Product News

Apex Valves: From garage to global

From humble beginnings in a Titirangi garage, Apex Valves has grown into one of New Zealand’s standout manufacturing and export success stories. Built on precision engineering and commitment to quality, the company now supplies high performance water control valves to homes and farms around the globe. The EMA’s Nicholas Russell sat down with Apex General Manager Mark Gracie to talk about the competitive edge that comes from manufacturing excellence backed by decades of innovation. Q: How did Apex Valves’ journey begin, and what triggered your move into larger-scale manufacturing? Mark Gracie: Apex was founded in 1982 by my father, Alan Gracie, in a Titirangi garage. At that time, New Zealand had almost no domestic manufacturers of valves for home hot-water systems. If you needed one, you imported it, often at high cost and with long delays. That gap in the market sparked the idea: could a Kiwi manufacturer produce a reliable, locally made alternative? From that question, Apex grew steadily. We expanded from residential hot-water valves into broader plumbing fittings, and then into agriculture when a rural-supply customer asked if we could engineer a heavy-duty trough valve that would not break under high water pressure or daily farm use. That product became our breakout success. More than 40 years later, that trough valve remains one of our biggest sellers, used on farms across New Zealand and in multiple export markets. As demand grew, we shifted into proper manufacturing facilities, but over time those sites became limiting. Our last location served us for 28 years, but we were spread across four buildings, with production split into disconnected pockets. For a company that prides itself on quality and efficiency, the layout created unnecessary complications and increasing constraints. Q: What has changed now, after the move to your new facility at Rosebank Road? […]

Controlling Ignition Sources through ORS

Chris Beh, Think Consulting Oxygen Reduction Systems (ORS) utilise a process to lower the atmospheric oxygen levels of 21% below the ignition threshold for the items stored in an area (e.g. below 14%) – a proactive, preventative fire protection system unlike fire suppression, such as sprinklers, which are reactive (i.e. initiate only when a fire event occurs). Typically, nitrogen is generated from ambient air using on-site pressure swing adsorption (PSA) units and introduced into the area to be protected. Uses for the technology has been in high-value occupancies where the use of traditional fire suppression technologies such as fire sprinklers is challenging due to space constraints and hydraulic design (e.g. for adequate pipe work), tight or congested storage, lack of established protection design methodologies, or need to avoid water or chemical residue damage. Globally, there are more than 500 installations of these systems with applications in high-bay and freezer/cold store warehouses, datacentres and museums and libraries where valuable artifacts need protection from fire without exposure to extinguishing agents. In New Zealand, the use of this technology has mainly been in high-bay, cold store warehouses with the popularity of the system slowly becoming recognised. Firms considering installing ORS should consider the following which may influence both the acceptance (such as insurer) and the requirements imposed on facilities utilising this technology, noting this list is not exhaustive. Design Undertake a risk-based design review of the system and process including operation, maintenance and health and safety. Ensure the operating oxygen level is correctly designed for the hazard class being stored. The protected area sealed and structurally suitable for maintaining reduced oxygen levels. The enclosure that contains the reduced oxygen environment is to be constructed of non-combustible material. This area is to maintain the oxygen design concentration for twelve hours with all operations shutdown […]

Material passports for construction: Why I see them less as banks… and more as donor registries

From December NZ Manufacturer -Troy Coyle,CEO,HERA Across the infrastructure and construction sectors, material passports are emerging as a promising tool for enabling circularity. They’re often described as a “bank of materials,” and I understand why (in fact HERA even describes them this way). After all, they catalogue the materials embedded within a building so they can be withdrawn at the end of life and reused elsewhere. The more I’ve worked with the concept, the more I’ve found that the banking analogy falls short. In fact, my own conceptualisation has shifted quite significantly: I now see material passports as closer in spirit to a donor organ registry than to a passport or financial ledger. This is because for reuse to work in construction, it’s not enough to know what materials exist. We also need to understand which components are actually compatible with which future projects- this makes it much like donors and recipients in medical systems. This compatibility challenge is where I believe the next evolution of thinking must occur. Why the “Material Bank” analogy isn’t enough Material passports are often framed as banks because they identify valuable materials for future “withdrawal.” The logic is sound: buildings act as repositories of steel, timber, concrete elements, glass, fixtures, and systems that shouldn’t be lost to landfill or downcycling. However, in a bank, all currency of the same denomination is interchangeable. One dollar equals another dollar. Construction materials are not interchangeable in this way. Two steel beams of the same nominal specification may have vastly different histories, including different loading conditions, different environments, different coatings, different compliance requirements. Their future use potential can vary dramatically. This is where the financial metaphor starts to break down for me. Why I think the organ donor registry analogy fits better In my view, material passports need […]

3d rendering humanoid robot with ai text in ciucuit pattern

Could a ‘grey swan’ event bring down the AI revolution? Risks we should be preparing for

Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology The term “black swan” refers to a shocking event on nobody’s radar until it actually happens. This has become a byword in risk analysis since a book called The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb was published in 2007. A frequently cited example is the 9/11 attacks. Fewer people have heard of “grey swans”. Derived from Taleb’s work, grey swans are rare but more foreseeable events. That is, things we know could have a massive impact, but we don’t (or won’t) adequately prepare for. COVID was a good example: precedents for a global pandemic existed, but the world was caught off guard anyway. Although he sometimes uses the term, Taleb doesn’t appear to be a big fan of grey swans. He’s previously expressed frustration that his concepts are often misused, which can lead to sloppy thinking about the deeper issues of truly unforeseeable risks. But it’s hard to deny there is a spectrum of predictability, and it’s easier to see some major shocks coming. Perhaps nowhere is this more obvious than in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). Putting our eggs in one basket Increasingly, the future of the global economy and human thriving has become tied to a single technological story: the AI revolution. It has turned philosophical questions about risk into a multitrillion-dollar dilemma about how we align ourselves with possible futures. US tech company Nvidia, which dominates the market for AI chips, recently surpassed US$5 trillion (about A$7.7 trillion) in market value. The “Magnificent Seven” US tech stocks – Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla – now make up about 40% of the S&P 500 stock index. The impact of a collapse for these companies – and a stock market bust – would be devastating at a global level, not just financially but also in terms of dashed hopes […]

New steel business exemplifies promise of more competitive building products landscape

The Government’s announcement of the new Building Product Specifications (BPS) document, designed to open the doors to thousands of additional building products and bring construction costs down, has been welcomed by the building industry – and one operator has already taken control of long-standing competition issues in the roofing sector. Roofbuddy, the roofing marketplace which brings together homeowners and qualitied roofers to transact, has launched its proprietary roll-forming steel business, Guardian Steel, to address lack of competition, improve service delivery, and offer an end-to-end service to homeowners with complete accountability and transparency. For years, roofers and customers have had to deal with monopolistic control of the steel sector. Historically, NZ Steel (owned by ASX-listed BlueScope in Australia) has been dominant, with over 80% market share. Since Guardian Steel launched – ahead of the Government’s announcement – to offer an alternative, the take-up has been significant: while Guardian Steel is open-market, the main clients initially have been Roofbuddy roofers. They have proved highly receptive to the new, vertically integrated offering, which delivered 48 roofs in its first two weeks on the market. There are 100 current, vetted Roofbuddy service providers all over New Zealand – each one is trade qualified with active Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) certification and operative public liability insurance. Roofbuddy monitors the quality of their work and checks their performance benchmarks through the company’s on-site 65-point quality assurance framework. The new BPS document includes roofing and wall cladding systems, stating they are eligible when compliant with international standards outlined in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) guidelines. Guardian Steel’s product is compliant with these standards and the New Zealand Building Code. The Guardian Steel machinery is made in New Zealand for local conditions by Angus Robertson Mechanical, a Rangiora-based world leader in roll-forming machine manufacture. The […]

Salus Aviation’s advice for successful expansion

From NZ Manufacturer September edition Salus Aviation’s story began in 1936 as a small aviation support provider based in rural Auckland, right next to Ardmore Airport. Over time, the company evolved through mergers and acquisitions to create a vertically integrated aviation company. Today, it’s a true ‘nose-to-tail’ provider, leasing out aircraft, performing line maintenance, conducting heavy overhauls, manufacturing specialist equipment and supplying parts. The EMA’s Nicholas Russell sat down with Salus Aviation CEO Greg Edmonds to discuss the company’s evolution, which has been driven by customer demand for comprehensive solutions and a desire to prove that a New Zealand company can compete with the biggest players internationally. Q: What does Salus Aviation’s manufacturing workshop produce? Greg Edmonds: We marry stringent aviation standards with world-class design and MRO capabilities to serve our clients globally Our experienced design and manufacturing teams create specialist role equipment and modifications for both fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Operating under NZCAA Part 148 manufacturing certification, we build and install advanced systems tailored to specific mission profiles – anything from agricultural operations to search and rescue. We also manufacture crop-spraying systems, infrastructure inspection role equipment, and even full aircraft assemblies and modifications. Our bespoke solutions extend aircraft capabilities and make operators safer and more efficient. Q: What lessons can other manufacturers draw from Salus Aviation’s successful expansion? Greg Edmonds: Vertical integration matters: We offer a ‘nose-to-tail’ service suite: design, MRO, parts supply, line maintenance, aircraft leasing and heavy overhaul. That gives us resilience and a competitive edge. Certification and quality are non-negotiable: Our Part 148 certification ensures our products meet top-tier aviation standards. Building a strong, proven foundation is key to successful growth: We sunk deep roots in New Zealand before looking outward, investing in markets like the Americas and Africa. Niche specialisation sells: For example, we’re […]

