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ATNZ appoints new CEO to drive future vision

Apprentice Training New Zealand (ATNZ) is thrilled to advise Rebecca Smith has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer to lead the Group Training Organisation (GTO) organisation into its new exciting phase. ATNZ Board Chairman John Blakey said Ms Smith has a wealth of experience and expertise, vital to leading the GTO which from Monday 02 August became a standalone entity, separate from Industry Training Organisation Competenz, with which it has partnered closely since 2010. “Rebecca brings strong strategic leadership combined with an impressive career in marketing and business. Most recently the Executive Director of the NZ Story Group, Rebecca is focused on driving growth, acquisition, and retention. She has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and brand leadership across various industries, including senior marketing leadership roles with Fonterra, BNZ and Telecom. We are delighted to have a leader of her calibre on board”. ATNZ is the country’s largest employer of apprentices in mechanical engineering and related industries. As a GTO, ATNZ places their 360-plus apprentices into “host” companies where they work and learn their trade. As well as the separation from Competenz, part of the government’s ongoing Reform of Vocational Education, Mr Blakey said ATNZ has an exciting vision for the future. The GTO will expand to also become a vibrant and commercially independent Private Training Establishment within the next two years. Ms Smith joins ATNZ to drive this vision to fruition and lead the team of 22 staff from Monday 9 August 2021. Mr Blakey said the ATNZ board acknowledge and deeply thank ATNZ General Manager Susanne Martin for the commitment and energy she has brought to the role over the last three years. “We want to express our gratitude to Susanne for all her mahi. We value how Susanne has always led from the […]

Blank conveyors on a blurred factory background. 3d illustration

Automation rises due to worker shortage

Faced with a growing shortage of workers, many business owners in New Zealand are looking towards automation, something of an irony after years of concern about the risks of structural unemployment. The national labour shortage looms as the most significant risk to our booming manufacturing sector. The latest Bank of New Zealand Performance Manufacturing Index (PMI) for July increased to 62.6, the second highest recorded, but also cited labour issues as the primary concern to industry players. Caleb Nicolson, General Manager of TMX New Zealand – Asia-Pacific’s leading business transformation consultancy – says the combination of a local worker shortage, an inability to bring in seasonal migrants during peak season, and increasing labour costs in New Zealand were making the business case for supply chain automation more attractive to a broader group of businesses. “These types of facilities are common-place overseas, in the US for example approximately 70% of new major warehouses are automated. New Zealand has been relatively slow to take up these smart technologies, until now. The labour shortages are challenging businesses to look differently at their supply chains and we’re now seeing even smaller companies starting to investigate automation, despite the relatively high upfront investment cost.” Many local businesses are looking at automating operations to create high speed, low-cost and higher capacity operations. COVID has undoubtably amplified the requirement to deliver operations with less human contact, automation provides a logical way to reduce this risk to your business model says Nicolson. To ensure businesses move with the times, Nicolson urges them to consider getting independent advice in relation to automation and make it a priority to consider the different software solutions and automation options that are available. Similarly, seeking advice on the procurement and implementation process can make a huge difference to business productivity. TMX has been […]

RMIT welcome RS Components as racing partners

RS Components are proud to announce their support of the RMIT Electric racing team in the legendary Formula SAE competition this year. Originally started by the Society of Automotive Engineers student branch at the University of Texas, Austin, in 1980, the Formula SAE competition now sees over 500 teams from universities worldwide, design, build and compete in their own Formula-style open-wheeled race car. The vehicles are judged on dynamics, design justifications, costing strategies and business presentation and apply rigorous STEM concepts to the build and design process. As the brightest young minds compete annually around the globe, the boundaries of innovation, technology and engineering are constantly redefined. The RMIT Electric Racing team took the competition to the next level in 2008, and entered the first-ever electric vehicle. They were confident they could produce a simple, electric counterpart for the combustion vehicle competition. Every year since, Formula SAE has seen a rapid growth in the number, competitiveness and performance of electric vehicles against their combustion rivals. A fact the RMIT Electric Racing team are infinitely proud of. Managing Director of RS Components ANZ Scott Philbrook said, “We are proud to support the next generation of innovators with the quality products RS Components has to offer. The team and I at RS wish these bright minds the best of luck in this year’s race.” Today the team counts over 50 passionate students across a dozen faculties who demonstrate innovative thinking, initiative and commitment to the real-life commercial project. And it’s little wonder the Formula SAE graduates are often headhunted for their unique combination of technical skills, strong communication abilities and project management skills. Christopher Carr, Business System Head for RMIT Electric Racing said, “Our project is dependent on the valuable investment by our sponsors who allow us to advance the research and […]

