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Developing smart machines and equipment to meet manufacturers’ demands

Visitors to the Rockwell Automation stand at AUSPACK 2017 will experience first-hand how The Connected Enterprise drives new opportunities to optimise production and supply chain More than 70 million people are joining the middle class every year, increasing demand on manufacturing resources and infrastructure. Meeting this demand means being more productive, sustainable and flexible. Fortunately, the convergence of new technologies including mobile devices, the cloud, and big data, can help securely connect plant information with enterprise systems. “With the right network infrastructure and the ability to integrate information across IT and control systems, industrial enterprises can coordinate operations and communications – facilitating a demand-driven supply chain,” explained Bob Hicks, OEM Segment manager at Rockwell Automation. By bridging the gap between systems, Rockwell Automation is helping connect industrial enterprises to improve operations. Smart Manufacturing, enabled by The Connected Enterprise, is driving new opportunities for end-users to optimize their production and supply chain. According to Matthew Treeby, commercial marketing manager at Rockwell Automation, “Our AUSPACK exhibit will feature machinery in action and never before seen technology. Visitors will have the opportunity to download the new Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk TeamONE app, redefining smartphone use on the plant floor to make individual workers more productive and ultimately connect all pillars of The Connected Enterprise vision.” Attendees will see how TeamONE delivers a completely new user experience and helps industrial teams improve productivity. Rockwell Automation will demonstrate how they are helping customers optimize their operations today. This interactive demo will highlight how data from smart, connected industrial assets can be transformed into meaningful insights to drive positive business outcomes. To improve communications between equipment builders and manufacturers and boost performance, Rockwell Automation recently launched a new FactoryTalk Analytics for Machines cloud application. This application will be demonstrated at AUSPACK where visitors will have the opportunity […]

It’s all cyclical

Recently, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff went on nationwide television to explain Auckland City Council’s plan to bring tighter controls for the future of the super city. He discussed the categories to be affected, including council services. Which means possible redundancies for some of the workers. It’s hard to come to grips with where Auckland is going. On one hand, you have major infrastructure underway and the change of gear to build thousands of homes. Yet the city may not need all its service workers? More rubbish to collect with less collectors. Doesn’t make sense. Is this an example, as Shamubeel Eaqub would say of, “the benefits of growth not spilling over to citizens more widely”? Why would you tighten up the city’s essential services when they are needed more than ever? Of contracting services for the good of the dollar? Here’s another example, you have Auckland with years of development ahead, which hopefully will mean new manufacturing jobs. On the other Christchurch where there is concern of a slowing down in the local economy once the redevelopment is complete. Tradespeople, engineers, manufacturers, industrial designers and the construction industry will have a field day in Auckland meeting the needs of developers who are redefining the Auckland region. Creative thinking will bring architects out of their shells with a vision of a new look city for the future which may well include a new stadium on the waterfront. In Christchurch and environs it is simply a matter of getting on with it. Local manufacturers can tender for work in Auckland’s development, just as Australian companies can. On top of this Christchurch will again pick up speed. It’s all cyclical. Not all the immigrants are going to Auckland. Products and services are needed on an on-going basis.

Bringing back jobs of the past

Dieter Adam, NZMEA We have recently talked about various Western countries positioning themselves to take industrial and manufacturing policy more seriously. It is worth further considering the future of manufacturing in relation to technology, productivity and jobs to help think about what policy moves may work, and those that may not be successful. The biggest criticism of such industrial policies currently is that some of the rhetoric is around bringing back “jobs of the past”– this has been most obvious in the United States. But it can’t be about bringing back ‘old jobs’. In most cases, those jobs are gone for reasons that can be understood, be that in the US, or here at home. All our industries have faced intense competitive pressure as manufacturing capability around the world increases, while at the same time as a country our productivity has lagged behind, and our companies have faced some relative cost increases, while our competitors have sought positions to better fit into supply chains, for example – commercial logic still dictates largely what jobs disappear overseas. What this really means is we need to look hard at taking measures to improve the competitive positioning of manufacturing in New Zealand. For our Government this means creating a set of policies and conditions that help our businesses grow and adapt, while facilitating the move into new niche areas, be that by existing companies or start-ups. Remaining globally competitive, and getting even better at it, means relentless innovation in a world where we see accelerating change in everything from consumer behaviour to product technology, methods of production and methods of doing business. How technological change effects future production will have a big part in determining what industrial jobs in the near future will look like. We continue to see automation becoming increasingly accessible, with […]

Engineering Scholarship announced on International Women’s Day

“I feel alive every single day!” Charlotte Flaherty’s decision to leave full time work, and sign up for a Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Mechanical) took a lot of soul searching, and a long time to resolve. So she’s delighted with the news that she is Otago Polytechnic’s inaugural winner of the Women in Engineering Scholarship. “I gave up full time work to do this. My self-image and status was tied up with my job, and obviously, I’ve taken a drop in income, so winning this scholarship validates my choice. The 54 year-old has been a journalist at the Daily Telegraph in the UK, a Safer Journey Coordinator at the Dunedin City Council, and (is still) a mother of two. But after studying a couple of civil engineering papers five years ago, she got a taste for engineering. “I saved for three years for the fees, but I didn’t quite have enough, so this scholarship is just perfect.” Through the scholarship, Charlotte will receive $1000 towards her fees for each year of study. “I’m moderately geekish. I really want to speak fluent maths, and I have a real desire to understand how structures and systems work and react.” Charlotte’s no stranger to study. She has a CapableNZ degree in Business Transformation and Project Management. This was gained by studying part time while working full time. But she’s decided it’s time to focus solely on her education. “I am so happy – I’m absolutely loving the study. I really believe it’s the right choice and career move for me.”

