Editorial

Where are our world class companies?

-Ian Walsh Some of you may have read the NZ Productivity Commission’s report into frontier firms (the top 10% most productive firms in New Zealand) and compared our productivity to other Small Advanced Economies (SAEs) such as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden. This is great research with various studies and benchmarks, and I highly recommend a read. The findings of the research were that our most productive firms have operated at around 53% of the best performing firms of those listed countries for over a decade, and there are no signs of this changing. The report identified several drivers behind this, including that we inefficiently utilise our allocations of labour, and that we don’t see benefits from technology diffusion (awareness and access to best technology that then diffuses through our markets). Contributing factors include our geography, lower levels of international trade, weak innovation system or low capital intensity to name a few. So what are the other countries doing that we are not? What can we learn from them? Firstly, they focus on internationally oriented companies, as they have a small domestic market, they are more focussed on growing and supporting organisations that are focussed on international trade. Secondly, they encourage and develop clusters of firms organised around areas of strength and capabilities. These clusters of related capabilities create scale, efficiency, and productivity gains, but more importantly they enable the innovation engine to develop. Consequently, this capability then attracts international engagement, which contributes to overcoming the technology diffusion issue. Thirdly, they invest in research and development. Most countries invest twice what we do each year as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) into R&D. New Zealand is the third-lowest R&D investor of all SAEs, which correlates with us sitting in the bottom three for productivity. New Zealand […]

Information management will unlock the digital revolution in manufacturing

George Harb, Regional Vice President APAC – Business Ecosystems During the pandemic, many industries quickly realised they weren’t as prepared for digitalisation as they thought. The manufacturing industry was no exception; the rapid shift to remote work was a challenge as the necessary digital infrastructure was not in place for many organisations. This impacted the workforce significantly by limiting information access. The manufacturing industry was already facing a challenging business environment with increased supply chain complexities and expanding regulation. COVID added new challenges to the mix forcing organisations to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances. The organisations that had sufficient infrastructure in place were able to easily transition to remote work. Advanced technologies allow for a more agile workforce however, they can only succeed when there is a proper foundation, which is an effective information management (IM) solution. Investing in an IM platform allows manufacturing organisations to be agile and pivot at a moment’s notice. This is because key stakeholders can access critical information regardless of where they are located. Organisations that fail to implement an IM strategy will fall behind competitors, given the business lacks agility and the ability to react to changing market conditions. So, how can an effective IM strategy help manufacturing organisations gain full value from the transformative technologies available today? The value of accessible data The manufacturing industry produces an astonishing level of data and the number of data collection tools is continuing to grow. For example, IDC estimated that connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices will generate 70 zetabytes of data by 2025. This increases visibility, control and efficiency, however these benefits are only achieved when useable data is created. When IoT is combined with data from other technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain, a real transformation can take place as there is […]

Kemppi Australia’s Art of Welding Competition is on again

Kemppi Australia has launched its Art of Welding Competition for 2021. The competition showcases “welding art” which can take the form of a welded sculpture, pattern design, a motif or an object. The welding process involved to create the art piece can be manual or use more advanced techniques such as robotics, lasers or friction welding. Last year, the company launched its inaugural competition and was overwhelmed by the excellent response from both professional artists and amateurs alike. “It’s amazing to see the artistic flair that is well and truly alive not just among metal artists but also welders, apprentices, teachers and hobbyists,” said Paul McVicar, Managing Director, Kemppi Australia. This year, the competition also features a dedicated amateur category. Entrants can win from a pool of four great prizes that include Kemppi welding equipment, helmets and clothing. The competition will run until Thursday 30th September and is open to anyone in Australia and New Zealand over the age of 18. For more information on how to enter visit the Kemppi Australia Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn pages or message Kemppi Australia’s social media pages directly. Alternatively, email skettos@skettos.com.au for a copy of the competition flyer.

HERA sets the scene for heavy engineering’s future with digital ‘Home for the tribe’ and Fab4.0lab

Heavy engineering research association HERA is at the forefront of the innovation march in an era of change. At its AGM on 19 May, HERA announced key initiatives designed to propel the industry forward as members focus on support for digital capability, transformation and innovation: the MetalMind app and the Fab4.0Lab for testing, implementation and research. The MetalMind app is the digital home for HERA’s training services and all things heavy engineering. It is a platform where HERA will grow and engage its tribe of metal heads and where people can share open and transparent innovation. HERA CEO Troy Coyle says, “MetalMind is our proprietary private social platform to connect with members exclusively, hold open and important conversations about steel industry issues, gather feedback, solve problems, and give people maximum value. “The big driver for developing MetalMind was our Innovation READY programme, which has been completely digitised including 10 podcast sessions with supporting content, along with the Lean Startup four-week course. “Over time members will be given early access to training materials and tutoring preparation ahead of welding certification examinations. “The people on the platform will be new to our industry right through to the most experienced, a truly diverse group who all have something to gain from engagement. “Users are onboarded into main channels and then given the information and services they need around innovation, training, education and the foundry, a newsfeed which drives conversation and delivers targeted and curated information to the industry. There will be verticals of content and services that users will progress through.” HERA Fab4.0Lab (named for the Fourth Industry Revolution, or Industry 4.0 as applied to fabrication) is a laboratory space based at HERA House in Auckland where fabricators can test concepts, new product ideas and iterations on specialist machinery that may not otherwise […]

