentary. We have reports, benchmarks, speeches, and […]
Pressure equipment in practice – Pressure Equipment Workshop 2026
4th September 2026 – Novotel Lakeside, Rotorua New Zealand’s manufacturing and engineering sectors are operating in a period of rapid change, where productivity, compliance, skills, and technology are all moving at once. For many businesses, the challenge is not simply keeping pace, but making sound decisions in an environment where […]
Keeping Southland Opportunity in Southland Hands
As Southland attracts increasing investment and larger projects begin to emerge across the region, Southland-based agency Naked Creative is encouraging businesses to consider whether they are positioned to capitalise on the opportunities ahead. Here comes Tender Ready! The agency, which has long championed regional development and the success of Southland businesses, believes the region’s greatest opportunity lies in ensuring local companies are ready to compete for the work generated on their doorstep. While the agency supports businesses throughout New Zealand, founder Carla Forbes says Southland’s success remains deeply personal. “We are fiercely proud of Southland and the businesses that call this region home. “We’ve spent years working alongside companies that are delivering exceptional work. We know the capability exists here.” “As Southland attracts investment and larger opportunities begin to emerge, we want to make sure local businesses are in the strongest possible position to secure that work. “The last thing we’d like to see is opportunities arriving in Southland only for that work to leave the region because local businesses weren’t ready to compete for it.” According to Senior Marketing Consultant Charlotte Neilson, the conversation has little to do with marketing in the traditional sense. “This is about regional development. We want Southland businesses to win the work. We want Southland businesses to benefit from the investment flowing into our region. The capability already exists. The challenge is making sure decision makers can see it.” Tender Ready Senior Marketing Consultant, Charlotte Neilson (left) and Director, Carla Forbes (right), discussing the Tender-Ready launch. The agency has launched a new programme called Tender Ready following conversations with business owners across Southland. While every business was different, the question was often the same. Does the way we present ourselves reflect the quality of the business we’ve built? “One of the privileges of our […]