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World-class technology and outstanding culture at Architectural Glass Products

Architectural Glass Products (AGP) is a cutting-edge glass manufacturing business based in Hautapu, near Cambridge. Established five years ago, AGP was created to help provide the APL window manufacturer network with a total window solution. It was born from the belief that the local window and glass industry was being underserved, particularly in terms of service and quality. In response, David Bunting, Mitch Plaw, Craig Vincent and Brent Martin joined forces to create a world-class, fully digitalised, and highly automated double-glazing operation. The result is a custom-built, state-of-the-art facility stretching 417 metres long and 108 metres wide, home to some of the most advanced glass processing equipment in the Southern Hemisphere. The Employers and Manufacturers Association’s Nicholas Russell sat down with David to discuss the challenges and successes of launching a greenfield manufacturing operation in New Zealand, the pivotal role of digital transformation, and the importance of investing in people and culture from day one. Why was AGP started?? We felt the glass and window industry in New Zealand was underserved – quality was lacking, and service wasn’t up to par. Our customers, being APL Window Manufacturers, were feeling the pain and we realised the only way to truly improve the supply chain experience was to control it ourselves. That meant starting from scratch and building a manufacturing business that could deliver exceptional products with equally exceptional service. AGP is known for its massive and innovative facility. Can you tell us about the design thinking behind it? We designed the building around the manufacturing process, not the other way around. That gave us complete freedom to optimise product flow and efficiency. The building is 417 metres long (you could park five Boeing 777s inside with room to spare) and 108 metres wide, which helped us futureproof our operations. Aesthetically, it looks […]

Reflections from Australian Manufacturing Week, looking forward to SouthMACH 2025

Adam Sharnan, CEO LMAC Group APAC Australian Manufacturing Week is an annual exhibition for the manufacturing industry, this year held in Melbourne between 6-9th May. Over the four days of the exhibition, the manufacturing industry comes together to share emerging technologies and services, share learnings and ideas and connect with partners across the industry. With this year’s event taking place within days of the Federal election and the Labour Party’s return to power, the focus of the event was on lifting productivity of Australia’s manufacturing sector and, in turn, its contribution to lifting national GDP. Not unlike, New Zealand’s manufacturing sector, Australian businesses are facing significant challenges. Louise McGrath, Head of Industry Development and Policy at the Australian Industry Group highlighted slowing investment, a restrictive workplace relations system, an uncompetitive tax system, a complex regulatory environment, ongoing skilled labour shortages, and uncertainty over energy affordability and reliability (gas prices having risen by 49% in the last 5 years, contributing to an increase of 31% across all manufacturing inputs) as being the key headwinds facing Australian Manufacturers. These issues are compounded by volatile international conditions and national security challenges, severely constraining the capacity and confidence to invest in business R&D, which is critical for innovation and productivity enhancement. In response to these challenges, industry groups used the Australian Manufacturing Week exhibition to advocate for an industry-wide approach to lifting productivity and viability of the manufacturing industry focused on Digitisation (acceleration of productivity through the adoption of Industry 4.0 technology), Diversification (in to new and growing markets such as defence and hydrogen production) and Decarbonisation (to reduce reliance on high-cost energy inputs). Prior to their election, the Albanese government outlined a federal industry support package focus around the National Reconstruction Fund (allocating $1 billion of its $15 billion budget to novel and […]