Employability skills framework welcomed

BusinessNZ has welcomed the launch of the Employability Skills Framework, to help ensure young people gain employability skills. The framework lists the workplace skills needed for all entry-level jobs (separate from the technical skills needed for a specific job). Employability skills include literacy, numeracy, using technology, a driver’s license and being drug free. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said the framework will help make it clear to young people and educators what employers want. “The transition from education to work is bumpy for many young people and this framework will help smooth the transition. “Other things to be considered include how to build these skills into course design and how best young people can demonstrate these skills to employers. “We also need clear pathways from education to work, and more work on helping students match their interests, abilities and aspirations with opportunities in the labour market,” Mr Hope said. The Ministry of Education and Careers NZ worked with employers to develop the framework.

Business group advises employers on drugs and the workplace

The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) urges business leaders to ensure they are on solid ground on the issue of drug abuse in the workplace, by having policies and procedures firmly in place and embedded in company cultures. Earlier this week the Prime Minister said several businesses a week complained to him about their problems getting Kiwi workers to pass a drugs test. He went on to say that one of the hurdles these days is just passing a drugs test, especially our young people. Various groups have disputed the Prime Minister’s claim. However, EMA’s chief exeuctive, Kim Campbell, says, “The Prime Minister’s right – it is an issue and we hear anecdotal evidence to this effect from our members regularly – especially in relation to drugs and existing employees. “It’s all very well quoting government statistics which seem to minimise the issue, but as a business leader representing more than 4000 companies from Taupo northwards, I can tell you those figures are just plain wrong. My advice to Government departments is to get better data, and we are prepared to help with that task.” The EMA also encourages all its members to put in place a clearly-understood drugs and alcohol policy, and embed it in their contracts with workers. “The risks are a fact of life of operating a business in New Zealand in 2017 and we encourage all our members to take this step in the interests of mitigating what can be very serious health and safety risks in the workplace.” The EMA also advises members that if they conclude that health and safety risks are elevated with respect to drugs and alcohol in their workplaces, they should move to the next level and consider the range of options such as random testing in the workplace and testing […]

Is your talent management strategy ready for the global skills gap?

By Alexandre Pachulski, Co-Founder of Talentsoft Our global economy has begun yet another transformation. We are in the early stages of a fourth industrial revolution that will bring major changes to our societies, driven by advances in connectivity, automation, and artificial intelligence. With that, has come a global gap in the skilled talent necessary to keep pace. As expert Klaus Schwab, puts it, “the changes are so profound that, from a perspective of human history, there has never been a time of greater promise or potential peril.” So how do we fulfill this great promise? A critical piece involves rethinking how we cultivate and manage the talent whom will be leading us forward; whom we will reply upon to innovate, deliver, and maintain these unprecedented developments in technology? The greatest promises of technology cannot be realised without human talent. For that technology to grow and for our economies to thrive, we must be aware of and work to bridge the widening global gap in qualified talent, particularly in manufacturing and STEM-dependent careers, which are central to this latest industrial revolution. There’s an exciting opportunity for forward-thinking leaders to be proactive—especially those in HR, as they are often at the centre of their company’s talent management strategy. The first step for leadership is to assess where they are right now and what changes need to be made to compete effectively in this new era. Leaders who can readily embrace new technologies and strategies will have a significant advantage over those who don’t. Key areas to assess are: Integration and Connectivity The pace of business and reliance on real-time data insists that companies embrace cloud-based technologies and software that can connect easily to existing solutions. Teams needs to be able to work from centralized data so decisions can made from up-to-date information; […]

Trade Show News:buildnz trade visitors bring $530m buying power

buildnz | designex, New Zealand’s leading trade show for the build, construction and design industries is back for 2017 with organisers, XPO Exhibitions, excited about the business opportunities available to the hundreds of exhibiting companies expected onsite. For 30 years, the NZ owned and operated and award winning buildnz | designex has been the largest and longest running industry trade show in New Zealand bringing 1000’s of qualified industry professionals and innovators together. The event organisers are quick to point out they have audited data evidencing attending visitor attendance and an impressive $530,000,000 in buying power – providing a formidable face-to-face sales and marketing platform for industry suppliers across the 3-day event. The next few years are going to be pivotal for the industry suppliers to take advantage of the growing property and construction trends in Auckland and nationwide. “There are simply no other events bringing builders, architects, planners, specifiers, designers and developers in this volume all under one roof,” says Tony Waite Events Director of buildnz | designex. Construction continues to be a key driver of economic growth for New Zealand. Growth has been underpinned by strong net migration which in turn is creating strong demand for residential construction, especially in Auckland. Non-residential construction is surging with increased demand for education and healthcare facilities as well as retail. The Unitary Plan loosens planning restrictions that will allow 442,000 more dwellings by 2040 to accommodate population growth. However, these trends are not just limited to Auckland as population growth spills over into ‘halo’ regions of Waikato, Bay of Plenty and beyond! buildnz | designex is perfectly timed to take advantage of the of $35billion annual construction spend. We asked the organisers what the three key reasons were for the 6,000+ industry professionals expected at the show. Waite explains “Our post-show […]

Engineering Scholarship announced on International Women’s Day

Employability skills framework welcomed

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