Editorial

EMEX is a big deal…

May issue, NZ Manufacturer includes our second Preview of EMEX 2024. Click on the link below to read. Because it is the premier trade fair in the country for the manufacturing sector. Where visitors can see the best of the best all in one place. An example of an exhibitor is Datum Machines Ltd of Wellington, a manufacturer, who has been designing and engineering over 18 months the Series One Gantry Mill CNC machine from the ground up. NZ Manufacturer May 2024 by Media Hawkes Bay Limited – Issuu This machine is for companies wanting to add CNC automation to their production workflow and increase productivity. At an extremely competitive price. A labour of love, devotion and lots of money, the machine, an example of great Kiwi ingenuity, is on display at EMEX 2024, on Stand 4115. As much as it is an event to discuss business – buying or selling, export opportunities etc – it also benefits visitors who want to discuss industry trends and share stories of success. New Zealand has a rich history of inventions and product development, something that became clear to me a little while back when I produced for this show’s organisers a History of Manufacturing in New Zealand document which went back as far as the early 1900’s. Today’s innovators, using different technologies and equipment, manufacturing for the needs of the times, have a rich history to fall back on, on the path to success. So, let’s keep manufacturing strong. We certainly do have our challenges in today’s environment. But they are only challenges. We adapt, we change, we keep moving forward. We keep making the next ‘big thing.’ -Doug Green, Publisher

Improving workplace literacy skills: A key to unlocking staff potential and lifting productivity

From May issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz -David O’Connor, Commercial Manager, The Learning Wave There is no shortage of evidence – both research-based and practical examples – that productivity continues to be one of the main challenges to the long-term growth and success of the Manufacturing sector here in New Zealand. Coupling this challenge with an aging workforce, and barriers to attracting new skilled labour means that many businesses have significant skills, capability, and capacity issues that are holding them back, or restricting their ability to adapt and respond to market opportunities. One of the constants that we hear from our clients is about how to address the underlying literacy challenges in both their frontline staff and supervisors. While many businesses might have ‘done’ literacy training (often in small numbers) in the past, they often have not seen the benefits of this training in terms of changes to the shop floor or seen any flow-on effect to productivity. Workplace literacy is more than just someone’s ability with basic reading and writing skills. Today’s workplace demands mean that workplace literacy needs to include comprehension of complex work instructions, critical thinking and problem-solving, strong verbal and written communication skills, numerical and analytical skills, and the growing need for everyone to have to digital mindset and skills to work in our ever-growing digitally rich workplaces. Misinterpretation of instructions, inability to comprehend safety guidelines, or errors in recording data can lead to costly delays and rework. Imagine a scenario where a worker misreads a critical measurement or mishandles a machine due to a misunderstanding of operating procedures. The repercussions extend beyond mere inconvenience; they affect the bottom line. According to the 2016 Survey of Adult Skills, around one in five people in the New Zealand Workforce have very low literacy skills and a further […]

What matters more, excellence or impact?

Are we happy with a process that potentially knocks out the most impactful science before it can even be considered? By Dr Troy Coyle, HERA CEO The Aotearoa New Zealand research, science and innovation (RSI) system is one that purportedly values and rewards research excellence and research impact equally. Despite this, the current system favours an approach that focuses on excellent research that has impact vs impactful research that is excellent. It is a subtle difference but let me explain how that plays out in practice and why there is an inherent bias. For me, this is an important discussion to have as it has flow-on impacts for industry-led research – which is mostly impact-led. The road to funding According to MBIE “the Endeavour Fund plays a unique role in the science system through an open, contestable process with a focus on both research excellence and a broad range of impacts”. The indicative investment in the 2024 investment round is $57 million per year (projects range 2-5 years). This makes it a key, if not the key, research investment mechanism for research organisations in Aotearoa. It is highly competitive, with most Universities, Crown Research Institutes and Independent Research Associations competing for this pool of funding. As a result, the success rate is very low (usually below 20%). The application process is onerous and it is run in set rounds, with only one round per year. Missing out on funding can have crippling effects for many organisations. The two main criteria for assessment are excellence and impact. However, excellence is assessed first and then only the top ranking submissions are progressed to the next step where they are assessed for impact. Essentially, this means that research excellence is given priority in practice. There could be an amazingly impactful research proposal that […]

The relentless pursuit of “Better, Faster, Smarter”

