Recent News

James Hardie appoints Jack Truong as CEO

Louis Gries and Dr. Jack Truong. James Hardie has announced that Dr Jack Truong, currently the Company’s President – International since April 2017, will succeed long-standing CEO Louis Gries as the incoming CEO of James Hardie Industries. Dr Truong who continues to be based out of North America, will be formally appointed to the CEO role toward the end of the company’s 2019 fiscal year, at which time Mr Gries will step down as CEO and from the Board. The Board has determined that a structured transition is in the best interest of shareholders and an approximate six-month handover period has been established, during which time Mr Gries will remain in the CEO role and Dr Truong will become President and Chief Operating Officer with the responsibility of running the Group’s global business. He currently has responsibility for the operations of the Asia Pacific Fibre Cement business and the Europe Building Products business. Jack Truong offers the ideal combination of commercial expertise, operational excellence, and leadership in order to continue to grow the business and maintain the industry-leading performance, across multiple geographies, established by Louis Gries over a long period. Louis Gries joined James Hardie in 1991, becoming CEO in February 2005. During this time James Hardie delivered strong top-line growth and differentiated returns while increasing the market capitalisation from less than A$3.0 billion to A$9.21 billion.

University of Auckland welcomes world renowned 3D Printing researcher

Multi-award-winning product design developer and engineering researcher Professor Olaf Diegel will join the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering in early 2019. The University is delighted to welcome Professor Diegel, its third appointee under the Government’s Entrepreneurial Universities programme. He is a New Zealander returning to take up a new role as head of the Creative Design and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory (the Lab) which aims to significantly change the way Additive Manufacturing (AM) is implemented in industry. AM uses a layer upon layer process rather than the conventional manufacturing processes which subtract material to carve out the finished product. Because of this, AM can produce parts that are infinitely more complex than is possible with conventional manufacturing and, if designed for, can be both cost effective while adding tremendous value to products by make them lighter, more efficient, customised, or adding to their functionality and sustainability. It has had an impact in a number of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, fashion and has had some application in construction. Deputy-Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Jim Metson says the University is delighted to welcome Professor Diegel back to New Zealand to take up his new role. “Additive Manufacturing is one of the fastest moving areas in a sector that is increasingly important to the country. Securing his leading-edge expertise will enable research and industrial applications that are game changing.” Professor Diegel has been leading the product development department and AM lab (the third he has founded) at Lund University in Sweden since leaving New Zealand in 2014. During his career he has developed over 100 new products for companies in New Zealand and worldwide including several home health monitoring products, security and marine products and lighting products. These include the Spengler SCVL cardiovascular lab, a monitoring technology that gives a comprehensive picture of […]

Women in Engineering: Alisha Baddock, Beca, Christchurch

Why do you do what you do? I love being able to find a solution to a problem and create tangible ways to fix them. I’m a people person and what gets me up in the morning is being able to work with my team to provide new innovative solutions to building a better world. Do you enjoy it? I really enjoy what I do, I love being around people and working in a team. I love the life cycle of a project and the adrenaline you get from working on site and thinking on your feet to solve a problem. I have a love hate relationship with a project life cycle – the initial client consultation process, the design, stakeholder analysis, project team meetings, the different personalities, site work – the chaos. Greatest challenges? Engineering is a predominantly male dominated industry, as a young female it is at times challenging to be taken seriously. The biggest challenge I find is asserting myself and backing myself to demonstrate my knowledge, experience, ideas and thoughts. Most exciting project worked on? Canterbury Engineering the Future (CETF) – Refurbishment of the University of Canterbury Engineering Laboratories and shared spaces post-earthquake. The exciting part of the project was being able to provide a solution which satisfied the multitude of stakeholders involved. Where did you study? University of Auckland. First work experience was at The Ports of Auckland where I refurbished electric drive motors for straddle carriers Do you recommend this profession for young women? Yes definitely! It’s such an exciting profession filled with some great people and loads of laughs. It is a fulfilling job where at the end of a project you can see the tangible rewards of your hard work. Favourite Book? Pillars of the Earth Series – Ken Follet Greatest inspiration? […]

