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NZ Manufacturer 2016 Media Kit www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz

Vietnam has been New Zealand’s fastest growing export market in the ASEAN region over that five year period. Tony Martin New Zealand Trade Commissioner & Consul General to Vietnam 2015 marked 40 Years of relations between New Zealand and the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN), with total exports from New Zealand to ASEAN standing at NZ$5.9bn as at June 2015. A growing number of New Zealand businesses in multiple sectors across food and beverage, ICT, geothermal, healthcare, agriculture and aviation sectors have been steadily increasing their presence in the region since the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) came in to effect five years ago. The agreement means a significant proportion of import duty tariffs have either been eliminated or reduced. Economic growth makes Vietnam viable market The ASEAN region is expecting to see GDP growth of 4.5% for the year ending 2015 and Vietnam is a key contributor to this with an expected year-on-year growth rate of over 6.5%. The medium-term prospects for economic growth in Vietnam remain strong and with Air New Zealand’s recent announcement of direct flights between Auckland and Ho Chi Minh City there is plenty of cause to see our trade relationship with Vietnam and indeed ASEAN as a region go to another level. Vietnam has been New Zealand’s fastest growing export market in the ASEAN region over that five year period with exports increasing by 78 percent since 2010. Two-way merchandise trade was NZ$1.07 billion in the year to July 2015, making Vietnam our 20th largest trading partner. Free Trade Agreements provide real opportunity This growth has been built on the platform provided by AANZFTA and the recent signing of the TPP Agreement – of which Vietnam and New Zealand are (along with Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia) member countries – will only add […]

A Lincoln University expert says New Zealand exporters will have to be on their game to reap the benefits of a huge trade access deal which has gone under the radar. Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce lecturer, Dr Eldrede Kahiya, says while the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has dominated media recently, an equally significant trade-related development has gone largely unnoticed. In August New Zealand became part of the Global Procurement Agreement (GPA). Situated within the framework of the World Trade Organization, the GPA is designed to make it easier to compete for foreign government contracts. He says this opens up a $2.65 trillion market for New Zealand exporters willing, and able, to exploit the opportunities it presents. However, New Zealand exporters really need to lift their game and neutralise disadvantages they face, he says, such as the sometimes difficult process involved with accessing international markets, our smaller scale and lesser market presence, higher costs, and an innate favouritism towards domestic suppliers. “Selling to an overseas government is not unlike playing on an unpredictable wicket which favours the home team,” he says. “Given that New Zealand is aiming to grow exports to 40 per cent of the GDP by 2025, the importance of the GPA to the Business Growth Agenda cannot be overemphasised.” The GPA presents opportunities in areas of public spending such as defence, health, education, customs and border control, aviation, transportation infrastructure, postal services, and information technology. Dr Kahiya says tendering and evaluation processes will be much more transparent to bidders, giving New Zealand exporters a fair chance to win foreign government business, however, success depends fundamentally on understanding and adjusting to the unique challenges of selling to foreign governments.

Today’s release of the Economic Survey of Manufacturing by Statistics New Zealand showed solid growth in the manufacturing sector, with all manufacturing sales values increasing 4.2% on the previous quarter, and sales of manufacturing excluding meat and dairy growing by 3.0% in the same period, say the New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA). NZMEA Chief Executive Dieter Adam says, “It’s great to see the manufacturing sector take charge and see promising results. It is particularly encouraging to see growth in higher value and complex sub-sectors of manufacturing, which help drive innovation and capability: Transport equipment; machinery and equipment manufacturing saw sales values improve 3.5% on last quarter and 4.9% on same quarter last year, furniture and other manufacturing had sales increases of 8.1% on the previous quarter and 7.5% on same quarter last year, and chemical, polymer and rubber product manufacturing sales improved 3.4% on last quarter and 3.5% on same quarter last year.” “Our own NZMEA Survey of Business Conditions has had more mixed results recently, however the results in today’s Statistics New Zealand release are in line with more anecdotal evidence and comments we have been receiving from members. Many are doing better than they have in some time, for a variety of reasons depending on their niche and markets. “The fall in the exchange rate has really helped many manufacturers regain ground in their margins – this is vital for putting our manufacturers in a position to invest in innovation, capital equipment and our people. Manufacturers have to be able to invest in their future to stay globally competitive. “Manufacturing in New Zealand has the potential to keep growing; adding value and exports to our economy. Recent challenges in dairy have highlighted the need for growth in our other diverse productive sectors. Manufacturing can be helped […]

