Business News

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 […]

Q&A: Leigh Richardson, former co-owner,Auldhouse

You are a former co-owner of Auldhouse and have been with the company for over two decades now, which is a fantastic achievement. How have you seen the business grow and evolve during this time and what role have you played in this? I have experienced a lot of change. Auldhouse was created by a husband-and-wife team over 35 years ago, sold into BlueStar Group and then became part of Wang, later known as Gen-i. Gen-i was sold to Telecom NZ, which in due course became Spark, before the shareholders executed a management buyout 9 years ago. And of course, we have now been acquired by DDLS. It’s been fascinating to partner with many vendors such as AWS, Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, VMware and Red Hat, and see how the market has adopted their technologies over time, for example, during the shift from on-prem to cloud. It’s also been incredibly exciting to lead the evolution of training delivery since the pandemic. Traditionally, Auldhouse was an in-person training organisation with a small (but expanding) online delivery solution. We were forced to pivot to a complete online delivery format during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns. This format proved to be extremely successful and still accounts for a large percentage of our delivery now. The adoption of virtual training has opened many new training opportunities for our customers. What is the secret to staying with a business for so long and what do you specifically enjoy about working with Auldhouse so much? The secret for anyone in any role is change, diversity and tangible results for you, your team, and your customers. I have been lucky to have held roles in Auckland, Wellington and Sydney and of course being an owner for 8 years brings even more challenges and rewards. We have an incredibly […]

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

This is the 2nd in a series of 6 articles looking at how to successfully deliver your CRM project. The full series contains: The purpose of the Architecture is to help teams develop the technical capability on time and on budget whilst ensuring it solves the problem for which it was designed. The Architecture will build on the very high-level view purported in the Charter and will contain: Concepts – A conceptual view of the stack and its moving parts for communication and context Option Analysis – Platforms, Languages and Tools in light of the functional and non-functional requirements. High Level Design – Features, phases and solution requirements at a Function level Detailed Design – More definition around areas of complexity Non-functional requirements including – Security, Performance, Maintainability, Scalability, Reliability, Usability and Risk The expected outcome is that both the business and technical requirements have been incorporated into a Solution. Specific technologies may be selected, short listed or used as examples as the Architecture develops over time. The Architecture is neither a Process Diagram nor the detailed User Requirements, which will be developed in the next phase of the project. 3 x Critical Success Factors These are CSFs for the Architecture, not the Project: Match the Solution to the Business Environment This is important in all major technology solutions but even more so with CRM deployments due to its role in supporting all customer facing interactions and integrating to all other teams. The Architecture must take a strategic view of the specific functional requirements and then the significance and importance of potential reliance’s on and impacts to other teams and their processes Desire vs Reality The simple approach of Why, What and How (Before When & Who) will assist in addressing this challenge: Why: The justification of the need for […]

igus unveils world’s first urban bike made from recycled plastic

No maintenance, no corrosion- the igus:bike sets new standards in sustainable mobility With its expertise in plastics for movement, Treotham is making the concept and components available to all bicycle manufacturers on the new igus:bike platform. The first model should be available by the end of the year. The world is drowning in plastic waste. The huge piles in landfill sites are growing fast. Some of this plastic ends up in the ocean, enters the food chain, and becomes a danger to marine, animal and human life. Therefore it is most urgent to move away from the traditional linear economic model and migrate to a fully circular economy. To help this transformation, igus the motion plastics specialist has been developing and investing in ideas for recycling plastics for many years. The company recently presented a world first: The concept of a robust, durable urban bike made entirely of plastic, from frame to bearings to toothed belt. One special feature of this new bike is that the recycled version will be primarily made of reused plastics originally “single use”. “The plastic in rubbish dumps around the world is becoming a valuable resource,” explains Frank Blase, igus CEO. He first had the idea of a bicycle, now known as the “igus:bike”, on a beach while on holiday. In conversations with employees of a bicycle rental company on the beach, he found out about their major problems with beach bikes. These were continuously exposed to sand, wind and saltwater and sometimes only lasted three months before they had to be replaced. Maintenance and replacement are often expensive and time-consuming in this industry. “The igus:bike does not rust.” The igus:bike is easier to own than any other bike. Owners can leave the single-speed bike outdoors in all weather and clean it in seconds with […]

Are you still using Manual Time Sheets to record Staff time on Jobs?

