NZ Productivity Organisation

Advanced Manufacturing for SMB: The path to smarter, modern and better operations

From NZ Manufacturer, December issue, focussing on ‘The Year in Review’ Catherine Lye – CEO, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa If you hate the phrase ‘we’ve always done it this way’ and lead your business/team with ‘we’re going to try different, we’re going to try this, we think this will be a better way to improve quality & efficiency’, then you may identify more readily with advanced manufacturing. After all, manufacturers are all about advancing their business every day and trying to find the next thing that will make them better, faster, more competitive. It is, however, important to recognise that not all small medium sized businesses (“SMB”) in New Zealand’s manufacturing sector may readily identify with the term “Advanced Manufacturing”. The majority of New Zealand’s SMB’s may be operating with traditional methods and technologies that have been effective for their specific needs. Factors such as limited budgets, resistance to change, distractions with a global pandemic or not knowing where to start with integrating Advanced Manufacturing tools and techniques can contribute to this reluctance to adopt – after all there is a lot that you could do but what should you do? In the context of a small to medium sized business (SMB), advanced manufacturing embodies a transformative approach that simply translates to “Smarter, Modern, Better” operations. “Smarter Manufacturing” entails harnessing data analytics and automation to make informed decisions in real-time, optimising resource allocation, and reducing waste. The higher value of thinking is around the integration of tools, knowledge, and data. The challenge is finding easier ways to manage and extract data in an easy-to-understand report for everyone. It can make your eyes bleed figuring out what’s going on with 10,000 rows of daily data – you can chart it one way and it is meaningless, chart it another way that […]

December issue NZ Manufacturer – The Year in Review

Our annual ‘The Year in Review’ December issue will be out soon. It includes stand-out commentary on achievements from some of our manufacturing companies, reflections on the year winding down and the new one ahead. Challenges that face us and suggestions for achieving success. There were a lot of articles competing for inclusion that could not be accommodated within the pages. Meaning the stories of many achievers – you know who you are – need to be re-read by revisiting monthly issues of the magazine. If you or your company are not receiving the magazine, nor on the subscriber database and want to receive December issue, email publisher@xtra.co.nz and we will get a copy to you.

Lifting performance by eliminating data silos

-Adam Sharman, Senior Partner, Dsifer Organisations are collecting more data and this trend is only set to continue as IoT adoption accelerates. However, too often, this valuable resource is locked away in silos, inaccessible to the people who need it most. These data silos can stifle innovation, hinder collaboration, and prevent organisations from fully realising the potential of their data. In this article, why data siloes form and how to overcome them to create a more data-driven and agile organisation. Data silos are isolated pockets of data within an organisation that are segregated from the rest of the data ecosystem. These silos can emerge for various reasons, including departmental boundaries, incompatible data formats, or data stored in separate systems that don’t communicate effectively. When data is trapped within these silos, it can’t be easily shared, analysed, or leveraged for making informed decisions. Several factors contribute to the formation of data silos within organisations: Lack of Data Governance: Without a robust data governance framework in place, there can be confusion regarding data ownership, definitions, and quality standards, allowing multiple data repositories to form with multiple governance approaches which can exacerbate data silos. Departmental Barriers: Different departments within an organisation often maintain their own data repositories and systems. This division can lead to data silos, as departments may be hesitant to share their data due to concerns about data security, ownership, or privacy. Legacy and Rogue Systems: Outdated technology and legacy systems may not support modern data integration and sharing. This can result in data becoming stuck in older systems, inaccessible to newer, more agile solutions. Rogue systems are those that sit outside the organisation’s formal governance framework and, as such, are typically not integrated in to the organisation’s data architecture. Cultural Barriers: In some cases, a culture of information hoarding can […]

The Industry 4.0 Transformation – An update from the innovation frontline

From November issue of NZ Manufacturer www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz By Holger Heinzel, senior engineer- advanced manufacturing, HERA Where specific organisations are in their Industry 4.0 journey varies greatly, and many are already taking advantage of the benefits presented by the fourth industrial revolution. As the uptake of Industry 4.0 deepens and gathers pace, more data and case studies are emerging which show how the fourth industrial revolution is rapidly transforming the way things are made, improving quality and reducing waste, and making manufacturing and production processes more productive, flexible, and efficient. There is a major opening now to accelerate this uptake across many sectors,and acknowledge and support the pivotal role manufacturing plays in the New Zealand economy, by appointing a Minister for Manufacturing. A pan-material Minister could represent the industry broadly across all building materials, which would improve outcomes for those in the manufacturing sector and those who rely on its products and services. It would also send a message and help create the necessary structure to enable widespread innovation and adoption of Industry 4.0 methodologies and infrastructure. As we know, the challenges of implementing innovation include the cost and effort of change, especially for small to medium businesses which have fewer internal resources to scope and define the work and meet the initial workload. On top of that, established manufacturers face the expense of overhauling, replacing and integrating existing systems and upskilling their trusted workforce. HERA’s efforts to promote, assist, and effect the transformation are multifactorial, and sympathetic to the opportunities and complexities faced by manufacturers and fabricators. The steel fabrication industry is a specialised sector within manufacturing, concerned with creating large and intricate products that are made to the specific requirements of the customer, with welding the primary method of fabrication used to manufacture these items. Since they are […]