Own It: Leadership is a Personal Responsibility, Not a Title

In the picture: David Altana is head of Growth & Partnerships at Smartspace.ai & Co-Founder & Host of The Better SMB Podcast. You can’t change your business without changing how you lead. In the picture: Rob Bull, Director & Principal Consultant at Plexus Consultant & Co-Founder & Host of The Better Business SMB Podcast We’ve made the case. New Zealand’s productivity crisis is real, and it won’t be solved by waiting on government policy, new funding mechanisms, or the perfect hire. Now we come to the heart of the matter. If we want better-performing businesses, change needs to happen to avoid the status quo and repeat the conversations of the past 30 years. If you’re the owner, GM or leader of a manufacturing business, the next leap isn’t strategic. It’s personal. The next frontier is you. The Mirror Test Think back to last week. Were you the calm in the chaos, or part of it? Were your conversations clear, or rushed? Did your team get direction, or distraction? Did you put aside any time to improve your leadership skills or knowledge? This might have been as simple as being curious and watching a couple of YouTube videos. Learn what is happening in leading businesses, it doesn’t take too long to find a couple of case studies and pick up a few pointers, then think about how this can be applied in your business. Leadership isn’t just visible in the big decisions. It’s in the energy you bring to the day-to-day. And your team mirrors it back, whether you realise it or not. Many of us rose through the ranks by being the fixer, the hard worker, the one who showed up when others didn’t. But that mindset, the hustle, the constant firefighting, the 14-hour days, doesn’t scale. It […]

Hutt Valley’s focus on manufacturing’s future

Just released is strategic report 35 BY 35, the ten-year roadmap for Hutt Valley business growth, with a strong focus on manufacturing. The ambitious 10-year plan is to grow the Hutt Valley’s GDP by 35%, increase productivity by 16%, and increase highly skilled jobs by 18% – putting our region at the heart of New Zealand’s manufacturing, research, science and innovation industries; delivering business and community prosperity. There are over 15,000 businesses in the Hutt Valley contributing $10 billion to the New Zealand economy and employing more than 70,000 people. In the picture:Patrick McKibbin, Chief Executive, The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. The plan wants to see: Productivity increase by 18.3% Increase highly skilled jobs by 16.5% GDP increase by 35% Higher average wages More jobs Greater wellbeing Better infrastructure Based on the past five years’ performance alone, linear growth for Hutt Valley is predicted at 30.7% by 2035 (44.1% in Upper Hutt and 26.4% in Lower Hutt). The ambition is to exceed linear growth. Higher productivity than the national average In the financial year to March 2022, the Hutt Valley exhibited a robust productivity level, with GDP per filled job amounting to $138,345. This figure surpassed the national average of $132,815, indicating the region’s higher productivity levels. Productivity growth Productivity in the Hutt Valley in March 2022 demonstrated steady growth, increasing by 2.8% compared to the previous year, outpacing the national increase of 2.3%. This growth trend is indicative of a region that values efficiency and innovation. The Hutt Valley is the engine room of the Wellington region – a vibrant hub of manufacturing, innovation, science and research, and many outstanding support businesses, which together form the thriving business community that we take immense pride in. The region has existing and future plans to invest significantly in construction […]

The pay equity puzzle: can we compare effort, skill and risk between different industries?

Gemma Piercy, Lecturer, Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Waikato Bill Cochrane, Senior Lecture in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Waikato Suzette Dyer, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management, University of Waikato Last week’s move by the government to amend pay equity laws, using parliamentary urgency to rush the reforms through, caught opposition parties and New Zealanders off guard. Protests against the Equal Pay Amendment Bill have continued into this week, driven to some extent by disappointment that an apparent political consensus on the issue has broken down. In 2017, the National-led government passed a forerunner to the current legislation for the health sector only, the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Act. Later, in opposition, National also supported the Labour government’s Equal Pay Act in 2018, as well as the Equal Pay Amendment Act in 2020. That legislation was designed to extend a pay equity process to all occupations and create a clearer pathway for making pay equity claims. With both major parties seemingly aligned, some 33 pay equity claims were under way. Those claims – all halted now – involve the education, health and social services sectors. As such, the government would have to meet the costs of successful claims. This explains why one rationale for the law change has been that the claims were potentially too expensive. The other rationale (preferred by Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden) is that the existing policy wasn’t sufficiently rigorous in determining the validity of some claims. Unlock new possibilities. In reality, both the cost and the policy framework allowing equity claims to proceed are interrelated: the more permissive the framework, the higher the potential cost to the government and employers. But while equal pay for equal work is the goal, it’s important to understand that equal pay and pay equity are not the […]