-Catherine Lye, CEO, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa Having arrived late to the viewing of the latest Netflix series, “Drive to Survive,” I couldn’t help but notice the striking parallels between Formula One and our manufacturing/engineering industry. Both embody precision engineering, composites, CNC Machining, additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and, crucially, teamwork. Manufacturing is a team sport. Across manufacturing, achieving industry “fit for purpose” embodies the essential quest to align skills with the sector’s dynamic purpose-driven landscape. This necessitates a concerted effort towards upskilling the workforce, ensuring that competencies seamlessly merge with the industry’s fast-changing needs and objectives. Whether embracing advanced technologies, sustainable practices, or fostering innovation, being “fit” demands a workforce adept at navigating the intricate demands of a purpose-driven business. From mastering cutting-edge machinery to embracing sustainable production methods, the journey towards industry fitness entails a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation. Ultimately, by cultivating a workforce equipped with the right skills and mindset, manufacturing can assert its relevance, efficacy, and sustainability in fulfilling its broader purpose within the global economy – economic development, driving productivity, employment, a vehicle for social development, entrepreneurship and wealth creation. Fostering innovation and technological advancement, acting as a catalyst for progress across various sectors, driving growth and enhancing societal well-being on a local, regional and global scale. We must reimagine manufacturing for the next generation. They are the future drivers of our factories. Younger people are seeking problems to solve. You hear stories about them wanting to be YouTube SuperStars, Influencers, but they are just as serious as well as anyone else about earning good money and doing what they can to change and make a difference in the world. Manufacturing presents an intriguing and interesting career choice for them – a change to innovate and solve problems in new ways. To ensure industry competitiveness, […]

Mark Devlin appointed Advisor to NZ Manufacturer magazine

We are delighted to announce that Mark Devlin of Impact PR is joining NZ Manufacturer as an Advisor. Mark has first hand experience with manufacturing in New Zealand and has the background to add to the magazine’s content, profiling businesses going forward. Having owned food manufacturing and distribution businesses for a decade, Mark consults to several New Zealand manufacturing firms including wool carpet brand Bremworth, aircraft exporter NZAero and cereal maker Sanitarium. Apart from all that, Mark is a great writer! –Doug Green, Publisher

There are no silver bullets to sustained productivity

From May issue NZ Manufacturer -Ian Walsh, Argon & Co It’s great to see the recent upsurge in discussions regarding the need for New Zealand to be more productive. This discussion is long overdue. The problems with New Zealand’s productivity have been masked by employees working harder for longer hours, and a surge in immigration providing excess labour, rather than working smarter. This has kicked the productivity problem down the road, and masked the reality that almost all other countries in the OECD are more productive per labour hour than we are. It is a shame that we’ve waited until we’ve run out of levers to pull, the platform to burn, and for our economy to be in arguably its worst shape ever for us to confront this brutal reality. As ever in these situations there are many peddling solutions looking for a problem. They offer silver bullets with IT and digital solutions, which look great in demonstrative environments but often don’t deliver fully when implemented. With that said, this does identify a further problem – that we are behind in digital adoption, investment in R&D and technology. However, to suggest that by addressing the digital adoption gap we will also address the productivity gap is somewhat erroneous. Digital solutions aim to automate or improve the efficiency of existing processes and ways of working, and these tools can enhance productivity when successfully implemented with careful planning, training, and change management. However, to be effective these tools need efficient, consistent physical practices and operational processes to work alongside and model. This is where these solutions aren’t replicating the success of the demo environments they’re sold on – the real operations of our businesses aren’t the tidy and optimally-structured brainchildren of software developers. They’re chaotic factories, reactive back offices, haphazard warehouses, and […]

NZ made gantry mill cnc machine doesn’t cost the earth

DATUM Machines Ltd, who are exhibiting at EMEX 2024, have, over 18 months, designed and engineered the Series One Gantry Mill CNC machine from the ground up. The result is a rigid and versatile machine. A steel and composite core construction means reduced resonance and vibration giving better machining accuracy, excellent finish quality and a longer tool life across a wide range of materials including plastics, composites, brass, aluminium and steel. The DATUM DGM-S1 Gantry Mill design is unique in its class in New Zealand. Its material range and precision machining ability outperforms any locally available CNC machine of its size and price range. As Datum Machines Ltd uses their machines to make their machines, they know what the machines are capable of! The versatility of this Gantry Mill CNC machine, combined with its compact size and touch screen operation, makes this an ideal solution for a wide range of users such as, sole traders, artists, prototypers, designers and small manufacturers. The full enclosure for chip containment and operator safety means this CNC machine is also a suitable educational tool for high schools, technical colleges, and training institutions. Priced under $50K this is a reliable and affordable Aotearoa New Zealand made Gantry Mill machine for anyone wanting to add CNC automation to their production workflow and increase productivity. The DATUM DGM-S1 Gantry Mill machine will be on display at EMEX 2024 Visit them at Stand 4115. www.Datum-cnc.com

