Analysis

Choose applications relevant to your needs

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023 -Adam Sharman, Senior Partner, dsifer As organisations look to embrace the benefits of digitisation through automation, IoT and AI, a trend is emerging that embraces the growing availability, specificity and cost effectiveness of a plug-and-play approach to developing an IT and data architecture. Advances in functionality, connectivity and speed to deployment have resulted in the ability to pick and choose applications that are relevant to the specific requirements of the organisation’s industry, operations and environment at a time when the vast majority of IT professionals report significant time waste due to bloated, generic applications. Whilst this trend towards a plug-and-play system architecture has multiple benefits, it requires careful consideration of the underpinning data architecture to ensure that, not only are data privacy and sovereignty maintained but that the data generated by the plug-and-play ecosystem is collected and utilised as a performance and strategic asset. In our interactions with manufacturing businesses in New Zealand and the UK, we are seeing the importance of establishing an independent, centralised data architecture as an enterprise asset to support the plug-and-play IT architecture, receiving data feeds from the operational systems, and using a combination of these source datasets to create meaningful and actionable insights. There is still much debate on the relative benefits of physical centralisation (data lakehouse) versus a virtually centralised (data mesh). In our experience, both have their place depending on the organisation’s context. However, the key characteristic of the data architecture that supports a plug-and-play IT approach are that the data assets, architecture and governance are independent of the IT applications, data siloes are removed to support integrated enterprise insight and access points are decoupled to accelerate collaboration whilst maintaining data integrity. Organisations who have adopted this approach report multiple benefits, including: Enhanced Data Governance and […]

Seven good news sustainability stories in manufacturing in 2022

-Dr Barbara Nebel, thinkstep-anz As 2022 draws to a close, it’s time to spread a little Christmas cheer. Here are seven good news stories that show the progress the manufacturing sector made this year to become more sustainable. We have a national Emissions Reduction Plan In June the government introduced New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP). The ERP sets the context for sustainability in New Zealand. It contains the strategies and policies that will make our Zero Carbon Act 2019 happen and move all industries, including manufacturing, to a low-emissions economy over the next three decades. ‘Carrots and sticks’ will encourage (and require) manufacturers to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the products they make, the heavy transport, freight, energy and buildings they use, and the waste they discard. Our June article provides more information. NZ Manufacturer June 2022 by Media Hawkes Bay Limited – Issuu Manufacturers are measuring their products’ environmental impacts We’re encouraged to see more manufacturers, in more industries, investing in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for their products and packaging. LCA measures a product’s environmental footprint: from sourcing (and maybe growing) the raw materials, to making the product, to using it and disposing of it at the end of its life. LCA can measure many impacts, including the energy and water used and the carbon released (the product’s ‘carbon footprint’). Food manufacturer Comvita has commissioned an LCA. The company wants to understand how to reduce the carbon footprint of its honey at all stages of the product’s life cycle. Manufacturers are communicating their products’ environmental impacts The list of registered Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for New Zealand-made products continues to grow strongly. An EPD is a verified, publicly available document that summarises a product’s environmental footprint. EPDs start life as LCAs. There are EPDs for many products […]

2022- A Year in Review for HERA

-Dr Troy Coyle 2022 was possibly the most successful year for HERA in its over 40-year history. This was certainly the case for research grant success and strengthening our research capability for the manufacturing and construction sectors. Decarbonisation In 2022, we at last launched our zero carbon steel program Hōtaka Whakakore Puhanga Waro (mo te Hua Rino). This program allows zero carbon steel to be specified, with credible offsets certified by Ekos. The offsetting requirements are based on credible life cycle analysis and Environmental Product Declarations and offer additionality (i.e. they reliably lead to reduced net carbon) through nature positive offsetting via planting and regeneration of native forests that offer biodiversity and local employment benefits. This program offers zero carbon options for most steel products used in New Zealand, including stainless steel, rebar, roofing and cladding, light gauge and structural steel. This comprehensiveness, reliability and independence makes it a first of its kind globally. We also commenced development of Australasia’s first material passport. This work will see steel re-use at end of life be supported and we hope that once developed, this can be rolled out across many building materials. This will make buildings become “banks of materials”, where materials can be “withdrawn” and re-used. This has obvious carbon benefits. Manufacturing industry support I continue to be engaged with key developments in the manufacturing sector, joining the Advisory Board for the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan and co-sponsoring the Innovation and Sustainability workstreams. I also was re-elected to the role of Co-Chair of Hanga-Aro_Rau, the Workforce Development Council for Manufacturing, Engineering and Logistics. HERA was also one of only two international partners in the newly created $260 million Australian-based Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites Capability Cooperative Research Centre (SoMAC). Leading the way for Construction 4.0 HERA was awarded $10.3 million […]

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Is digital the way to world class?