CSST taps Planet to spur economic growth in New Zealand

In an exciting new venture, Planet, an integrated aerospace and data analytics company, and New Zealand’s Centre for Space Science Technology (CSST) have announced a partnership to help drive regional economic growth by distributing Planet’s daily, global Earth observation data and analytics. CSST will act as the distribution hub and R&D partner for Planet in New Zealand, making sure a breadth of industries and government agencies get efficient access to Planet’s data and analytic products. Together, Planet and CSST will localise analytics from Planet and jointly develop new solutions to serve specific verticals, including agriculture, disaster management, defence and intelligence, forestry, and maritime. “CSST is an important partner for Planet as they understand the applications and use cases of daily global imagery, and can enable us to bring our products to New Zealand. They will be the frontline consultants for commercial businesses and government agencies at all levels who seek our imagery and analytics,” said Shankar Sivaprakasam, Vice President of APAC and Japan, at Planet. Planet’s global daily imagery and analytics will improve decision-making in key sectors of the New Zealand economy, including disaster preparedness and emergency management, agricultural monitoring, forestry and land use monitoring, water management, infrastructure monitoring, and intelligence gathering. “Earth observation data is becoming increasingly important in helping New Zealand address its biggest economic, environmental, and social challenges. The biggest advantage of Planet’s constellation is how frequently its satellites pass overhead, which is extremely important in the New Zealand context, particularly with disaster monitoring. For example, Planet imagery revealed close to 80,000 landslides in the wake of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Real-time disaster monitoring with Planet data will transform how governments and businesses target preparedness and relief efforts,” said Steve Cotter, CEO of CSST. Planet is an integrated aerospace and data analytics company that operates history’s largest […]

Industry calls for plan for waste management

Workers and consumers will be paying the price of reforms which drive up the cost of doing business if we don’t have a balanced debate on the management of the country’s waste stream, says Packaging New Zealand – one it says needs to be founded in fact, not just emotion. Packaging New Zealand’s Executive Director Sharon Humphreys says the industry’s current challenges lie in halting the hysteria whipped up over such issues as plastics bags, which presents a very real threat of being extended to packaging generally. “We can all find and exploit examples of poor packaging, but these should not be permitted to overshadow the industry’s strong track record of responding innovatively to customer demands and regulatory requirements, while meeting its waste management needs. “New packaging technologies and materials can be disruptive, evidenced by the impact of 3D printing technology or printing electronics directly onto packaging material. However, the focus on continuous improvement and efficiency gains provides for gradual advances which can be equally transformative in impact, such as the significant reduction in the amount of packaging material through ‘light weighting’ or re-design. Humphreys says the packaging industry will continue to react to the changing dynamics of trade, and the scale and speed of that change will be driven by factors which are largely outside its control. “In this context there has never been a more urgent need for a balanced debate, because right now facts and evidence are coming a poor second to emotive images such as pictures of divers swimming through society’s detritus, and sea-life consuming plastic bags. “Our organisation has long advocated for a broader discussion about the role of packaging alongside waste management and recycling, so it is encouraging to see that some commentators are also now seeing the merits of a more comprehensive approach […]

NZ’s largest food manufacturing, technology and logistics Expo “Adding Value to NZ’s Food Chain”

More than 4,500 visiting industry professionals from both New Zealand and around the world will converge in Auckland to attend the sectors largest combined trade only industry event – Foodtech Packtech (FTPT) and the Materials Handling & Logistics Expo (MHL). Hosted at the ASB Showgrounds in September, this year’s event will be the largest show in decades – it’s certainly a must attend event for anyone in the food and beverage manufacturing and packaging or transport and logistics industries! Across the halls you will experience some 240+ exhibiting suppliers covering important capability issues – everything from food safety, processing and security technology through to industrial packaging and preservation solutions, and specialist product handling and logistics. Ngaio Diagnostics deliver the tools used to minimise any chance of microbial or allergen contamination. Their range offers simple, cost effective solutions suitable for companies of all sizes. In 2016, FTPT connected Ngaio to a major NZ company that was able to save them over 10% on their Gluten testing costs. Not only was Ngaio able to help with cost-effectiveness, but they were also able to implement a test with superior ease of use and accreditation, ultimately improving their entire food safety program. Integrated Packaging, a returning exhibitor in 2018, will tell you that “FTPT is the perfect platform to interact with groups of people from a variety of companies and be able to demonstrate first-hand what your company’s capabilities are”. At the 2016 show, Integrated Packing connected with a vast number of companies, saving one of them over $20,000 p.a. by improving their manufacturing processes. This year Integrated Packing will be showcasing a range of new solutions that are unique to this market. This will be of great appeal to companies including meat, poultry and small goods. With sustainability being such a hot topic, […]

ACA holds Corrosion Under Insulation workshop

The economic impact of corrosion and its degradation of infrastructure and assets is estimated to be 3 to 5 per cent of GDP, which for the New Zealand economy is more than $10B annually. Companies require effectively trained staff who have an understanding of the numerous types of corrosion that affect their industry, the impact of dangerous and expensive damage that corrosion causes to structures such as pipelines, towers, bridges, oil rigs, buildings, water systems, and the preventative and remediation technology available. The Australasian Corrosion Association (ACA) regularly hosts special technical events for members and others working in the corrosion management and prevention sector, designed to provide attendees with information and guidance about ways to combat and manage corrosion. As part of this program, the ACA ran a two day Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) workshop in New Plymouth at the end of last month. Presented by internationally renowned CUI consultant Peter Bock from Houston, USA, the workshop was dedicated to the design, specification and inspection of corrosion control systems to prevent CUI in new or aged equipment. Topics covered included causes of CUI, current state-of-the-art CUI coating systems, inspecting and evaluating aged CUI in the field, as well as suitable CUI repair coating systems. Bock has more than thirty years’ experience in elevated temperature coatings and CUI, and has published numerous articles on CUI issues. In addition, he has spoken at NACE, SSPC, ICC and other national and international conferences regarding CUI problems and solutions. Allied to this as CUI has an impact on durability, the ACA hosted a one-day seminar entitled ‘Designing for Durability in the Built Environment’ in July, in Parnell.. The seminar covered a range of topics including Fastener Durability in Timber Structures, the Role of Stainless Steels in Architecture and Using Metal as a Cladding Material. […]

