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Want to break free from big tech? ‘Self‑hosting’ could be the answer

Nikolai Hampton, School of Science, Edith Cowan University Paul Haskell-Dowland, Professor of Cyber Security Practice, Edith Cowan University You’re probably familiar with the idea that in the world of big tech, “we” are the product. Our data is the currency being traded every time we navigate our social media feeds. Tech giants such as Apple, Google and Microsoft offer valuable services, but it comes at a price. They host our email, photos, backups, files, calendars, reminders and contacts. If you also include all the smaller startups and niche solutions, you’ll quickly see your security cameras, electronic locks, home appliances and even your toothbrushing schedules are all online – far removed from any physical box or device that you have any control over. But there is a way to break free from big tech. It’s called “self-hosting”. Your life, online Many of these large tech providers do a good job of securing your data and enabling you to access services across devices and platforms. They allow novice users with almost no technical skills to interact with and share their data at little cost. However, being reliant on these companies isn’t risk-free. Google, Amazon and Meta have been implicated in unexpected or questionable uses of data. Having high-value data concentrated in well-established systems also provides cyber criminals and scammers with obvious targets to spam, imitate (spoof) or hack. Users are also completely at the mercy of these companies should they decide to raise their fees, change their terms of service, or even discontinue access. What exactly is self-hosting? Self-hosting is a general catch-all term for taking control of your own data. This shifts your data from big tech giants and moves it to self-managed applications. Your data is on your own systems and you have complete control over who can […]

Manufacturing’s automation moment is here – now comes the workforce challenge

Jo Verry, Senior Key Account Manager at industry training organisation, Competenz You lock up your warehouse at night, switch off the lights and press play on an autonomous drone. By morning, it has flown the aisles, scanned barcodes, completed stocktakes and delivered real-time inventory data before the first staff member arrives. For some manufacturers, that future isn’t coming – it’s already here. Having recently attended the MAKE NZ industry conference at the engineering and manufacturing show EMEX – alongside spending the past few months visiting manufacturing sites across New Zealand – I’ve had a front-row seat to how quickly technology is evolving. From collaborative robots (co-bots) on factory floors to increasingly sophisticated AI and automated systems in warehousing and distribution, one message came through consistently: the biggest shift isn’t machines replacing people. It’s that the people alongside those machines now need different skills. There is still a persistent narrative that technology equals job losses. But across manufacturing floors, warehouses and engineering workshops, the reality looks different. Across many manufacturing environments, technology is changing jobs faster than it is removing them. Take robotic welding. A robot may handle repetitive work, but it still needs someone who understands welding quality, tolerances, and outcomes. Visit a distribution centre, and you’ll see technology moving stock, but humans still analysing outputs, monitoring systems and solving problems when things go wrong. Are the robots ready to fly solo? Recently, I visited a manufacturer trialling a machine designed to automatically pick up boxes, stack pallets and shrink-wrap them. Impressive? Absolutely. Faster than the person standing next to it? Not even close. The lesson is simple: technology still needs people. Technology is not a procurement decision – it’s a workforce project The strongest manufacturing investments happen when conversations about technology and workforce capability start early. If new technology, […]

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

Connecting the dots

David Altena has 30 years of tech industry experience and is a founding director of The Better SMB Limited. david@altena.solutions Rob Bull, Director of the New Zealand Lean Academy rob@nzla.nz Connecting The Dots Everyone’s busy, capable and pulling in different directions Most manufacturers know what they need to do, but they’re doing it in pieces, with strategy, people and operations moving separately instead of together. The result is a growing list of sensible initiatives, moving in different directions and quietly cancelling each other out. We have explored several of the pressures facing New Zealand manufacturers – the cost of doing nothing, the investment gap many businesses create for themselves and the disciplines that separate the top performers from the rest. For some, that may have translated into a familiar feeling: we know what could be better here. The harder question is this: are those improvements connected inside your business, or are they sitting in different conversations, owned by different people, progressing at different speeds? Because when effort isn’t aligned, even good decisions create friction. The business stays busy, capable people work hard – and progress stalls. Direction without traction Most manufacturers have a strategy of some sort, even if it lives largely in the owner’s head. There is usually a clear sense of where to take the business, what needs to change and what success should look like. The problem is not ambition. It’s translation. Strategy often moves in one direction, while day‑to‑day decisions move in another. It doesn’t change what gets reviewed weekly, what leaders spend their time on, or what behaviours are rewarded or tolerated. The strategic intent exists, but it never reaches the work. When that happens, people make sensible decisions based on local priorities, not enterprise direction. No one […]

