New Zealand manufacturers are a sturdy, determined lot mostly pushing uphill against the surge of imported products that flood the country.

Many of my conversations with them come down to this: We can’t make enough large volume products to be truly competitive with the same imported products. And imported products are difficult to compete against in price – not always quality.

Small run manufacturers from around the regions have been describing their competitive advantage, or more accurately, how to find it. This matters because everyone wants to be successful. No company in New Zealand supplies an order for 100,000 widgets because the market just isn’t here.

It comes down to: the right staff making the right product for the right market on a quality basis, at the right price.

It also comes down to the (potential) New Zealand client buying New Zealand made.

And when it comes to export markets locating the client, ‘sealing the deal’ is a real challenge. The world is full of options but sometimes through our quality we can make the products that make the difference.

The world found that out recently with the All Blacks winning the world team of the year award. They performed…they were quality…they were the difference.

-Doug Green, Publisher, NZ Manufacturer