Tesla CEO drops bombshell with $72B buyout proposal

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gearing up to lead a buyout of the electric car maker in a stunning move that would end the maverick company’s eight-year history trading on the stock market. In his typically unorthodox fashion, the eccentric Musk dropped his bombshell on his Twitter account, which he has used as a platform for pranks, vitriol and now for a proposal to pull off one of the biggest buyouts in U.S. history. Musk got the ball rolling Tuesday after the stock market had already been open more than three hours with a tweet announcing he had secured funding to buy all of Tesla’s stock at $420 per share with no further details. At that price, the buyout would cost nearly $72 billion, based on Tesla’s outstanding stock as of July 27, but it’s unlikely the deal would cost that much because Musk owns a roughly 20 percent stake in the Palo Alto, California, company. He also said he intends to give Tesla’s existing shareholders the option of retaining a stake in the company through a special fund, if they want. “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured,” Musk wrote in his first tweet, following up with “good morning” and a smiley emoji. He later tweeted that the only uncertainty about completing the deal is whether he can gain shareholder approval. The first tweet came hours after the Financial Times reported that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund had built a significant stake in Tesla Inc., but it was unclear if that was the funding Musk was referring to. The Financial Times, citing unnamed people with direct knowledge of the matter said Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had built a stake of between 3 and 5 percent of Telsa’s shares. Musk’s announcement was initially met with widespread skepticism, with many people connecting […]

Alternative protein reports published

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Plant & Food Research have released their joint report: The evolution of plant protein – assessing consumer response. The report was commissioned to assess consumer responses to protein and highlight the potential impacts to the New Zealand agricultural industry. New Zealand’s social, environmental, and economic well-being is linked to New Zealand’s ability to supply the rest of the world with protein. New Zealand’s animal-based protein export revenue alone accounts for 60% of New Zealand’s total primary exports. This demand will grow as the global population is set to increase to 8.1 billion by 2025. “This is the very first exploratory piece of work MPI has done in this area. The report explores how consumers have become more aware of the long-term impacts of food production and signals change for traditional animal protein producers. “The findings will inform our work programme to support primary sector resilience in the face of these impacts and changing consumer habits. “The report also includes opportunities to create value through a point of difference for traditional New Zealand products,” says Jarred Mair, acting deputy director-general for policy and trade. “In order for New Zealand to retain a competitive edge in our primary exports, we want to ensure we are looking ahead at what the future consumer might demand in our products and what opportunities are available for our sector,” says Dr Jocelyn Eason of Plant & Food Research. To assess where markets are heading in the next 5 years the report analysed consumer responses to plant-based proteins released in the United States and consumer attitudes to proteins in China. Our research has shown that wealthy western economies such as the US will require an innovative product that meets consumer needs. Key findings of the report include: Progress towards new protein […]

What do field service workers have to do with manufacturing?

Companies that deliver outstanding service and repair experiences include KONE or Fisher & Paykel. -Paul Baptist, Senior Director, Solution Engineering, APAC, Salesforce We’re seeing manufacturers increasingly invest in their customer service and field service teams as customers demand the types of experiences companies like Airbnb provide. Anytime, anywhere, frictionless and personalised experiences are what customers demand. The lines between B2C and B2B customers have also blurred, meaning your experience must match the very best that’s out there, no matter your end buyer. The stakes have never been higher. The Salesforce 2018 State of the Connected Customer report, revealed 66 per cent of buyers say they are likely to switch brands if they are treated like a number instead of an individual. Every touch point a manufacturer has with a customer has to deliver the best possible, personalised experience. In-between buying cycles, field service is often your most important and regular touch point with customers. That’s why we’ve seen our manufacturing customers like KONE, Schneider Electric and Fisher & Paykel invest in their customer service experience. What’s the impact of field service workers in manufacturing? A good example of investing in your field service team is KONE. It is working towards a future where the operating condition of more than 1.1 million of its escalators and elevators is linked with real-time customer information and maintenance schedules. This will be provided to its team of 20,000 field service technicians around the world. By owning the quality of service and empowering its field service technicians, KONE is turning a service request or product break down into an opportunity to provide an outstanding customer experience. What is the ‘customer experience crisis’? Customers judge your business based on their most recent and best interaction. Think of the companies that deliver outstanding service and repair […]

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