SouthMACH 2025: Capability Is still the differentiator

From June issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz Review from Caliber Design There was a strong sense of optimism at SouthMACH this year. The energy was good. People were open, engaged, and proud of the work they’re doing. Yes, there are still challenges—but the general feeling was that things are picking up, and that real progress is being made. Capability remains a key issue. “We’ve got the ideas. We just don’t have the resource.” The work is there. Priorities are clear. But teams are at capacity. There’s limited room to take on more—let alone deliver faster. Shifting the Dial Whether the focus is production, upgrades, product development, or compliance—it takes people to get things done. Not just more hands, but the right experience, at the right time. At SouthMACH, there was strong interest in how to keep momentum without overloading internal teams. Many are turning to flexible engineering support—people who can step in, contribute from day one, and help shift the dial. The common thread? Capability isn’t just about technical knowledge. It’s about judgement, communication, adaptability, and the ability to work well on-site, under pressure, and in step with the wider team. What We Noticed Amidst the usual challenges—capacity, backlog, deadlines—there was also a clear sense of optimism. Many have weathered tough years and come through more focused. Some of the best conversations we had were about what’s working: building long-term partnerships that help teams flex as needed; investing in project engineering—not just design, but full delivery; and embedding engineers into existing teams to remove bottlenecks and keep work flowing. We also asked our team: “What was the most exciting innovation or product you came across during the event?” The answers were varied—but all pointed to practical, clever engineering solving real problems. Dawn Aerospace stood out to several engineers—not just […]

Is your value network world class?

Over the last 40 years I have seen significant change in how manufacturing businesses compete. We have moved through the quality revolution which brought new expectations around quality and cost, to the lean revolution and associated methodologies delivering better service, value and reduced costs. Businesses then shifted their focusses onto supply chain optimisation, bringing end-to-end thinking. Their approaches moved from comparing their business models with their competitors’, to comparing their supply chains. Top performing supply chains became enabled by ERPs, and are now enabled by value networks, no longer in point-to-point structures but integrated webs of suppliers and partners delivering products and services seamlessly through a multitude of channels. Of course, the rapidly increasing deployment of AI further fuels optimisation and connectedness in these supply chains. At the root of this change in manufacturing are constantly moving market-led goalposts for how businesses better deliver what the end customer wants, when they want it, at the lowest cost possible. Understanding this value equation and then aligning their service delivery model to meet and exceed this expectation better than competition is what separates the wheat from the chaff, and industry leaders are doing this at the most competitive cost to maximise their margins. Very few, if any, businesses can do all of this by themselves. Generally, larger businesses with more scale, buying power, and connections have more capability than SMEs. However, interconnected SMEs can create highly efficient clusters which can compete with anyone and be highly agile and scalable. As we know NZ has a high proportion of SMEs and this presents both an opportunity and a risk. The opportunity is that we can create high-value clusters and that can be highly agile, integrated and capable of delivering high-value products and services through multiple channels to customers around the world. We certainly […]

Q & A with Geoff Necklen of Roadside Supports

What does your company do? We are a steel product manufacturer. . How long have you been in business? 41 years this month. What products do you make? We manufacture our own Roadsign Supports brand range of highway sign pole systems for the NZ market primarily. This includes motorway signage, and urban signage on single post units called Monopoles which are our main products. We are also involved in special electronic poles for bus and congestion management. How are you finding business at present? We have been steady this year but sales volumes are a bit down. I am getting good enquiries, however, and am confident about next year. Where do you source your components? We source all our materials locally from merchants and utilise second-tier suppliers such as profile cutters and galvanisers. Suppliers such as profile cutters and galvanisers. We try to source NZ AUS material as much as possible. Where do you see growth for your company in the future? The roads of national significance and associated new highway projects announced by National mean we have a long-term future with the products we make. The electronics industry is also exciting, and we are right there with many new project solutions with our good client partner.

How manufacturers can prepare for the ESPR

www.thinkstep-anz.com Image by Dinh Khoi Nguyen from Pixabay. As global sustainability regulations evolve, New Zealand manufacturers must stay ahead of the curve to maintain their competitive edge, especially with upcoming policies like the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). But what is the ESPR, and how can manufacturers in New Zealand prepare for it? What is the ESPR? The ESPR is a new EU policy aimed at making products more sustainable and circular throughout their lifecycle, supporting the EU’s 2050 climate goals. The ESPR applies to products sold within the EU, setting specific sustainability requirements for design, use and disposal. It applies to most products sold in the EU, except for some like food and medicines. Non-compliant products may face fines or bans. Although it took effect in July 2024, the detailed rules will be developed over the next year. The regulation aims to make products more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable, while banning the destruction of unsold goods like electronics and textiles. A digital product passport will also be required, giving consumers direct access to sustainability data and exposing brands to greenwashing claims under the Green Claims Directive. Why should New Zealand manufacturers pay attention to ESPR? For manufacturers exporting to the EU or intend to: Failure to prepare for the regulations could result in loss of market access, fines, or even prosecution. Your products will face stricter comparisons on sustainability and circularity, which could impact your market share positively or negatively. Even if your business doesn’t currently export to the EU, the trends set by the ESPR are likely to influence regulations and purchasing decisions in other markets. As supply chains globalise, multinational corporations may enforce ESPR-style standards on all their suppliers, no matter where they are located. With more sustainability and […]

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