The manual time sheet system for tracking staff time on jobs has been used by NZ manufacturers for over 100 years without change and without improvement. Manual time sheet reporting provides production information “too little, too late, too inaccurate and too expensive”. For example for a workshop of 10 staff the cost of manual time sheets is lost production time and administration time of $800 per week, therefore $40,000 per year. For a 20 workshop staff manufacturer the costs are $1,600 per week and $80,000 per year. By comparison, the technology of touchscreens on the workshop floor and a Labour Tracking and Management Software App subscription cost is substantially less than the cost of manual time sheets. Such Apps have 200+ screens and reports in real time and accurate production information, accurate individual staff times and job times, presented continuously throughout the day on 50 inch TV monitors in the office and on the workshop floor. If, as a NZ manufacturer with 10 workshop staff, you stopped using a 100 year old inaccurate manual system and instead used accurate new technology of touchscreens and TVs on workshop floor and the production App, you would save in excess of $650 per week and save $32,500 per year. One good Labour Management Software App option developed specifically for jobbing manufacturers and engineers involved in custom, bespoke and “one off” manufacturing is www.empowersoftware.co.nz – you will see a 20 year and 240 manufacturing clients’ track record of securing 20% to 40%+ reduction in labour times on Jobs and 20% to 40%+ reduction of labour cost on Jobs. This on a 10 workshop staff manufacturing site is 80 additional production hours per week and $6,400 additional revenue per week.

Cosmed Group – a byword for innovation, efficiency, quality and respect

For Cosmed Group, the upheaval of the last two years has been unexpectedly good for business. Based in East Tāmaki, it’s the leading New Zealand-owned contract manufacturer (OEM and ODM) for the skincare, cosmeceutical, cosmetic, baby care, hair care, pet care and personal care industries. Co-founder, Dr Olga Garkavenko, says the pandemic came into this world unexpectedly and changed the way society operates. “This has caused a lot of businesses to rethink their strategy. Not only are the established successful brands switching to us, but there’s also many new players too,” she says. Dr Garkavenko’s core strength is in Biotechnology R&D, but she says it is a team effort all round. “I’m proud of all of our dedicated and enthusiastic team members. We have more than 100 years of combined experience across all the services. “This includes Cosmetic Science Research, Ingredient R&D, Business Management, Quality Management, Environment Management, GMP Production, Cosmetic Care, Personal Care, Health Products, Consumer Products, Supply Chain, Engineering and Customer Services”. Who and what About eight out of ten of Cosmed’s clients are based in New Zealand. Most of these clients want help in developing formulation of their own brand, ensuring quality across each stage of the process. Cosmed Group creates a unique business package for each client, including VI Design, packaging solutions, product IP issues and registration. Sustainability and ethical sourcing A big selling point for Cosmed’s products are that they are made in New Zealand which has a good reputation overseas for its natural and sustainable products. The demand for natural ingredients in cosmetics is on the rise globally, and environmental issues are growing in importance, making sustainability, ethical sourcing and their related labelling schemes more prominent. Changes in consumer behaviour and lifestyles are also creating openings for natural ingredients. Cosmed Group is BioGro NZ […]

Southland businesses benefiting from investment in technology

Businesses from Southland to as far afield as Canterbury are benefiting from a new computer numerical control (CNC) laser cutter investment from Southland firm MPE Limited, the first of its kind in the region. MPE Managing Director, Chris Hughes, said offering this technological capability had been highly sought after given the current pressures on labour and the continued focus on increased productivity currently experienced by southern manufacturing industries. “We’re helping our customers where we can, by taking the manual work out of specific jobs that can sometimes take days or weeks to complete. The automated function of the laser saves time and money, leaving the staff to utilise their time and skills more efficiently to add real value elsewhere in our clients’ businesses,” he said. Not only is the new machinery the single largest investment MPE has seen in decades, it is also an investment for the general industry in the lower to mid-South Island, offering customers a new, intelligent automated option for their steel processing and engineering needs. Chris said there were several machines that cut flat plate and used similar technology, but no machines in Southland that could do this to various profiles of sections other than plate. The design software converts 3D files into a code format for the machine and then the computer’s numerical control process takes over and produces high precision parts at speed which are more efficient than traditional methods, thus saving time and resources. Not only does it cut steel sections, but it was also designed and manufactured to be able to cut through a range of different profile sections in various steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass and other material types. Chris said that MPE had further integrated into their clients’ supply chain by performing this type of work which has allowed their […]

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