Steel awards showcase local industry’s strength and innovation

Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) is pleased to announce the results of 2023’s SCNZ Excellence in Steel Awards. The winners were announced on 27 October in Queenstown, where more than 200 structural steel industry leaders and specialists gathered to celebrate the best of the best at an event that showcases the sector’s commitment to innovation, best practice and collaboration. Each year, the task of judging becomes increasingly difficult. This year, 21 finalists were selected from a pool of 32 impressive submissions, which demonstrate the remarkable design and execution possible when steel is used as the primary construction material. “The high calibre of entries is testament to the industry’s ongoing commitment to raising the bar,” says SCNZ Chair David Moore. He notes there has been widespread emphasis on best practice amongst structural steel contractors and a drive to adopt global initiatives such as Industry 4.0. “Our local industry has also maintained its programme of investment in new cutting-edge plant, machinery and technology. These advances in technology have made it possible to construct highly complex steel structures that were previously out of reach,” says Moore. “The high standard of projects is also a reflection of the professionalism demonstrated by the fabricators, builders, architects and engineers that collaborate to bring these projects to life.” The 2023 winners are: Supreme & Over $3M Category Winner: MJH Engineering for One Whitmore Street Occupying a full city block, One Whitmore Street is a landmark 12-storey office tower in Wellington. The 17,500sqm building with its 1,420sqm floorplates and soaring three-metre-high ceilings will be the new home of the BNZ. The structure is designed to withstand Wellington’s unpredictable weather, with a convex profile and rounded corners that help to counter the city’s strong winds. The diagrid structure, with its diamond-patterned exterior, provides structural integrity while eliminating the need […]

Measuring and reporting your environmental performance – with Stride Property and ESP

Webinar 1:30pm, Tuesday 21 November, 30 minutes Learn how Stride Property is using ESP’s BraveGen software to track and report its carbon emissions and sustainability targets. Stride Property’s Sharyn Bramwell-Reweti, Safety and Sustainability Manager and ESP’s Dan Tomlinson, Head of Markets and Partnerships, joins thinkstep-anz CEO Barbara Nebel. https://www.thinkstep-anz.com/resrc/upcoming-events/stride-property-and-esp/

Helping Proline Steel gain new sustainability certification

www.thinkstep-anz.com The challenge Proline Steel was seeking to become one of the first businesses to be certified by the Australian Steel Institute (ASI)’s new Steel Sustainability Australia program (SSA). They approached the thinkstep-anz team knowing that they had helped ASI develop the new program. About SSA certification SSA certification independently verifies a company’s social, environmental and health processes. The certification, which replaces the ASI’s Environmental Sustainability Charter (ESC), recognises fabricators that have lower environmental impacts, are reducing carbon emissions, are transparent about their supply chain, respect human rights and are moving towards circular solutions. About Proline Steel Proline Steel fabricates structural steel in their factory in Padstow, New South Wales, and has nine staff. The manufacturer is a member of ASI. The company wanted to gain its first SSA certification to support its construction customers in the green building market. The certification contributes points to rating tools like Green Star. It also wanted to maintain industry leadership. As a smaller business, Proline needed help to document the good work it currently does, refine some of its processes and show it complies with SSA requirements. What thinkstep-anz did They worked with Proline to develop systems that support good business governance and manage its Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) activities. They held two workshops to help Proline document these systems and also helped the business better understand its supply chain. thinkstep-anz then worked with the Proline team to develop ten documents that met the SSA requirements. Once the documents were complete , they supported Proline with its submission to the SSA, and guided the company on how to best present the information to the assessor. Proline received the Level 1 SSA certificate in May 2023. It will aim for Level 2 next year. Helping Proline Steel to succeed sustainably thinkstep-anz’s work is helping […]

Serious about reducing your carbon footprint? (Part two)