Hoop talks to NZ Manufacturer

Chris Hood, Director, Hoop Ltd.. How long have you been in business? We’ve been operating since 2004 and are one of the only third party agencies in New Zealand that brings promotional activity to life. We’re also the largest POS logistics provider to the FMCG industry. We started Hoop because we realised that nobody was providing a comprehensive brand activation or co-packing service to leading retailers. While we’ve had a lot of success with these services for over a decade, we’ve expanded our suite of services by establishing New Zealand’s most advanced co-packing solution to support local businesses to deliver shelf-ready products. How are you finding current business conditions? Covid-19 brought about many obstacles that we never could have foreseen. We had to delay the launch of our new co-packing service, and 95% of our weekly work was put on hold due to all the lockdowns last year. Luckily, the business has bounced back to be in pretty good shape, our co-packing service is now live and operational, our merchandising service work has returned to pre-COVID levels and our POS logistics is up and running again. What are the issues facing the country’s supply chain currently? This issue has affected us more than we had first anticipated given we do not import any products ourselves. However, a large portion of our clients are fully reliant on offshore supply chain and as such, a lot of our forecasted work for the first quarter in 2021 had been postponed due to shipping issues. The workload will still come but we cannot recoup our costs that were accrued during that quarter and then when it does come, we then face the challenge of scheduling the delayed work in with our existing scheduled tasks. How difficult is it to improve these issues? It’s all […]

Nanofibre manufacturer rebrands on back of expansion

Leading New Zealand nanofibre manufacturer, Revolution Fibres, has rebranded to NanoLayr to reflect its transformation into a Deep Tech Manufacturer and a global leader in high-performance functional textiles. Founded in 2009, the Auckland-based company proved itself as a pioneer of advanced nanofibre technology using its proprietary sonic electrospinning process to manufacture nanofibre products, including filter media for N95 and N99 face masks and collagen skincare product ActivLayr. CEO Ray Connor (pictured) says the change to NanoLayr sets a platform for future innovation and the continued manufacture of nanofibre solutions that provide a competitive edge for its customers as well as benefiting society. “An increasing number of industries are embracing what nanofibre can do to make products better and stronger, to maximise performance, and establish that competitive advantage. “NanoLayr’s proprietary sonic electrospinning technology can lead the world in the production of nanofibre. Our focus is to maximise the potential of our platform technology in a way that we can make a positive impact on the lives of as many people as possible.” The rebrand follows a 12-month period where the company underwent significant expansion. It moved into a new factory over 20 times the size of its old facility and upscaled to meet global demand for nanofibre solutions across a wide range of sectors, including filter media, skincare, and sound insulation for the construction and furniture industries. “The new factory quadruples our capacity and strengthens our capability to manufacture quality functional nanofibre textiles on a vast scale to meet ongoing international and local demand,” says Connor. NanoLayr’s new 5,500m2 facility is home to five customised sonic electrospinning machines that manufacture nanofibre rolls thousands of metres long for export to markets such as Asia, Australia, and the US. The company’s new factory has significant capacity for future growth. “A single kilogram of […]

National framework provides diversity and inclusion standard for workplaces

The launch of a national framework to assess levels of workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) will give New Zealand organisations an understanding of their current capabilities, identify areas for improvement and provide the information they need to create a roadmap for transformation. “This evidence-based framework was developed for the unique diversity and inclusion dynamics faced in workplaces in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says Diversity Works New Zealand Chief Executive Maretha Smit. The Aotearoa Inclusivity Matrix measures the maturity of DEI practices across seven components: leadership, diversity infrastructure, diverse recruitment, inclusive career development, bi-culturism, inclusive collaboration and social impact. “These seven components are the foundations of a strategic approach to creating an inclusive workplace culture, which is key to tackling inequity head-on and unlocking the social and economic benefits of diversity,” Smit says. “One of the most common questions we are asked about workplace inclusion is, what does good look like?” “The AIM framework sets that out very clearly and simply.” Organisations can analyse where they sit across five levels, from starter to advanced, in each of the seven components. Diversity Works New Zealand is developing tools to assess individual organisations against the framework. These will be ready to use in the last quarter of 2021. “In time, the aggregated anonymous data will allow us to provide benchmarks by industry and organisation size so employers can assess the maturity of their DEI journey against similar workplaces,” says Smit. Benefits for workplaces Engaging with the Aotearoa Inclusivity Matrix allows organisations to: Understand what good looks like when it comes to workplace diversity, inclusion and equity (DEI) Benchmark the maturity of their DEI journey against other organisations in their sector or workplaces with similar characteristics (size, location etc) Identify and analyse gaps in current practices Create a pathway to shift the organisation through […]

