Manufacturing Technology

Stop managing outcomes, start managing behaviour

Your culture is the operating system driving those results — whether you measure it or not Ask a room of manufacturing leaders whether culture matters and every hand goes up. Ask them how they measure it, or when they last deliberately intervened in it — and the hands come down. Fast. We all agree culture is important. We just treat it as weather — something that happens to us, that we try to improve with a team lunch or new values on the wall — rather than as a system we designed, maintain, and are accountable for. David Altena has 30 years of tech industry experience and is a founding director of The Better SMB Limited.david@altena.solutions. Culture isn’t what you say. It’s what people actually do, every day when no one is watching. Not the values document, the behaviour. If you want to know your culture, watch what gets tolerated. Rob Bull, Director of the New Zealand Lean Academy. rob@nzla.nz Culture is the collective behaviour of people in an organisation — not the values on the wall (Schein, 2009). The values on the wall problem Somewhere in our journey, New Zealand businesses fell in love with values statements. Integrity. Innovation. People First. They appear in reception areas, on websites, in job ads. A new operator starts on the floor and within a fortnight understands exactly which values are real and which are decoration. Not because anyone told them — but because they watched. They watched how their manager handled a mistake. Who cleaned up to the agreed standard at the end of the day. Whether the people who got promoted embodied the values or just hit the numbers regardless of how. Culture is transmitted through behaviour, not documents. Every decision a leader makes is a cultural signal. Whether they intended […]

Why the most valuable asset in your plant isn’t on the balance sheet

-Mike Warmington, Director, Platform 1 As the owner you can be the most valuable asset in the business. Manufacturing companies focus on equipment, inventory, capacity, and productivity. All are very important to success, however what is often overlooked is that a key asset is the systemisation and transferability of the owner’s knowledge, relationships, decision-making, and leadership. Most manufacturing businesses have two production systems: The visible system Equipment ERP systems Production schedules Inventory The invisible system Supplier relationships Customer trust IP Staff loyalty Problem-solving experience The invisible asset often lives predominantly inside the owners head. Don’t become the operating system of your business. Many owners go to their trusted accountant and focus mainly on getting their books in order prior to an exit. Of course that is important, however generally a lot less focus goes into preparing for transfer of relationships, authority, decision-making, customer ownership and leadership. A transfer-ready business attracts interested people regardless of what your proposed method of exit is. The more indispensable the owner becomes, the harder succession becomes. The best manufacturing exits aren’t always achieved by an immediate exit either. Some owners exit gradually ,bring in future leadership and transfer over time to a structured plan. The result is often higher value and greater legacy preservation. Whatever option you decide on, there is a difference between owning your business and being your business if you want to create long term value. Email:mikewarmington@platform1.co.nz

Pressure equipment in practice – Pressure Equipment Workshop 2026

4th September 2026 – Novotel Lakeside, Rotorua New Zealand’s manufacturing and engineering sectors are operating in a period of rapid change, where productivity, compliance, skills, and technology are all moving at once. For many businesses, the challenge is not simply keeping pace, but making sound decisions in an environment where expectations continue to rise, the margin for error is narrow and budgets are tight. Within the pressure equipment sector, that challenge is sharpened further by a demanding regulatory environment, where operators and engineers must balance practical performance, safety, and assurance while adapting to evolving expectations. Against that backdrop, the pressure equipment industry will gather in Rotorua on 4 September for this year’s conference, bringing together practitioners, speakers, and industry leaders to explore the issues shaping the sector now and into the future. The workshop is designed as a place for the industry to come together to exchange ideas, test assumptions, and compare notes on the realities of pressure equipment design, operation, inspection, and regulation. That is what gives the event its value: not just the formal presentations, but the collective knowledge that emerges when people working in the same field share experience openly. Judgement and codes The keynote, Where Codes End and Judgement Begins, captures the central idea running through the programme. Dr. Charles “Chuck” Becht IV draws on more than four decades of engineering practice to reflect on the limits of codes and standards, and the importance of professional judgement where the written rules do not provide a complete answer. That is a particularly relevant message for a sector like pressure equipment, where compliance is essential but rarely sufficient on its own. Real plants, real operating conditions, and real defects often demand interpretation, experience, and a system-level view, and Dr. Becht will present a range of case studies from his […]

Science reform: The missing link in NZ’s manufacturing productivity puzzle ?