As New Zealand CBDs evolve post-pandemic, repurposing old or empty spaces should be on the drawing board

Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology The COVID-19 pandemic and the hybrid work patterns hybrid work patterns it fostered have changed the way we think about office space, and central business districts in general. While fears of urban centre “ghost towns” may have been premature, many cities around the world still face dilemmas over how best to adapt. New Zealand is feeling this pressure too. Office vacancy rates, while dropping slightly, have remained above 12%. At the same time, there is demand for high-quality, modern spaces that fit new work and collaboration models. This isn’t an entirely new phenomenon. Throughout history, cities and buildings have been designed with specific functions in mind. As environmental and social needs change, however, these designs struggle to meet contemporary demands. So, what can be done with the empty buildings and unleased floors scattered through cities everywhere? In our new book, Architectural Exaptation: When Function Follows Form, we examine the process by which existing structures or features are re-imagined and re-utilised. In architecture, the concept of “exaptation” refers to this adapting of buildings and structures for new uses. It is becoming increasingly relevant as a transformative response to sustainable and resilient urban development. Buildings on Venice’s Grand Canal: more than a static relic of the past. Getty Images The benefits of adapting Exaptation in architecture requires us to view built environments not just as physical spaces, but as complex living systems that can adapt and transform. Reusing and repurposing existing structures also helps reduce waste, CO₂ emissions and energy use, supporting more sustainable urban growth. At the same time, by reusing rather than rebuilding, the historical and cultural fabric of cities is preserved, as well as their inhabitants’ sense of identity. A famous example is Venice, which has continuously adapted its historic structures to meet modern needs, […]

Decisive calls on Australian grocery sector bring New Zealand’s slow progress into the spotlight

Consumer NZ is urging our government to stand up and pay attention to the bold stance a Senate Select Committee has taken on supermarket activity in Australia. The Senate Select Committee on Supermarket Prices final report has recommended making price gouging illegal and introducing divestiture laws to create powers to break up Australia’s supermarket sector, if players misuse their market power. “We agree, price gouging should be illegal,” said Gemma Rasmussen, Consumer head of research and advocacy. “There’s no denying the supermarket sector in Australia has issues, but let’s face it, New Zealanders are facing a higher level of market concentration and our last robust study into the sector uncovered excessive profits. The question now is – has enough action been taken to address this historically problematic sector?” According to Consumer, the recommendation to give the Australian Federal Court the power to break up corporations if they abuse their market power or act unconscionably, is seriously worth considering in New Zealand too. “The big two in Australia have about a 65% market share, and here the duopoly enjoys about 90% market concentration.” On Monday a report released by the OECD recognised structural solutions, such as break-ups, could be warranted in New Zealand, given that market concentration in some sectors is so high that regulation will not be sufficient to improve competition enough. “There’s a reason this recommendation keeps cropping up, and it is because it’s going to take something drastic to create real change,” said Rasmussen. Consumer’s latest sentiment tracking confirmed that financial concerns relating to the cost of food and groceries have been steadily increasing over the past three years. Three-quarters of New Zealanders list this as their primary concern, trumping all other costs. A recent Consumer NZ grocery basket comparison between Australian and New Zealand […]

Development of Industry Brand Critical to Manufacturing Sector Growth – Expert

New Zealand manufacturers need to address systemic image issues to attract more workers to the sector, according to a marketing expert. The call comes following a recent Government study into the manufacturing industry which found the sector has a capacity gap of 17,000 roles – with the size of this gap likely to grow 38% to 40,000 workers within five years if action is not taken. Researchers found widespread agreement across the manufacturing, engineering, and food & beverage sectors the most effective way of reducing the future impact of skills shortages is to promote sector awareness to attract future talent. Mark Devlin, director at strategic communications and marketing consulting firm Impact PR, one of the more industry specialised PR agencies New Zealand manufacturers can utilise to grow their brand awareness, says the study’s findings show there is a growing need for the sector to reposition itself. He says the reputation of the sector is at stake due to a historical view that it is comprised of low-wage and low-skilled roles. “The research shows that the manufacturing industry lacks the aspirational appeal needed to attract and retain workers from other sectors of the economy that compete for the same skill set. ”This may be at least in part due to the fact many Kiwi manufacturers are primarily export-focused and have not seen the need to develop a local consumer-facing brand. “Since the pandemic, we have seen a seismic shift in demand for workers in the sector and with the growing realisation that these skills are highly transferable, they are now competing heavily with other industries for talent. Devlin, whose agency has represented dozens of New Zealand manufacturers over the past two decades, says the repositioning of the industry needs to be done at both a macro and micro level with individual […]

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