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Sheren Omega_Head of Sustainability at GRP NZM

Building the roadmap to sustainable steel manufacturing

*Sheren Omega, Head of Sustainability, GRP Could the steel manufacturing industry be a major proponent for sustainability? The steel manufacturing industry is critical to global economic development and, according to S&P Global, the demand for steel is forecasted to edge up to 2.2% in 2023. Despite ongoing trade wars, geo-political conflict and supply chain bottlenecks, steel has yet to let up, owing to the rise in consumption, increased infrastructure construction and thriving automobile sectors. However, the steel industry is also one of the most energy intensive industries, accounting for around 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions. In today’s climate, regulators and consumers alike are more discerning of the toll this industry takes on the environment and societies. Collectively, there has been increased pressure for steel manufacturers to transition into more sustainable practices. The Paris Agreement calls for emissions to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and hopes to reach net zero by 2050. The European Union and its member states have further pledged to cut their carbon emission by at least 55% by 2030 and debated on making the pledge legally binding. With such ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions, countries need all industries to innovate and transform into a more sustainable mode of production. Steel manufacturing and sustainable operations almost seem mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, as markets are on a rapid rise towards sustainability, there is no doubt that opportunities are vast and wide for the construction and manufacturing industries. To thrive and fulfil their corporate social responsibility, steel manufacturers must have the determination to not only invest their resources into acquiring new technology, but to completely transform their vertical integration to ensure green production. Within the steel industry, energy efficiency has become an increasingly vital strategy to address climate change challenges. According to EY, advancements in technology for over […]

Podcast: At Source

This podcast is a place for busy people who want to get to the core of health and wellness with information about the latest health advances and trends. It helps you gain useful insights direct from the source – from doctors, industry experts, wellness advocates and everything in between. Past guests on the show have included Gilbert Enoka (All Blacks mental skills coach), Lance Burdett (NZ Police and FBI negotiator), Karin Kos (Apiculture NZ CEO), Dr Rosie Bosworth (future foods advisor) and other leaders. https://atsource.podbean.com/

State of Smart Manufacturing Report

Technology is crucial to mitigating risk and delivering growth.

How is your learning organisation?

Not enough NZ businesses are investing in or developing talent.

Glen Cornelius to lead Engineering New Zealand

Glen Cornelius FEngNZ CPEng has been elected the new president of Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau. “As President, I will ensure the Engineering New Zealand Board and members benefit from my proven leadership and extensive governance skills,” he says. “I will uphold Engineering New Zealand’s commitments of promoting the Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles by forming partnerships, being responsive and ensuring there are equal opportunities.” A civil engineer by training, Glen has been Chief Executive of engineering and consulting firm Harrison Grierson for the last 12 years. He will be stepping down from this role on 31 March providing more space for other pursuits, including as President of Engineering New Zealand. Prof. Jan Evans-Freeman DistFEngNZ has been elected Deputy President, and Kennie Tsui FEngNZ, CPEng Vice President, for the same term. Aidan Cooper CMEngNZ CPEng and Sarah Sinclair FEngNZ join Engineering New Zealand’s Governing Board as newly-elected Directors for a three-year term.

Increasing investment in advanced technologies a priority for manufacturing

Catherine Lye, EMA’s Head of Advanced Manufacturing & Export Communities The Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) recognises the essential role manufacturing plays in the New Zealand economy, for jobs and communities. The draft plan, released for public consultation in June 2022, attracted hundreds of participants to workshops and 60 written submissions that helped identify some key priorities for the ratified plan. “Increasing investment in advanced technologies and processes to lift productivity and wages, and improving the understanding and perceptions of advanced manufacturing to attract more people into the sector will be the initial focus based on the feedback received,” says Brett O’Riley, EMA Chief Executive and Co-Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing ITP Steering Group. Manufacturing plays an important role in creating jobs and is the second largest employer of Māori and Pacific peoples in the country. The plan identifies ways to help manufacturers acquire more skills and embrace the low-carbon, sustainable economic growth it offers. “One of the keys to accelerating growth will be the investment in new plant, new technology, and new skills, something the EMA will continue to work with the Government on,” Mr O’Riley says. Rachel Mackintosh, fellow Co-Chair of the Advanced Manufacturing ITP Steering Group and Vice-President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi and Assistant National Secretary of E Tū, agrees. “We want to transform the industry so that people will choose to work in advanced manufacturing for generations to come. We have the opportunity to harness the creativity of the diverse manufacturing workforce to develop a sustainable industry, where people can build their skills and enjoy decent work and decent wages. To do that we need cooperation across workers, employers, communities, and the government,” she says. The ITP brings together a raft of elements – skills, sustainability, carbon neutrality […]