City growth plans leave NZ’s manufacturing sectors in the cold

Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce calls for better consideration of commercial and industrial growth as part of city regional spatial planning in the next 30 years. The Hutt Valley is one of the largest manufacturing and technology engine rooms in New Zealand. The region has earned its name as ‘Technology Valley’ for being a hi-tech, innovative, and creative thinking hub. Boasting over four times the number of scientists, researchers, and technologists, per capita, when compared to the rest of New Zealand, the Hutt Valley is an incubator for innovative hi tech start-ups and advanced manufacturing. With a strong research and development community, motivated venture capital companies, a network of support agencies, including the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Crown Research Institutes and the city councils, the region has become a desirable place to run a business, particularly for owner-operators in the manufacturing and technology sector. As many cities and regions throughout the country experience rapid growth, it is imperative the manufacturing and technology sector is seriously considered when spatial planning for the future. Helen Down, Chief Executive of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce said smart forward thinking spatial planning supports economic growth. “For example, one of the biggest challenges facing the region is a scarcity of quality commercial and industrial buildings with good earthquake ratings, as well as Greenfield and Brownfield sites which enable businesses to build to specific requirements.” High-tech company, Times7, specialises in the design and manufacture of specialised radio frequency identification antennas, known as RAIN (UHF) RFID. From their base in Alicetown, Lower Hutt, Times7 exports all over the world. It is a well-established brand in the global radio frequency identification market. The company recently consolidated their manufacturing back onshore in their Lower Hutt facility after also manufacturing in the United States over the last four […]

Women on a mission

By Femi Perumbally, thinkstep-anz Every woman in engineering and manufacturing has her own unique experience to share. To understand the role and experiences of women working in this area, ways of moving forward, and the benefits of diverse workplaces, we talked to some of the best sources we have: our female engineers at thinkstep-anz. Nicole Sullivan, Gaya Gamage, and Vi Kie Soo are three engineers from varied backgrounds who are applying their knowledge and experience to further sustainability efforts in New Zealand and Australia with thinkstep-anz. Women in engineering have struggled with many issues over the years, from unsuitable working conditions and unfair compensation, to limited recognition for achievements, and unequal advancement opportunities. Although women still face many of the same issues to a smaller degree, this is slowly changing over time, as mirrored by the experiences of our female employees. Nicole, Gaya, and Vi Kie have a combined experience in academia and industry, and in areas spanning civil, environmental, electrical, process, and chemical engineering. We look at their diverse experiences in occupying male-dominated careers and the sustainability glue connecting their narratives. Standing out in a sea of hard-hats Nicole joined thinkstep-anz in late 2020 as Head of Strategy and Impact, adding sustainability consulting to an already impressive list of roles. With a degree in Chemical Engineering and 18 years of process engineering experience, Nicole understands manufacturing at what she calls the ‘hard-hat level’. She also understands the experience of being the only woman in a hard-hat, having been in such a situation many times and in many contexts. Being the only woman among hundreds of people while working in environmental management on one of the biggest projects at BlueScope took this experience to another level. For Senior Sustainability Specialist Gaya, working with clients such as NZ Steel and Tasman […]

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce - Chief Executive Leeann Watson

Business “largely overlooked” in Budget

Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (The Chamber) Chief Executive Leeann Watson says today’s Budget 2021 announcement has largely overlooked the role of business in the country’s economic recovery. Finance Minister Grant Robertson outlined his fourth Budget today, which focused on the three pillars of child poverty, affordable housing and climate change. Ms Watson says: “Rather than taking a balanced approach within this Budget on societal issues and the economic recovery and rebuild, it feels like the Government has taken an either/or approach. In order to focus on some of the significant issues we face in New Zealand, such as around child poverty, affordable housing and of course climate change, we need to have a strong economy, which is underpinned by our business community. So it is disappointing that the role of businesses have been largely overlooked in this Budget. “The Government has said that it is committed to tackling the foundational challenges in our economy and society, but where is the recognition of the role of business in supporting this? We need businesses and jobs to secure the livelihoods and welfare of our community.” Ms Watson says it was positive to see the final stage of investment for a new South Island Mechanical Maintenance Hub to be built at Waltham in Christchurch. “This Hub will create around 300 jobs through its construction, which is significant for the city, and will be a great asset for the region moving forward. It was also positive to see funding for a $306 million redevelopment of Scott Base, which will support up to 700 jobs over the six-year timeframe for the work and enable us to leverage our Antarctic connection, and most importantly, ensure our presence in Antarctica is safeguarded.” Included in the Budget was an investment over the next two year of $44 […]

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