The Problem We Have Been Ignoring By Sean Doherty, Manufacturing Commentator | NZ Industry Trends Ask any manufacturer about their biggest constraints and the answers are familiar: energy costs, skilled labour, margin pressure, and global competition from economies with far greater scale. What rarely comes up is New Zealand’s persistent underinvestment in the science and technology that lifts productivity. That gap is real. New Zealand’s total R&D investment sits at around 1.5% of GDP, well below the OECD average of 2.7%, and business investment is under 1%, among the lowest in the developed world. This shortfall is estimated to account for up to a third of our productivity gap. But this isn’t just about how much we spend. It’s also about how well manufacturing and science connect. When that link is weak, research struggles to reach the factory floor and manufacturers miss out on practical solutions. When it works, the gains are clear: better products, improved materials, and performance that carries through to export outcomes and productivity gains. All of this sits against a broader shift. Manufacturing’s share of GDP has halved since 2004, and close to 60% of what remains is concentrated in dairy, meat, food, and timber processing. These sectors matter, but focusing most of our limited science effort there won’t deliver the step change in productivity or living standards we’ll need. At best, it sustains incremental gains in mature industries. If we want a different trajectory, the focus has to shift toward building new capability, not just reinforcing what we already do well. What the 2026 Science Reforms Change The Government’s Science Investment Plan 2026–2036 is the most significant restructure of New Zealand’s research system in more than a decade. It also chooses a clear mission based focus and puts commercial outcomes as key objectives. Seven Crown […]

Strong quarter as manufacturing leads growth

New Zealand’s manufacturing sector was the single biggest driver of economic growth in the March 2026 quarter, growing 1.9 percent and powering the country’s start to 2026, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Cameron Brewer says. “Manufacturing was the largest contributor to economic growth in the March quarter. That tells you just how much this sector matters to New Zealand,” Mr Brewer says. Statistics New Zealand figures show GDP grew 0.8 percent, with manufacturing up 1.9 percent, led by a 4.0 percent lift in transport equipment, machinery and equipment manufacturing. “That growth is being driven by world-leading firms like Dawn Aerospace and Rocket Lab, medtech manufacturers like Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, and the specialist firms building the components that go into them,” Mr Brewer says. “This is exactly what I’ve been seeing on the factory floor around the country: hard-working, innovative Kiwis making world-beating products, lifting productivity and pushing into new markets. Manufacturing contributes around 8 percent of GDP and employs more than 220,000 people. “Our Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group, who I meet with regularly, tell me forward orders are strong. They’re a great example of industry and government working together, as is the outstanding work Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa is doing to champion the sector,” Mr Brewer says. “Our priority is to back manufacturers to invest and grow. That’s what Investment Boost is designed to do, letting businesses deduct a chunk of new capital investment upfront so they can buy the machinery and equipment that lifts productivity, exactly the kind of activity we’re seeing in this data. “When manufacturing grows, the whole economy benefits. This is all part of the Government’s plan to fix the basics and build the future, with a sector that’s leading New Zealand’s recovery.”

Moving a food manufacturing business: Lessons from Old Country Food

From June issue NZ Manufacturer magazine Family-owned Auckland manufacturer Old Country Food is one of New Zealand’s largest Asian food producers, making more than two million steamed buns and about 15 million dumplings annually for supermarkets, hospitality businesses and specialty retailers across the country. Founded more than 35 years ago by immigrants from Hong Kong, the business has evolved through several groups of Asian ownership before CEO Dr Amy Sevao’s family bought into the company in 2015. Its food philosophy reflects that journey. The business originally specialised in Cantonese-style dim sums before northern Chinese expertise refined its dough-making techniques. Taiwanese influences later shaped the product range, while a distinctly Kiwi approach to ingredients and flavour helped transform the business into a modern Asian fusion manufacturer. “When I took over, I brought in Kiwi executive chef Cameron Knox to rethink the recipes,” says Amy. “The goal was to create a distinctly New Zealand flavour profile: cleaner, simpler and more ingredient led. That really became part of our identity.” That innovation-led approach has helped Old Country Food grow despite difficult trading conditions across the food manufacturing sector recently. The company was behind the launch of the world’s first hāngī steamed buns, a Māori and Asian fusion product that sold out nationwide and has just launched a new dumpling range specifically designed for air fryers. In 2025, Old Country Food moved from its premises from Henderson to a customised 800sqm North Shore facility. Amy says the move to a larger, more efficient factory has been central to the company’s next stage of growth, allowing it to streamline operations, reduce costs and double production capacity. Old Country Food has been an EMA Member for nearly two years and the team took a tour of the facility recently. The EMA’s Nicholas Russell sat down with […]

Last month massive for the Manufacturing sector

-Hon. Cameron Brewer, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing I had the opportunity to attend and speak at the Hutt Valley Manufacturing and Innovation Expo, where I saw first-hand the breadth of activity and innovation underway in the region. Following this, visiting EMEX 2026 (Pictured)and speaking directly with exhibitors reinforced a clear message: high value added, innovative manufacturing is happening right across the country. Not just in the main centres, but in places like Bluff, Gisborne and everywhere in between. A particular highlight for me was the second Minister for Manufacturing Awards. It was a great opportunity to celebrate success and recognise the high standards being set across the sector. This year’s finalists and winners showed the innovation and strong execution needed for the sector to stay competitive and grow its $22 billion contribution to the economy. The awards showcased what excellence looks like in practice, with businesses investing in their people, improving processes, and adopting new technologies to lift productivity and performance. One of the new categories this year, the Manufacturing Lifetime and Legacy Award, recognises sustained leadership and impact. Jeff Douglas of Douglas Pharmaceuticals was a highly deserving recipient. Over three decades, he has led the transformation of the business, choosing to anchor high value research and development and specialised manufacturing in New Zealand rather than following the global trend of offshoring. That kind of long-term commitment is exactly what strengthens our manufacturing base. For my part, this Government is committed to backing manufacturing by getting the basics right. That means supporting investment, strengthening skills, enabling innovation and improving access to markets so businesses can grow, compete and succeed. The 2026 Budget, released in late May, delivers a number of measures that will support the sector to remain competitive and resilient in a changing operating environment. These respond […]

