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Boosting your bottom line with a safer workplace

Authored by Helen Masters, senior vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, Infor It’s the sound you dread: a bang, crash or shout heralding that one of your employees has been injured. In that moment, you know that many things have been lost — a person’s wellbeing (and possibly their life), the morale of other employees, and possibly, their confidence in the safety of their workplace. Underlying it all, the productivity, cohesion, and workflow you depend on to deliver a competitive, profitable product may also be impacted. The effects are a serious drain on companies and on the wider economy — work related injuries and fatalities cost the nation $61.8 billion in 2012, nearly 5 percent of GDP. Safer operations mean higher productivity The old line about prevention being better than cure has never been more important than when talking about workplace safety. A safe workplace is essential to ensuring reliable, uninterrupted operations. With strong safety programs, companies can significantly improve their productivity, while reinforcing their bottom line and not only boosting morale and wellbeing among their employees but also having a positive impact on the families and close friends of their employees. There are no accidents The question for many businesses is how to get from here to there. In the transport industry, there is an assumption that there are no accidents, just collisions that could have been prevented with foresight and planning. It is hard to think of a sector where that basic principle does not apply. An end-to-end approach to workplace safety begins with a dedicated effort to keep equipment in safe working order, develop workplace procedures and rigorous training plans, and deploy sensors that set off alarms or simply shut down equipment when it is being misused. A safer workplace with enterprise asset management Most companies have […]

EMA’s CEO Kim Campbell steps down

Kim Campbell will step down from his role as CEO of the EMA. After leading the EMA since 2011, Mr Campbell has announced he intends to resign as CEO at EMA’s annual general meeting on November 22. “Kim is an outstanding advocate for business, and the needs of business. He has done a sterling job in leading the organisation through significant change in the past seven years and leaves the EMA in great shape, says Andrew Hunt, President, EMA. “His belief in the work of the EMA and focus on helping businesses succeed has been uncompromising. “He now wishes to step away from the day-to-day role of leading the organisation. Through his directorships and extensive network I’m sure he will remain active in the business community. “Under Kim’s leadership, we have seen the EMA grow and transform. He has achieved numerous policy successes. “Some of his highlights include being an active participant in the formation of what is now known as Resource Reform NZ, which is leading the charge on the broad consensus to reform our resource management systems. “He led a coalition to have the car park tax stopped and has always been a leading voice in the trade agenda debate. “And of most recent note, the above the line campaign which galvanised our members to ask Government to consider the ramifications of the raft of employment relations changes in the pipeline. “In addition to the government relations and advocacy work EMA is renowned for, Kim also oversaw the development of our award-winning business and conference centre which is a visible hub for all our members. “He has lead the review and enhancement of EMA’s accounting and customer management systems. He has expanded the EMA’s service offering to members in the area of employment relations and health and safety, […]

PNG’s APEC venue has NZ involvement

PNG’s Star Mountain Plaza, will host leaders from around the world at the APEC forum, and is expected to open ahead of its planned schedule according to developers. The venue, was designed and project managed by a New Zealand architectural and project management firm. The landmark Star Mountain Plaza conference, accommodation and retail development is a multi-use facility, designed to help PNG attract more overseas visitors in future generations. Mineral Resource Development Companies (MRDC) managing director Augustine Mano says construction on the venue is now expected to be completed in September – two months prior to the start of APEC. Mr Mano says the project is on schedule due to the efforts of more than 800 team members who have worked in shifts 24 hours a day to ensure its early completion. This workforce is expected to increase by a further 200 over the next six weeks as the interior fit out progresses. “Our project will be delivered in multiple phases enabling Hilton to gradually assume control, It is with great pleasure that we can officially handover the the first area of the new five star hotel and Kutubu convention centre to Hilton. “Over the coming weeks, more areas of the development will be handed over in the lead up to the final construction completion date on 13 September 2018,” he says. Mr Mano says in addition to the conference venue the introduction of the Hilton Hotel brand to the PNG market marks a coming of age for the nation. “The opening of the 212 room Hilton Port Moresby will have wide ranging and long term benefits for the country. “The first guests will be welcomed at the hotel soon after the construction is completed,” he says. Data from independent reports project the Star Mountain Plaza development to bring […]

A circular future with stewardship at the centre

Adele Rose – 3R Chief Executive Mention the term ‘product stewardship’ to the first person you bump into on the street and chances are you will be met with a blank look. The truth is, it’s not a widely known concept in New Zealand. It also is and isn’t a simple one either. Suggest that manufacturers and retailers should take responsibility for the products they make and sell throughout the lifetime of those products (the definition of product stewardship), and the blank look will probably turn into a puzzled one. Fast-forward to the year 2050 and this will be a different story. The terms ‘sustainably produced’, ‘fair trade’, ‘organically grown’ and the like were little known or not even coined 20 or 30 years ago but are now part of everyday life. In the same way talking about product stewardship will certainly be common place 32 years from now. The reason for this is product stewardship is a cornerstone of the circular economy – another little-known phrase which will certainly become common place long before 2050. The circular economy is the economy of the future, and ironically also one from the past. Circular principals In generations past there was a far higher value placed on things. When your TV broke you didn’t immediately throw it away, you had it repaired if possible. Things like children’s toys were more durable and weren’t bought on mass. We generally had less stuff, and the stuff we had lasted longer, was repaired and reused. Simply getting rid of something and buying new wasn’t the knee-jerk reaction it is today. Moving to a circular economy isn’t about nostalgia or an ideologically nice thing to do. It’s also not because it’s the environmentally responsible thing to do, but rather because the linear economy and its […]