The latest New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) Survey of Business Conditions completed during November 2015, shows total sales in October 2015 decreased 5.70% (year on year export sales decreased by 8.25% with domestic sales decreasing 0.88%) on October 2014. The NZMEA survey sample this month covered NZ$366m in annualised sales, with an export content of 64%. Net confidence fell to 6, down from 23 in September. The current performance index (a combination of profitability and cash flow) is at 103.7, up from 102.3 last month, the change index (capacity utilisation, staff levels, orders and inventories) was at 100, up from 97 in the last survey, and the forecast index (investment, sales, profitability and staff) is at 106.5, up on the last result of 104.83. Anything over 100 indicates expansion. Constraints reported were 82% markets, 12% production capacity and 6% skilled staff. Net 24% of firms reported a modest rise in productivity in October. Staff numbers for October reported no change on the same month last year. Tradespersons, supervisors, managers, professional/scientists and operators/labourers all reported a moderate shortage. “Domestic sales fell back after last month’s good result, largely unchanged to sales in October 2014. Export sales also felt a drop in October moving into the negative compared with the same month in 2014; this was after a flat sales result last month. This is somewhat disappointing, as we had hoped last months results were a positive sign of a turnaround in trend – these lower results may reflect challenges in the global environment, as well as a slowing domestic economy. The very high market constraint of 82% shows the extent to which market conditions are effecting manufacturers.” says NZMEA Chief Executive Dieter Adam. “Staff numbers remained flat in October and confidence fell after the boost it felt in September. […]

BusinessNZ says draft legislation to amend the Resource Management Act is worthwhile. Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says business is disappointed that the political landscape has made it impossible to change the Act substantively to make it more fit for its purpose of promoting sustainable development. But he says the changes contained in the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill released today could significantly improve planning and consenting processes. “While the Bill does not meaningfully address core fundamental problems with the RMA, it does make way for improvements in the way the RMA is implemented. “The Bill would give better direction to councils in developing plans, allow for faster consenting, curb council fees and constrain councils from some overly intrusive regulation – changes that would be welcomed by business. “If passed, this Bill could remove a significant amount of the frustration experienced by applicants for resource consents.” But Mr O’Reilly said he hoped future legislation would address RMA issues not addressed by the Bill including: • RMA’s damaging “either/or” approach to the environment and the economy – instead of supporting and facilitating both • RMA’s preoccupation with sustainable management, to the detriment of sustainable development • RMA’s lack of recognition of property rights • RMA’s lack of compensation for removal of property rights or loss of value • RMA’s lack of provision for contestable consenting

By digging for the gold right under your nose, you can tap into your full business potential. David Frank specialises in communications for engineering, technology, and manufacturing firms – both external (marketing) and internal (technical documentation). He uses interviewing to tap into the ‘heartbeat’ of his client’s target audience, using counselling experience and training by an ex-TV talk show host. His career has spanned engineering & technology design, project management, and sales & marketing. 0800 385 1800 | david@spectra-media.net.nz | spectra-technical-media.co.nz As I was saying in my previous article Bridging the communication gap that limits engineering & technology firms, most websites and brochures tend to be ‘self-focused’ and not very customer-friendly or appealing. Your clients are in a different world, albeit linked to yours, with motivations and interests beyond the technical issues. Who are they? Your ideal clients may be the ones who appreciate your value and tell others, are willing to pay for it, take up minimal time, or give ongoing business… profitable clients… your real target market. Let’s focus on them and screen out the ‘tyre-kickers’, unreasonable complainers, time-consumers, or people that would be better served elsewhere. What are they really looking for? The key to your success Let’s tap into their heartbeat and find out their real ‘hot buttons’ – needs, fears, problems, pain points, questions, interests, and hidden emotional reasons to buy. We can find a certain amount in discussion forums or social media, but ultimately by going to the ‘horse’s mouth’ by interviewing. This can be easiest done by an objective outsider where the client can speak freely rather than saying what the business owner wants to hear. Mining the raw gold for your marketing message Now let’s see what assets you have to satisfy those ideal client hot buttons… 1. Identify the key benefits […]