From February issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine

New Zealand’s manufacturing sector has always relied on one core strength: capability. Not scale or low-cost production, but the practical skill, judgement, and adaptability of the people who make things here.

In a recent podcast, Caliber founder Jonathan Prince spoke with Gareth Dykes and Derek Manson from Fi innovations about how that capability is built over time.

Their story is a reminder that sustained engineering know-how, not quick wins, is what underpins resilient manufacturing in New Zealand.

Fi Innovations is a Southland business with deep roots. What began as a specialist plaster and fibreglass shop has expanded into composites, industrial flooring, moulding, and now advanced additive manufacturing.

They have diversified far beyond their original customer base and invested early in technologies that many companies were still evaluating. Their journey illustrates what it takes for a regional manufacturer to build resilience and stay relevant in a changing industry.

One of the strongest themes in the discussion was the role of persistence. Fi Innovations focused on building long-term relationships by showing up, solving real problems, and delivering consistently. Some of their most significant customer partnerships began with small, speculative jobs. Steady effort turned these into ongoing programmes of work.

This is a familiar pattern across much of New Zealand industry where trust, reliability, and follow-through often matter more than formal processes.

Another theme is the value of people. Gareth and Derek were clear that the strength of their business lies in the capability of their team. Their growth into new materials and technologies was made possible by people who were willing to learn, experiment, and solve problems in practical ways.

This emphasis on people aligns with what many manufacturers know: technology investment only works when capability grows alongside it.

“We’re not here to make CAD models. We’re here to make parts.”

Their move into additive manufacturing is a good example. Fi Innovations invested early, taking on the risk of adopting new technology before the market fully demanded it. They did this because they believed it was the right direction for the industry to head. Over time, as materials improved and applications expanded, the decision proved correct.

Additive is no longer only for prototyping. It is becoming part of production processes across aerospace, medical devices, tooling, and specialised industrial components.

The podcast also highlights a challenge and opportunity for New Zealand. We need to keep building capability across regions, not just in major centres. Some of the most innovative work in the country happens in places like Southland, where tight-knit teams and practical thinking create an environment suited to experimentation and problem-solving. As Fi Innovations shows, regional manufacturers can deliver world-class work.

This is where collaboration matters. New Zealand’s engineering and manufacturing ecosystem works best when design, production, materials specialists, and technology providers learn from each other. Capability grows faster when companies share knowledge, work jointly on problems, and help raise the baseline of technical skill across the sector. This collective mindset is good for individual businesses and good for New Zealand.

“We want to do our bit for NZ Inc and help build capability in New Zealand.”

At Caliber Design, we see the same trend across the companies we support. The organisations that will thrive in the next decade are those that invest in capability early, develop their people, and connect strongly with partners who strengthen their skill base.

 Whether through composites, digital manufacturing, or design-led engineering, the principle remains the same: New Zealand’s future competitiveness depends on continuing to lift capability at every stage of the development and production process.

The conversation with Fi Innovations is a reminder that innovation does not happen in isolation. It grows from long-term thinking, practical experimentation, and a commitment to doing what is right for NZ Inc.

The more we focus on building capability, the stronger and more resilient our manufacturing sector will become.

Listen to the full episode of Talking Innovation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vv1wHbwhS7FWeCekXGgVo?si=M4xEP6npTs-3KsCuQbwyQA