Feeling our way towards hydrogen

-Tina Schirr, Executive Director, BusinessNZ Energy Council Right now hydrogen is getting a lot of attention. Many countries are focusing on producing hydrogen for fuel, or procuring it, or planning for its future use. Hydrogen fuel is highly desirable – clean hydrogen produces none of the harmful emissions of other energy sources. So hydrogen is potentially a very good energy source for powering our post-carbon world. But there’s a catch – production of hydrogen is not economic at present and currently can’t be produced cost-effectively. As a result, countries are taking the initiative in different ways as they feel their way towards a hydrogen-powered future. Recently, the World Energy Council (WEC) released a report on hydrogen – Hydrogen on the Horizon: Ready, Almost Set, Go?: the BusinessNZ Energy Council, WEC’s representative in New Zealand, contributed to the report, along with 128 other countries. The report highlights the global activity that’s occurring in the development of hydrogen as a fuel source. A number of countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the Americas are focusing on producing hydrogen. Others, in Asia and Europe, are more focused on procuring it. Their reasons for looking to hydrogen are varied – including its potential to diversify energy sources, decarbonise economies, allow for repurposing infrastructure, and to grow green jobs and green economies. Some countries – notably Germany, Japan, South Korea and Singapore – are partnering with others to ensure they can achieve global hydrogen supply chains and adequate supply once hydrogen becomes cost-effective to produce in significant quantities. New Zealand is becoming integrated into such partnerships, signing bilateral partnership agreements with Japan and Singapore and partnering with Germany on green hydrogen research projects. New Zealand is also among the countries that are seeking ways to produce hydrogen cost-effectively. Last week Contact Energy and […]

Prestigious Awards to Showcase Region’s Best Businesses

Wellington’s diverse business community given a chance to shine post covid. Entries are now open Monday for the prestigious Wellington Region Business Excellence Awards, to be celebrated at a black-tie gala hosted by the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and its sponsors in November. The Awards, now in its 14th year, celebrate the dozens of local businesses that contribute to the region’s vibrant and successful business community. Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, says after an extremely disruptive and challenging 18 months, the Awards are more important than ever. “Business is the unsung hero in our community. From keeping people employed in uncertain times, to increasing inclusion and diversity in the workplace, to tackling environmental issues, and supporting charitable and community groups; our local businesses do so much good work. The awards are an opportunity for businesses to celebrate their efforts, drive, and determination as well as their contribution to our communities. I encourage businesses to enter and tell their success stories because they deserve to be recognised and celebrated.” This year there are 10 categories for the Awards, which include: Manufacturing & Distribution, Innovation & Technology, Hospitality, Tourism and Retail, Service and Support, Trades and Infrastructure, Not for Profit, Best Emerging Business, Young Business Person of the year, Employment Excellence and Environmental Excellence. The awards are free to enter and are open to any business to any business based within the Wellington Region. The overall winner elected from the category winners will be awarded the Supreme Business of the Year Award. Previous winners include Cuttriss Consultants Ltd, who won the 2019 Supreme Business of the Year Award, who also took out the Professional Services category. Reflecting on their achievements, Director Colin McElwain said, “It was a really great evening to celebrate business within the […]

WRONZ launches Wool Source

Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand Inc (WRONZ) has announced its world-class research initiative with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to explore new uses for New Zealand’s strong wool has led to the development of unique wool particles, powders and pigments with global export potential for applications as diverse as cosmetics, printing, luxury goods and personal care. WRONZ unveiled the innovative wool products at an event to celebrate the achievements from its New Uses for Strong Wool programme, supported by research, industry and funding partners. WRONZ also announced the launch of commercial development company Wool Source to develop the new products and assess market demand for the strong wool innovation. WRONZ further announced the completion of its pilot production facility to manufacture its first deconstructed wool ingredients from 100 per cent biodegradable, renewable and sustainable New Zealand strong wool. The launch event also provided the opportunity to announce investment from the Ministry for Primary Industries to fund further product lines and commercial development as part of the wider New Uses for Strong Wool programme. MPI is contributing $1.95 million via its Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund alongside $2.92 million from WRONZ. The three-year programme aims to prove the commercial viability of the new deconstructed wool particle products. The goal is to develop more sustainable product ingredient alternatives for global manufacturers and consumers – while revitalising New Zealand’s strong wool sector, creating new value for our economy and communities. Additionally, The Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG) announced it was jointly funding Wool Source’s market engagement alongside WRONZ. SWAG chief executive Andy Caughey says, “We’re providing support for Wool Source to undertake a deep dive project into particles, powders and pigments markets to assess the scale and viability of the commercial opportunity. “New Zealand’s wool […]

Catalyse change in your supply chain with responsible procurement

By Barbara Nebel and Femi Perumbally https://www.thinkstep-anz.com/ Supply chains have become a focal point of conversations around a company’s performance. Organisations and their stakeholders now want assurances that their values are reflected throughout the supply chain. A responsible procurement framework helps companies to mobilise positive change through the different tiers of their supply chain. By prioritising suppliers that align with their environmental and social values, they can encourage a much wider range of companies to shift the dial on those issues. This means working with companies that have similar values and are willing to put in the work to comply with the preferred supplier requirements — not just companies that already meet the requirements. We look at the companies putting responsible procurement frameworks into action and the three core components required for success: stakeholder engagement, screening, and supplier code of conduct. Stakeholder engagement: Understand the priorities of your company and stakeholders The first step is to understand the areas that are most important to your organisation. A materiality assessment can help you identify and prioritise the issues that are most important to your organisation, based on feedback from a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. If you are not able to undertake a full materiality process right now, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the benefits of stakeholder engagement. You can still engage with your internal and external stakeholders on a smaller scale to understand the high priority areas and market expectations for your organisation. This can feed into your responsible procurement framework and the overall process for supplier selection. To determine priority areas related to their sustainability values, premium lighting solutions company, Eagle Lighting (formerly known locally as Fagerhult NZ) looked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework for inspiration. An SDG workshop run by […]