Unemployment data shows real weakness behind the headline rate

Unemployment data released today by Statistics New Zealand shows ongoing weakness in the labour market, with falling employment, falling hours of work, and nearly half of all workers getting a pay rise less than inflation, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “While the unemployment rate number stayed at 5.1%, the number of people working full-time fell by 45,000 while the number working part-time increased by 25,000. People can’t find all the work they need to get by,” said Renney. “This data demonstrates that there are now 37,000 more unemployed people than at the last election. Māori unemployment is now at 10.5% and Pacific unemployment is at 10.8%. Employment fell in manufacturing, construction, retail, education, and health care. There are now nearly 3 million fewer hours being worked in the economy. “The weakness of current economic growth is also being reflected in the wage data. Total weekly gross earnings rose by less than inflation at 2.4% annually. 41% of workers saw no pay rise at all. It’s clear that workers are struggling to get the wage increases they need to keep up with the cost of living. “Youth unemployment continues to rise. There are now 70,700 15–24-year-olds unemployed and 96,600 are not in employment, education or training. There is no plan to help these younger workers, and they are bearing the brunt of employment change. “Without changes to the Government’s economic approach, things will likely get worse. In 2022 New Zealand was sixth in the OECD rankings for unemployment. We are now 18th. “The Budget this month will likely see forecasts of unemployment rising in the future. It’s time to change course and deliver policies that ensure good work and fair pay for all,” said Renney.

Chemz: Built on experience, Powered by Kiwi loyalty

From May issue of NZ Manufacturer magazine. We celebrate this outstanding achievement. Chemz: 100 Seasons of Kiwi Innovation and Loyalty A New Zealand-owned success story built on quality, loyalty, and a commitment to solutions that work for Kiwi industries – celebrates 25 year anniversary. -John Berry The Chemz story begins more than 100 seasons ago, on the other side of the world. In 1964, during my OE, I entered the petroleum industry just as marine seismic surveys were beginning to shape the future of energy exploration. Working with Western Geophysical Co. of America, and later with Shell Australia, I gained hands-on experience across the Mediterranean, Gulf States, and Australia. After a decade abroad, I returned home to New Zealand and helped establish an American industrial aerosol brand that soon became a household name. However, when that company shifted from family ownership to corporate control, I knew it was time to step away. Whilst farming in Central Hawke’s Bay offered a refreshing change, it sparked a new vision: the idea of creating a New Zealand-owned aerosol company designed for Kiwi industries and Kiwi conditions. In 2000, that vision became reality. Chemz was formed after discussions with a group of national distributors seeking a new supplier committed to quality, consistency, and genuine service. After working closely with raw material suppliers, industrial chemists, and manufacturing partners, we launched Chemz with just nine products and a simple philosophy: Do it properly, or not at all. Fast forward to today, and Chemz now offers a range of over 100 premium products across the electrical, industrial, automotive, forestry, food, and paint sectors. We continue to develop solutions that meet the tough demands of New Zealand’s climate and industries—because what works overseas doesn’t always work here. Chemz operates from our purpose-built facility in the Whakatu Industrial Area […]

