Sean O’Sullivan

If we all had the ability to look forward like Henry in The Time Travellers Wife business would be in great shape. But we don’t and on a day by base we do the best we can creating some extremely good products for export in the time zone we live in.

Which leads me to one of the key parts of October issue, our focus on Export Success. Many people have been part of the energy which has brought this section together and their views, observations and experiences have been invaluable.

The chief executive of Opportunity Hamilton, Sandra Perry, tells us about the Waikato’s specialist manufacturing sector which is making a global impression. This includes companies such as Gallagher and NDA, Micro Aviation and ASR.

On the north shore of Auckland is Fraser Cars handcrafters of Lotus 7 replicas since 1988 with up to 65 percent exported overseas.

Marque Magnetics, another Auckland company, which designs and manufactures transformers, chokes and a wide range of specialty electronic wound components, has companies from Asia and the USA utilising their services.

Adam Bennett, NZTE”s director of specialised manufacturing sees his organisation’s focus as being on marine, aviation, geothermal, advanced materials and building solutions companies. Those who are good at Modularity and can slip into the global supply chain can succeed on international markets.

Peter Chrisp, chief executive, NZTE makes it abundantly clear that government expects greater development of export markets with one focus being on the growing middle class in Asia.

And there’s more. We also look at innovations on show at ‘The Cloud’ and Technopak’s brilliant design engineering which puts them up there with the best in the world.

And I can’t finish without mentioning Sean O’Sullivan, managing director of Empower Marketing Ltd who has the concerns of all of us at heart when he talks about manufacturing in China (Page 5). Sean had the tenacity to put down on paper what I suspect  a lot of you know or are thinking. Your next move Mr/Ms reader… send in your thoughts.