-Ian Walsh, Partner, Argon & Co I am pleased to say that over the last couple of years there has been a growing interest in the use of digital techniques and tools in NZ. However, it is imperative that we build this understanding rapidly so good decisions can be made. The potential to improve productivity in NZ is enormous and the early adopters of the right digital technologies will be the big winners. There’s been a lot of confusion regarding the terminologies and descriptions that come with digital adaptation. Industry 4.0, Lean 2.0, Internet of Things (IoT) and suchlike being used to describe it, and with all this jargon it’s no wonder that a lot of decision makers are scratching their heads. But the questions they are asking are quite simple: What is it? What does it do? How will that help my business? What does it cost? How hard is it to implement and maintain? These actually are the same questions most businesses would ask about any initiative or capital purchase. As with many shiny toys to ‘upgrade’ our businesses we sometimes get lost in the features rather than the benefits. Being able to collect data in real time might be cool, but if it does nothing other than add cost to your bottom line then it is also waste! We’ve all heard a story of excessive spend on IT with little to show for it. Hence why the uptake has been so slow, with business owners wanting to understand the benefit before committing any capital. The fundamentals are still the same. Having good continuous improvement framework, process understanding and business structures are the cornerstones of a successful digital journey. As with more traditional Lean methods you must understand the customer and the value they will pay for then […]

New research to develop first overarching data connectivity standardisation

-Dr Troy Coyle, CEO, HERA Last month I shared the news of the Endeavour Fund’s support for HERA’s four-year research project focused on transforming the construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Today, I wanted to introduce the key research themes and programs which will interact and interconnect as part of the overarching research. The wider program will develop New Zealand’s first standardisation infrastructure for vertical integration of construction participants’ systems, as well as horizontal integration of the value chain and collaborative networks. Key programs: Circular Design: Using Construction 4.0 enabled data to identify target areas for optimisation and creating a better design. The hypothesis is that structural synthesis system can fulfil optimisation requirements, in which a cost/environmental impact function is minimised considering constraints on design and manufacturability. Smart Construction: Investigating intrinsic properties and invariant signatures of construction objects, such as footings, slabs, and beams , as well as their synergistic structural performance, to create a new end-to-end computational platform for design and manufacture. Monitoring 4.0: Developing a framework for objective/improved monitoring and performance assessment of structural systems using in-situ data and numerical models, as well as optimal instrumentation plans to maximise the information gain while limiting cost. Key themes: Mātauranga Māori and Construction 4.0: Addressing the gap of knowledge by building a uniquely Māori framework. This will create new knowledge domestically and be an international example of indigenous knowledge. As no Construction 4.0 framework currently exists, this is an exciting opportunity to build in Mātauranga Māori from the onset. Construction 4.0 Technology Transfer: Developing an alternative to traditional linear knowledge/technology transfer in New Zealand construction. This new approach will draw on the principles of co-creating value and models for knowledge flows in innovation ecosystems, including regulatory governance models and related policy by and for the sector. Sustainable Future: Adapt and extend […]

How to successfully deliver your CRM project with Clarity, Simplicity and Certainty.

-Scott Fuller, Xception This is the third in a series of six articles looking at how to successfully deliver your CRM project. Taking the time to look past the functional capability offered by a company will determine if you want a Partner or a Vendor. There are very good reasons to purchase your CRM solution from a Vendor, implement it asap and then just pay the Licence Fees for the term of the Agreement. Full Stop!! There are however more and far better reasons to look ahead to see how your full CRM ecosystem (Refer to Article 2 in this series) will support the evolution and growth of your business in the long term and how valuable a Partner can be. The behaviours of your Partner, vs a Vendor, are highlighted in Table 1 below. In short, a Vendor will give you exactly what you asked for and how you can leverage the generic capability and services. A Partner will take the time to understand your business, as well as technology, requirements and use them to drive out the right solutions. Project Factors Partner Vendor Shared Vision Drives the program Fits it to the tool Detailed Requirements Designs solutions Presents capability Functional Fit Customises for purpose Allows configuration Acceptance Testing Fully involved Facilitates how-to Training & Support Personalised / Periodic Modular / Static Resources – Time & $$$ Quoted / Evolves Fixed / Inflexible Table 1 – Partner vs Vendor So before starting your search for the right CRM, start by deciding the characteristics of your Partner, or Vendor. Will you deal directly with Vendor or via an implementation Partner? Either way, how do want to engage, what involvement do you expect, what services will you require to compliment your in-house resources? Is it more cost effective to pay an […]

Computer Recycling

If we want to create business solutions that better serve the environment, we need to shift our manufacturing mindset from take, make, waste – to reduce, return, reuse. This circular economy mindset, whereby products can be endlessly used through continuous business systems, is what gave birth to Computer Recycling. Computer Recycling is Aotearoa’s leading electronic waste recycler, recycling more that 4.8 million kilograms of waste since it was bought by Managing Director, Patrick Moynahan in 2018. Patrick took out a loan and used his personal savings to purchase and consolidate Computer Recycling into what it is today. The company’s goal is to eliminate electronic waste from the country’s landfills by actively engaging in sustainable recycling and reuse practices – a mission focused on driving Aotearoa’s circular economy. The average Kiwi produces 20kg of e-waste per year, which is one of the highest amounts per capita on Earth. That’s around 80,000 tonnes of e-waste per year – estimates suggest that a mere 2% of it is recycled. A lot of people don’t consider what happens to electronics, or waste in general, once it’s in the bin. It’s trickier for e-waste given it contains toxic plastics and metals which can harm our environment. That’s why it’s important e-waste is properly disposed of, and where applicable, recycled. For businesses, it’s one thing to manufacture and sell a product, but there needs to be equal consideration for what happens to that product at the end of its life. Businesses need to be responsible for a product’s entire lifecycle. It’s their responsibility to ensure products are disposed of / recycled properly, and they need to educate customers on appropriate disposal habits as part of that. At Computer Recycling, e-waste is both refurbished and recycled. Once the e-waste is gathered, it’s then brought back to Computer […]

