With the recent disruption to the world’s aviation industry caused by the Norwegian volcanic eruptions, we known that anything is possible to cripple the world economy and our freedom of movement.

Let’s face it the last 18 months have been a devil of a time for peace of mind and financial security. About the only thing left to happen – god forbid! – would be a closing down of the World Wide Web and our national and international business and personal communications.

It’s all pretty complex. The sum of outside forces cannot be controlled easily but there is no better time than now for us to have a look at how we can manage our businesses in times such as these.

The Warren Buffets of the world say to research well, invest wisely and then make very good products. They believe that no time is the wrong time to take initiative and that opportunities exist everywhere.

At EMEX 2010 you will see the efforts of such people who continue to find markets by making very good products. It is simply a case of manufacturing being crucial to the continuing growth of a country’s systems and economy. The problem for New Zealand is that most of the required equipment – nearly all of it – is made overseas and we are hugely dependent on imports.

If  the required equipment is not available the food industry does not process, if wings are not made planes do not fly, if motherboards, keyboards and hard drives  are not made computers don’t exist. The issues with delayed freight planes for supply are very real, our dependence on reliable transportation systems -the life blood of our industries – all goes out the window if the system goes wrong.

So value the finely made manufacturing products at EMEX 2010 and know that they come from highly skilled companies, no matter how strong their monopoly is, that keep our industries competitive on world markets.

The ability to be competitive goes hand in hand with having the right tools for the job. Put it this way, if your company can be competitive enough to manufacture highly sought after products locally, that don’t need to be imported, that don’t fly through ash storms, we will all be better off!