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023. This month we get to the ‘pointy end’ of things. Using the concepts she explained in last month’s article, Nicky Andrews, Head of Carbon at thinkstep-anz, explains how to measure and reduce your carbon. But first, a recap. Where we left off: identifying the main sources of your carbon emissions So you’ve taken the first step. You’ve split your greenhouse gas emissions into direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions (Scope 2) and the hidden indirect emissions in your value chain (Scope 3). Now you’re ready to measure them. Step two: measure your emissions Your Scope 1 and 2 activities Measuring your Scope 1 and 2 emissions is relatively simple. You’ll need two pieces of data: the volume of emissions your activities create (‘your activities’) and the impact those emissions have on the environment (‘emission factors’). First, confirm your activities. For example, how many kilometres did your employees drive in your company vehicles last year? How many kilowatt hours of electricity powered your plant? You’ll have much of this information to hand in documents like monthly fuel and power bills. Second, find your emission factors. An emission factor represents the amount of GHG an activity releases. The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) provides generic information factors, along with helpful workbooks and guides. For example, according to MfE, one litre of diesel used for transport emits 2.69 kg of CO2 equivalent. Third, do the maths. Units of activity x emission factor per unit = CO2e released. Your Scope 3 emissions These are the emissions in your value chain. They sit with your employees, suppliers and customers. Here’s an example of measuring the carbon in your supply chain. Say you want to estimate the emissions in Scope 3 Category 4 (upstream transport). Ask your suppliers: How much fuel […]

AMA announcement

From NZ Manufacturer, October 2023 Catherine Lye is the first Chief Executive Officer of the newly formed cross-sector incorporated society, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA). The AMA is industry driven and represents manufacturing across the country to help deliver business-led Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) outcomes. Catherine has been the Head of Manufacturing and Export Communities at the 7,100-member Employers and Manufacturers Association for the past two years. As part of that she has guided the Advanced Manufacturing and Industry 4.0 initiatives. Following a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Marketing and Finance, Catherine held numerous marketing and export-focused roles in local and international companies, rising to Chief Impact Officer for ExportNZ. AMA Interim Chairperson, Daryl French, says there were a number of high-calibre applicants generated from external advertising, but that Catherine quickly emerged as the best person for the role. “She has such a deep knowledge of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan and understanding of the issues faced by the sector, as well as a practical understanding of advanced manufacturing technologies,” he says. “One of the keys to the success of this role is building and nurturing relationships with Government agencies, industry partners, research institutions and businesses to engage, influence and inspire them to collaborate for the best outcomes for the sector, and I have absolute confidence that she will deliver to that.” Catherine will work alongside the interim AMA Board, which includes: Daryl French, Interim Chairperson, and independent Director of four manufacturing companies. Rod De Spong, Chief Operating Officer, Douglas Pharmaceuticals Phill Patton, Senior Executive, Datacom Rachel Barker, Chief Executive Officer, Plastics NZ Glenn Hansen, Group Financial Controller, Vortex Engineering Group. Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA) is the umbrella organisation leveraging business networks to implement ITP priorities. It takes an industry-led, collaborative approach to helping deliver initiatives that […]

Carbon emissions on the way down

Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics, Massey University. Ian Mason, Adjunct Senior Fellow in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering, University of Canterbury. It may have been largely overlooked in the election debates, but New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are finally on the way down. Annual emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels are the lowest since 1999 and the 12-month renewable share of electricity is back above 90% for the first time since 1981. The Ministry for the Environment has advised New Zealand is on track to meet the first (2022-2025) carbon budget. All this can be attributed to a range of factors, including fossil gas running low, full hydro lakes, high petrol prices and working from home. But climate policies such as the Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS), the clean car discount and the Climate Emergency Response Fund (CERF) have made a significant contribution to the turnaround. Current decarbonisation policies have and will continue to deliver real emissions cuts, provided they remain in place. It is therefore disconcerting that the National Party plans to take $2.3 billion from the CERF (almost two-thirds of the fund’s mid-2022 balance) to pay for tax cuts. The argument that individual households will use tax cuts to make their own decarbonisation decisions is unsupported by evidence and lacks credibility. The Labour Party has also dipped into this fund, taking $236 million to pay for rebates for household installations of solar panels and batteries, and community energy schemes. These may produce some as yet unquantified emissions cuts. Government funding is working Allocations from the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) fund to NZ Steel and Fonterra show direct and measurable avoidance of emissions. The installation of an electric furnace at NZ Steel to utilise scrap will save 1% (800,000 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions, or tCO₂e) of New Zealand’s 2021 gross emissions. Support for Fonterra […]

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