Inflation pressure triggers uncertainty and volatility for manufacturing sector

-Rebecca Reed Rapidly rising costs for businesses, a lack of skilled and unskilled workers, increasing inflation and shipping delays are putting huge pressure on New Zealand’s business environment and the consumer is about to feel it. The latest Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Confidence Survey found inflationary pressure is increasing and between a third and a half of all businesses are expecting to increase their prices in the next 3 to 12 months. It also found more than half of all businesses are expecting increased costs, yet less than 25% are expecting increasing profitability. Covid-19 economic impacts, growing concern around government policy and labour shortages are holding businesses back nationally. The survey shows labour shortages as the single biggest barrier to business for more than 60% of businesses. This is at unprecedented levels. “The business environment continues to be increasingly difficult – while the economy has rebounded strongly and demand continues to be strong, the ability for firms to deliver is fraught with a wide range of risks and cost increases. “These cost increases and risks are more widespread across business type and size as all companies try to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment,” said Helen Down, Chief Executive of Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. Down says she is hearing from businesses unable to commit to fixed prices or a delivery timeline due to the totally uncertain environment. “This time last year our survey found business owners were experiencing small increases in costs and holding prices but now costs are increasing rapidly, and the consumer is only just starting to feel it. The situation is set to deteriorate quickly when businesses are forced to not only increase prices but not even commit to a set price in the next six months,” said Down. The Wellington Electric Boat […]

Reconnecting plan positive but parts need to be turbo-charged

The EMA says the plan for reconnecting New Zealand to the world will be a relief to those in the business community needing to travel but pressing issues remain with the current system. Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says increasing access to vaccinations and ramping up the pace of the rollout makes complete sense and believes many EMA members will take the opportunity to vaccinate early. “Given the feedback we’ve had from our two Vaccinations in the Workplace webinars, people are ready and waiting for their call up to get it, so it is great news that everyone will be eligible sooner.” “Our members will also be pleased to see the self-isolation pilot and new testing and vaccine checking systems at the border, but we think that to really reconnect with the work this should be prioritised further.” Mr O’Riley says he has no doubt some of the EMA’s 7,400 member businesses will put their hands up to be part of the trial and looks forward to working with the Government to prioritise these. He cautions that while the pilot and the new risk-based border pathway would potentially ease some of the issues with MIQ, the booking system and capacity issues still need to be urgently addressed. “Lack of access to MIQ spots is hamstringing a number of businesses who need to either bring in critical staff or get their teams overseas and back. Most importantly the connection between people in New Zealand with their families globally and the ability of expatriate Kiwis to return and participate in the economy must be prioritised.” This does not do away with the need for other initiatives such as the overstayer amnesty, which as well as increasing the available workforce will also remove a significant case load from Immigration New Zealand, enabling it to […]

New government alliance to lead technology climate response

A cross-government partnership is on a mission to turn New Zealand into a centre of global CleanTech excellence, solving pressing environmental problems. Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand Growth Capital Partners, the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge, Auckland Unlimited and UniServices have established the NZ CleanTech Mission partnership to convert local CleanTech into thriving and profitable businesses. The joint mission follows the freshly launched New Zealand Climate Tech for The World, a deep-dive report into NZ’s CleanTech opportunities, the most in-depth research to date in this area. Among the report’s key recommendations is to increase collaboration among government organisations. “We need to support climate innovation as a step towards achieving the national and global carbon targets, set by the Climate Commission. Through creating technologies to address these targets, New Zealand can also build a high-value export sector, and new employment opportunities,” says James Muir, CleanTech Lead at Callaghan Innovation. Solving commercialisation challenges The partnership statement outlines a number of key actions: Developing a five-year roadmap, supercharging local and international connections, scoping initiatives to boost commercialisation and, ultimately, a targeted approach to CleanTech clusters. “It’s not easy for innovators to navigate the challenging commercialisation stages of R&D and investment to translate their ideas into globally successful businesses. The New Zealand Climate Tech for The World report, for example, reveals that NZ? innovators are raising 95% less investment than other comparable small, advanced economies,” Mr Muir explains. “The NZ CleanTech Mission will ensure that CleanTech is flagged as a critical priority, on a nationwide and coordinated level. The aim is to ensure CleanTech innovators, whether out of businesses, labs or garages, have a responsive, connected, and easy-to-navigate ecosystem of support.” New Zealand’s CleanTech opportunities Callaghan Innovation’s recent review of NZ’s early- and growth-phase businesses identified up to 300 CleanTech innovators working on […]

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