Women in Engineering: Ankeeta Karmakar

Most of the programmes that I found were master of civil and/or structural engineering, so when I discovered the University of Auckland’s Master of Earthquake Engineering programme, I just couldn’t think of any other school.

Clean Planet manufacturing healthier and safer cleaning solutions

-Rebecca Reed Clean Planet is a nationwide health and sustainability focused cleaning and life services franchisor, established in 2008 by a passionate bunch of New Zealanders who recognised the need for healthier, greener cleaning solutions. It is also the first cleaning company to come up with their own locally formulated and manufactured range of sustainably sourced, health-focused products. Chief Executive Tony Pattison says the founders decided they wanted to develop, formulate, and manufacture their own range of cleaning products from the beginning so they knew what works and what doesn’t. “We wanted to establish an ethical cleaning company that is kinder to both people’s health and the health of the planet. Since then, we’ve been getting rid of toxic cleaning chemicals in Kiwi homes and workplaces by using our own brand of cleaning products we formulated to achieve this. Our range of healthier, environmentally kinder cleaning products do not contain chemical culprits such as bleaches, EDTA and phosphates, yet work for domestic and commercial cleaners just as effectively as conventional cleaners.” Clean Planet outsources the manufacturing to local business AWS Group who operate out of a factory in Penrose, Auckland, only a few minutes away from Clean Planet’s Head Office. The company manufactures a core range of 10 cleaning and santising products for Clean Planet which they then supply to their 240 franchisees to use nationwide. “We have a strong relationship with AWS Group, they have excellent facilities and are BioGro and Organic certified which aligns with our brand values and goals.” Once manufactured their products are then packaged to Clean Planet’s warehouse nearby in Penrose where they package it up and ship it out to their franchisees. “We are proud to have introduced recycled packaging for several of our products made out of recycled milk bottles. I believe our […]

Skills shortage survey confirms worst fears

Upskilling and training staff may be the easiest solution for the 71 per cent of businesses unable to fill technical roles, with 54 per cent already engaged in apprenticeships, and another 24 per cent planning to take on an apprentice in the next twelve months.

Timoti Harris, Managing Director at Empowering Change:Te Tiriti in the workplace

While the broad strokes of Te Tiriti o Waitangi are now widely acknowledged, many people do not know its contents and intent. Much of HERA’s forward programme of research involves achieving industry focused solutions – but a much-needed change is that it now needs to be reviewed through the lens of te ao Māori. This is part of HERA’s commitment to acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi and interfaces between Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and industry to expand knowledge and practice more generally. An example of this is HERA’s Endeavour Fund four-year research project focused on transforming the construction sector in Aotearoa New Zealand using Construction 4.0 approaches. The Mātauranga Māori research theme within it, aims to address the gap of knowledge that exists and build a uniquely Māori framework to address the challenges of Construction 4.0. This will create new knowledge domestically and will sit internationally as an example of indigenous knowledge being incorporated into sectoral transformation. HERA acknowledges that for industry, this will be confronting for some. Challenging the status quo of ‘doing’ business requires courage, even more so when the way to do it means looking through a cultural lens that may be unfamiliar. However, there are significant changes occurring in New Zealand that indicate HERA needs to focus on this, as does business. This includes from a government perspective, the development of the Vision Mātauranga strategy of MBIE; development of the Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways White Paper on the future of the research, science and innovation system imbedding Te Tiriti as one of four key focus areas; the revisions to the Education Act that now require honouring of Te Tiriti; and changes to government procurement rules that call for business to consider how to create opportunities for Māori. As industry faces skills gaps and labour […]

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