Q & A: Greg Balla, CEO, AoFrio

From June issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine. How is business? The business is in great shape and we’re genuinely optimistic about where we’re heading. In 2025, AoFrio’s revenue reached a record NZ$83.2 million, up 4.4% on the prior year with strong growth across our IoT business. We expect full-year 2026 to exceed this, supported by the commercial launch of our flagship products SCS800 and AoFrio iQ, which open the door to meaningful growth in IoT and software across the US and European markets. Part of what makes AoFrio a great company is the people on our team, and the relationship we have with customers. We have over 150 people in our organisation now, with around 100 of those in New Zealand. The team is growing and we’ve managed to keep our staff engagement high. Our customer NPS scores are around +62 which is really high for our industry, and that comes down to the great people in the regions building strong relationships Your blue-sky picture of future transformation must be a challenge that excites you? It absolutely does. We built a respected business based on the manufacture of high-quality EC motors and controllers. That’s our heritage. But what we’re building toward now is something quite different: an AI-powered intelligence company. The foundation is already there. We have almost a decade of data from 3.2 million connected devices in commercial beverage coolers, that competitors simply cannot replicate. What makes this genuinely exciting is that our hardware manufacturing heritage isn’t a constraint. It’s the very reason we can credibly pursue this transformation. Helping build AoFrio into a great New Zealand technology company is something I find deeply motivating. How long has AoFrio been a motor manufacturer? We began manufacturing our own EC motors back in 2001 and launched the ECR2 in 2016. […]

Will the budget boost small firms? Not in the way we might think

Rod McNaughton, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau With the lid lifted on Budget 2026 many small and medium New Zealand businesses will be poring over the detail to see what it has in store for them. Many may come away disappointed. With the government having been upfront about its spending constraints, this budget was never likely to deliver a large new package for small firms. Instead, the budget delivers a mix of smaller compliance changes, infrastructure spending and energy transition support. It also includes funding for advisory services, digital systems, early-stage capital initiatives and small-business capability programmes, alongside changes to research and development support. It might be asked whether this mix of small initiatives adds up to anything that will lift productivity. But aside from offering direct support, budgets can also act as useful signals from government. On this test, this budget appears strongest on encouraging restraint and resilience in a difficult economic environment, even if it is less clear how ordinary small and medium firms are expected to become more productive. That is important because New Zealand’s productivity problem will not be solved by large firms, infrastructure projects or high-growth startups alone. It also depends on whether thousands of everyday businesses can lift capability, adopt technology and improve margins. There is an important distinction here. Business support helps firms navigate rules or cope with pressure. Productivity policy helps firms change how they create value. If we look closely, there are measures in the budget to assist in both areas. The hidden small-business budget Several budget initiatives are relevant to small firms. Simplified fringe benefit tax rules for private motor vehicle use will be welcomed by owner managers, trades businesses and service firms. Removing detailed logbook requirements may not sound transformational, but compliance time is time taken away from customers, […]

A New Service to Power Your Projects

We’re heading back to EMEX 2026, and this year we’ve got something new to share. Complex projects rarely sit neatly inside one discipline. Electrical design, automation, controls, mechanical design, commissioning, and documentation all need to line up. We’ve introduced Automation & Controls so we can support clients across more of the engineering work it takes to get complex projects delivered. From mechanical design and project engineering through to electrical design, automation, commissioning, and documentation, our goal is to help keep the technical pieces connected and moving. Caliber Design has been supporting New Zealand engineering companies for 11 years, working with more than 300 companies across 1200+ projects. Our model is simple: we provide talented engineers on a seconded basis, embedded in your team, working within your systems, standards, and processes to help get projects over the line. Until now, that’s meant mechanical design, FE analysis, product development, and project engineering. With our new Automation & Controls service, we can now support clients across a broader mix of disciplines. Our degree-qualified engineers can support electrical design, PLC, HMI and SCADA development, commissioning, documentation, and project support, while you retain full control and ownership of the work. We’re also contributing to the EMEX seminar programme. Daniel du Plessis, our Auckland Regional Manager, is presenting Project Plans Don’t Solve Technical Problems on Wednesday 27 May at 2pm. Dan’s session looks at the gaps that can open up between design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning, and how technical leadership can support more successful outcomes. EMEX is always a great chance to celebrate the depth of Kiwi engineering and manufacturing innovation. We’ll be keeping an eye out for stories for our monthly Celebrating Kiwi Innovation newsletter. If you’d like to be featured, come and find us at Stand 1015. We currently have vacancies throughout the […]

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Manufacturing Technology