Keeping Southland Opportunity in Southland Hands

As Southland attracts increasing investment and larger projects begin to emerge across the region, Southland-based agency Naked Creative is encouraging businesses to consider whether they are positioned to capitalise on the opportunities ahead. Here comes Tender Ready! The agency, which has long championed regional development and the success of Southland businesses, believes the region’s greatest opportunity lies in ensuring local companies are ready to compete for the work generated on their doorstep. While the agency supports businesses throughout New Zealand, founder Carla Forbes says Southland’s success remains deeply personal. “We are fiercely proud of Southland and the businesses that call this region home. “We’ve spent years working alongside companies that are delivering exceptional work. We know the capability exists here.” “As Southland attracts investment and larger opportunities begin to emerge, we want to make sure local businesses are in the strongest possible position to secure that work. “The last thing we’d like to see is opportunities arriving in Southland only for that work to leave the region because local businesses weren’t ready to compete for it.” According to Senior Marketing Consultant Charlotte Neilson, the conversation has little to do with marketing in the traditional sense. “This is about regional development. We want Southland businesses to win the work. We want Southland businesses to benefit from the investment flowing into our region. The capability already exists. The challenge is making sure decision makers can see it.” Tender Ready Senior Marketing Consultant, Charlotte Neilson (left) and Director, Carla Forbes (right), discussing the Tender-Ready launch. The agency has launched a new programme called Tender Ready following conversations with business owners across Southland. While every business was different, the question was often the same. Does the way we present ourselves reflect the quality of the business we’ve built? “One of the privileges of our […]

Do you have a plan for after your exit ?

From June 2026 issue NZ Manufacturer magazine -Mike Warmington, Director, Platform 1 Having a plan for after you exit your business is just as important as the exit plan. You may have been in your business many years and it defines you. There has been structure to your life and you have emersed yourself in what you know and are good at. Many owners find that when they exit they have not defined what their purpose and direction now is. You like golf and fishing, but not for 7 days a week. You wonder how your business is performing, and also the lives of your loyal staff and long-term customers. A post exit plan before you fully leave the business enables you to consider the legacy you want to leave behind and how you can make a positive impact. Last week I spoke to a business owner who had some exciting new idea’s to implement in his business. At the same he wanted to start stepping back from the business but hadn’t fully determined what he would do. It became apparent an option was to find a Business Partner to grow the core part of the business, allowing him focus only on the new initiative which working 2 days a week when he wanted to. This also would give him time to plan out the future and emotionally come to terms with it, without a complete hard reset. He could gradually exit on his terms. Some key considerations for post business life: Don’t rush into it and you could consider a more gradual exit. The transition out of a business can be emotionally and mentally challenging. Having a plan can mitigate this by providing clarity. Work out your new purpose in life. Discuss your transition with your family and loved […]

Alan Bollard on the changing rules of global trade

By EMA Head of Export and Manufacturing Simon Devoy From supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions to tariff disputes and shifting trade alliances, business disruption seems to arrive from all angles, often with little warning. For exporters and manufacturers, the challenge is constant. How should they respond? How should they prepare? These are some of the issues Dr Alan Bollard has dealt with throughout his career and continues to examine today. Ahead of his keynote appearance at the EMA’s Global X Summit on 15 September, EMA Head of Export and Manufacturing Simon Devoy, spoke with Dr Bollard about the forces reshaping global trade and what New Zealand exporters should be paying attention to. After decades at the forefront of economic policy and international trade, Bollard is currently reflecting on a more confronting reality. He is writing a book titled Darkside Economics, which examines how economic tools can be used not just to grow economies, but to damage them. “It’s about how to use economics to damage economies and how to defend yourself,” he says. “It’s something that, 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have thought about. And it’s a bit of a sad reflection on what’s happening today.” That observation goes to the heart of what is shaping the global economy right now. Trade is no longer only about efficiency and growth. It’s increasingly entangled with power politics, strategic competition and national security. For Dr Bollard, any credible discussion about the outlook has to begin with geopolitics. “When we talk about what’s happening in terms of trade policies, trade tensions and geopolitical tensions, that takes you straight into the US and China,” he says. Europe still matters, but in his view it’s “a little bit less pressing” compared with the forces emanating from the world’s two largest economies. Those forces […]

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, […]

Manufacturing excellence celebrated at annual awards

NZ Manufacturer Manufacturing awards presented during EMEX 2026. The people and businesses driving innovation, growth and resilience across New Zealand’s manufacturing sector have been recognised at the second annual Minister for Manufacturing Awards. “This year’s finalists have set the bar for excellence in modern New Zealand manufacturing,” says Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Cameron Brewer. “Innovation and strong execution are critical to staying competitive in a challenging global environment and manufacturing remains vital to New Zealand’s future prosperity. “Manufacturing contributes around $22 billion a year to our economy and makes up roughly 60 per cent of our goods exports,” Mr Brewer says. “Beyond the numbers, it anchors our regions, strengthens supply chains, and turns ideas into globally competitive products, making a big impact. “The awards recognise what excellence looks like in practice: businesses investing in their people, improving processes, and adopting new technologies to lift productivity and performance. That’s what keeps the sector moving forward, even as cost pressures and global uncertainty persist.” Since taking on the Small Business and Manufacturing portfolio in early April, Mr Brewer has visited many manufacturing businesses nationwide and will continue to engage directly on the factory floor and with the Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group (MPAG) in the coming months. “This Government is committed to backing manufacturing by getting the basics right, supporting investment, skills, innovation and trade, so businesses can build their future and grow, compete and succeed,” Mr Brewer says. “Congratulations to all finalists and winners. Your leadership and ambition are helping shape the future of New Zealand manufacturing.” 2026 Minister for Manufacturing Awards winners: Excellence in Process Innovation: Supported by Swell Architectural Glass Products Architectural Glass Products was created to solve a growing market need for dependable, high-quality double-glazed glass supply in New Zealand. Through advanced automation, purpose-built systems and a culture […]

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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