Managing legal and reputational risk

Business News/Analysis -Kate Alexander, co-founder, Crisis and Legal PR, Alexander PR The intersection between law and public perception can be a blind spot for lawyers. Yet today’s digital reality is that damage in the court of public opinion can outstrip that in a court of law. It usually happens much faster, and its potential to impact lawyers’ clients is growing. Now, with the additional layer of large language models (LLMs), AI engines such as GPT-4.5, Claude 3.7, Grok-3 and DeepSeek R1 are becoming the arbiters of truth about you and your organisation. At least in the court of public opinion, it’s not business as usual. Organisations and HNWI increasingly expect joined-up legal and reputational thinking. Law firms that deliver on this will benefit through more work, less case stress, higher fees and bigger reputations. Ignore reputation management, and lawyers leave money on the table. Reputational issues and crises can take an astonishing variety of forms, and serious ones inevitably involve some legal oversight or (increasingly) they relate directly to a court or regulatory process which involves protracted risks. Typically, our trigger for action as Legal PRs is a phone call from a CEO client or their lawyer due to sudden interest from a journalist, a regulator, a consumer representative, special interest groups and the like. Legal or litigation PR has been emerging in various jurisdictions to support legal strategy with reputational risks in the 24-hour news cycle era. It matters not just during a legal case but ahead of its possible occurrence and long after as a dispute simmers and boils. Controversy can hit the bottom line instantly – remember the DGL Group debacle around Nadia Lim? Legal PR involves managing the public narrative across legal disputes and complex business issues (many of the crises we deal with emerge and […]

Double materiality: What it is and why it matters to manufacturers

Sustainability isn’t just about ticking boxes for your next report. It’s about seeing the big picture – how the world is affecting your business and how your business is affecting the world. That’s the idea behind double materiality, and it’s something manufacturers across New Zealand should start paying attention to. Read our Need to know: Double materiality guide or get in touch with thinkstep-anz’s expert Martin Fryer to talk through what this could look like for your business. This approach goes beyond compliance. It can help you build a more resilient business, unlock opportunities and manage risks – whether you’re exporting food and beverages, building homes or making parts for machinery. What is double materiality? Double materiality means looking at sustainability from two perspectives: Impact materiality: how your activities affect the environment, society and economy. Financial materiality: how environmental and social issues affect your financial performance, risks and long-term success. This approach is already required in some parts of the world. For example, the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates it. Even if you don’t export to the EU, it’s likely your customers or investors will start asking for the same level of transparency. Why does this matter in New Zealand? Even though New Zealand’s reporting regulations currently focus more on financial materiality, there’s growing interest in taking a broader approach. Why? Because it makes business sense. Let’s look at a few examples: Food and beverage manufacturing Impact materiality: The way you source ingredients matters. Are you contributing to deforestation, water stress or unethical labour practices? Financial materiality: If global retailers tighten their supply chain standards (as many already have), you could lose access to key markets unless you can prove your practices are sustainable. What you can do: Use certified ingredients, invest in traceability, or switch to […]

The Skills Shortage Smokescreen

Stop searching for unicorns. Build a workplace worth joining and staying at. “We just can’t find the right people.” It’s the go-to excuse for operational issues, stalled growth and missed deadlines. But let’s call it what it is: a smokescreen. The so-called “skills shortage” is a convenient distraction from a harder truth. For many businesses, they don’t have a people problem, it’s a management problem. David Altana is head of growth and partnership at Smartspace.ai and co-host and founder of The Better SMB Podcast. When we dig beneath the surface, the reality is clearer than we’d like to admit. If your business can’t attract or retain good people, it’s probably not the labour market letting you down. It’s likely something internal: your culture, your systems, or your leadership. You Get What You Build For According to MBIE[1], 40% of roles in Tamaki Makaurau are classed as low-skilled, so let’s contrast a couple of businesses in the same region, competing to attract the same workers. One constantly complains about a lack of skilled staff. The other quietly gets on with hiring, training and growing its team. The difference isn’t luck. It’s leadership. Rob Bull is Director and principal consultant at Plexus Consultant and co-founder and host of The Better SMB Podcast. The successful business has designed itself to be a place people want to stay. It invests in onboarding, creates meaningful development pathways, and builds an environment where team members feel valued. Managers know their people. They communicate. They coach. They share the “why” behind the work. These companies don’t have a secret recruitment strategy, they simply understand retention starts with trust, which is built through day-to-day leadership, not policies or perks. To get an idea of what this looks like in practice, it’s worth reading the Jones & Sandford Joinery […]

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