A powerful recipe for innovation & growth

Greg Balla, CEO, Aofrio. Adding software to hardware – AoFrio is a New Zealand technology leader that few local people know about. With deep manufacturing and hardware roots, the company has decades of experience supporting food and beverage companies around the world with their refrigeration. Now, the business has innovated beyond hardware and invented the world’s first Internet of Things (IoT) platform for commercial refrigeration. The combinations of hardware, like motors and fans, and smart IoT-enabled refrigeration controllers and sensors help customers sell more products, save costs, track assets, gain insights to do business better and save on energy and carbon emissions. AoFrio is growing into a hardware-enabled, software as a service (SaaS) provider. It’s their pathway to lifting recurring revenue (because they sell their solution ongoing to customers), to expanding in existing markets and exploring new regions around the world. But the path to getting there has been long and not without its challenges. In the words of Greg Balla, CEO of AoFrio: From where I sit now, it’s easy to see a future where hundreds of millions of refrigerators around the world are connected to AoFrio’s platforms, giving us data to drive powerful, purposeful outcomes for customers. But there are many moments in AoFrio’s history that plotted the way to becoming the company we are today. We’re now in the position where we can couple our hardware abilities with software and data-driven insights to give clear customer insights and actions that are impactful to their bottom line. One of the turning points for us is around 2012. The company was tired of purely competing on price. Deciding instead to design the best refrigeration motor in the world. We set a goal that our electronically controlled motor would be better than the competition in every single respect. Most […]

Major international collaboration at the forefront of Construction 4.0

Dr Troy Coyle, HERA CEO I was on leave in the middle of the Australian bush, koala spotting, when we got the great news that after years of work in the background, our Endeavour Funding bid for $10.3 million had been successful. The need for this project had been brought to my attention during my member visits in my first 90 days as CEO of HERA, initially by Wayne Carson, Managing Director of D&H Steel Construction. I asked other members for their views in subsequent meetings, and heard the industry reflect that this was a big issue. How it was told to me (in summary) that there was a nexus between design, construction and beyond, leading to inefficiencies. There was a lot of data and knowledge floating around but it wasn’t connected, optimised or in an easily used form. Having established that it was a broader problem for the sector, I knew HERA had to do something to assist in solving that problem, including how decisions were optimised for sustainability. I also knew this was going to be a technically challenging (and huge) project requiring an Industry 4.0 approach. That member feedback, along with HERA’s commitment to its vision “of securing tomorrow’s future by innovating today” is what led us on a four-year long journey to get this project running. Why is this project important for the sector? Currently, there is a profound limitation in the way construction is performed in Aotearoa New Zealand. The challenge is that complex decisions are being made based on simple data inputs. Decision points in the process are in linear silos with little inter-connection or data-derived decision support. The process is entrenched and far from optimised. For example, designers do not have adequate tools to optimise designs for ease of manufacture/fabrication, let alone the ability to resolve the […]

Comvita’s Harmony Plan: sustainability strategy built on purpose and values

Comvita’s ambitious sustainability strategy, its Harmony Plan, is guiding the Bay of Plenty-based manufacturer to ‘leave the world in a better place’. The global market leader in Mānuka honey and bee consumer goods set out, almost 50 years ago, to work in harmony with bees and nature in New Zealand, to heal and protect the world. From the beginning, the company’s aim has been to help people feel better and live well. The Harmony Plan – an interconnected ecosystem Comvita has identified where it can have the most impact and has built its sustainability plan around four cornerstones. The company aspires to be a leader in climate action, act as kaitiaki (guardians) for bees, restore balance in nature, and invest in its people and communities. ‘The Harmony Plan reflects the commitment we hold ourselves to. To be successful, we have to deliver positive outcomes for all our stakeholders,’ says Heather Johnston, Comvita’s Head of Safety and Sustainability. Comvita’s tips for making progress on sustainability Heather is keen to share Comvita’s experience to help other manufacturers make progress. She offers this advice. Understand your ‘why’ Start by identifying your purpose. Why are you in business? Link this purpose to everything you do: how you produce, package and market your products, how you train your team and build your culture, how you manage your supply chain. For the team at Comvita, the ‘why’ was simple. They want to heal and protect the world by working in harmony with bees and nature. Focus on what matters – from the start Making progress on sustainability is about tackling the right things at the right time. “Don’t go for the ‘shiny’ things,”says Heather. “Keep purpose at the core, prioritise what matters most and where you can have an enduring, positive impact – in your business […]

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