Olympus launches new portable, powerful videoscope

The IPLEX G Lite industrial videoscope features powerful imaging capabilities and a small, rugged body. Lightweight and able to go almost anywhere, the IPLEX G Lite videoscope provides users working in challenging environments with a remote visual inspection tool that has the image quality and ease of use to get the job done. The IPLEX G Lite is the successor to the compact and lightweight IPLEX UltraLite model, and can be used to capture images inside aircraft engines, piping, and other equipment without the need for disassembly. With two times the brightness of its predecessor, the IPLEX G is also suitable for a variety of applications within the security industry and clean energy sector, including wind turbines. According to Jack Zhang, RVI Product General Manager at Olympus Asia Pacific, “Recent years have seen an increasing emphasis on safety management and quality assurance in fields such as aerospace, security and architecture. This has been accompanied by the use of industrial videoscopes for equipment inspections as these instruments can be used to conduct inspections without the need for disassembly.” The IPLEX G Lite is small and lightweight making it easy to use with one hand, while also featuring enhanced image processing. The tip of the videoscope is fitted with a very small camera and can be freely manipulated, making these instruments ideal for tasks such as periodic maintenance or inspecting a component’s quality. Ease of use has been improved in the IPLEX G with the adoption of a touch panel monitor and electrically operated scope tip bending, enabling users to complete inspections more quickly. New recording and playback functions have also been added; including constant video recording and the ability to add bookmarks to save time during video reviews and find critical moments quickly. When inspecting in oily environments, getting oil on […]

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3D printing aircraft parts using new laser technology

A team of RMIT University researchers led by Professor Milan Brandt are using laser metal deposition technology to build and repair defence aircraft parts in a two-year collaboration with RUAG Australia and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC). The technology feeds metal powder into a laser beam, which when scanned across a surface adds new material in a precise, web-like formation. The metallurgical bond created has mechanical properties similar, or in some cases superior, to those of the original material. “It’s basically a very high-tech welding process where we make or rebuild metal parts layer by layer,” explains Brandt, who says the concept is proven and prospects for its successful development are extremely positive. Head of Research and Technology at RUAG Australia, Neil Matthews, says that by enabling onsite repair and production of parts, the technology could completely transform the concept of warehousing and transporting for defence and other industries. Currently, replacement parts typically need to be transported from local or overseas storage and suppliers. “Instead of waiting for spare parts to arrive from a warehouse, an effective solution will now be on-site,” says Matthews. “For defence forces this means less downtime for repairs and a dramatic increase in the availability and readiness of aircraft.” The technology will apply to existing legacy aircraft as well as the new F35 fleet. The technology is also being adopted in RUAG’s recently established robotic laser additive manufacturing cell. A move to locally printed components could mean big savings on maintenance and spare part purchasing, scrap metal management, warehousing and shipping costs. An independent review, commissioned by BAE Systems, estimated the cost of replacing damaged aircraft components to be more than $230 million a year for the Australian Air Force. CEO and Managing Director of the IMCRC, David Chuter, believes application of this […]

Improving anomaly detection and prevention: What is your data telling you?

By Ruban Phukan, Co-Founder of Progress DataRPM and VP, Product, Progress The pace of digitisation means manufacturers today are under growing pressure to deliver perfect products in increasingly shorter timeframes, and at a lower cost. They can’t afford unplanned interruptions, unforeseen failures, or unexpected breakdowns, nor can they afford to wait until the quality check stage to identify issues that could have been avoided during the production line. According to Vanson Bourne, 82% of companies have experienced at least one unplanned downtime outage over the past three years, which can cost anywhere from $US50k-$150k per hour up to $US2 million for a major outage on an industrial critical asset. Industry research shows more than a third of the manufacturers lose 1-2% of their annual sales to scrap and rework. Data to the rescue! In order to reduce downtime, improve operational efficiencies and quality, manufacturers are heavily investing in data-led technologies. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for example are helping automate the process of analysing a growing number of datasets to understand and prognose machine health. Yet, most industrial anomaly detection efforts fail, with research from Capgemini showing almost 60% of organisations do not have the analytics capabilities to take advantage of the data generated from IoT sources. The issue is, many anomaly detection systems end up identifying either too many anomalies (false positives) or not enough (false negatives). Identifying true anomalies involves scouting for those “unknown unknowns”, amidst a sea of changing industrial data patterns. Avoiding downtime: Illuminating the dark spots in your industrial data The key is to detect early signals of future problems, and take proactive actions to prevent them. There are a few best practices used for anomaly detection and prediction that every manufacturer should look to follow: Rule-based/supervised […]

Objective3D appoints new Technical Service Manager

Objective3D, the leading provider of Stratasys and Desktop Metal 3D Printers has announced the appointment of Arron Jack as the new Technical Services Manager. Arron, a highly experienced technician will be working with the Objective3D technical services team to empower its customers by more efficient usage of their Professional 3D Printers as well as to strengthen Objective3D’s drive and growth for greater market share in both Australia and New Zealand. Arron is well known to product designers and manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand having spent almost two decades in a variety of technical roles in the 3D printing industry, the most recent with Fuji Xerox Australia. Objective3d Managing Director, Matt Minio, said: “We’re very pleased to have Arron join our team. Arron’s technical experience spans the wide range of 3d printing technologies including Stratasys FDM and PolyJet. “After sales service and support for professional 3D printers are critical. Arron with his detailed knowledge and experience will assist in keeping our growing number of customers’ equipment operational. This will further strengthen our close relationships with our customers and enhance our potential for developing other opportunities.”, added Matt Minio. “Arron is an integral leader in our service team”, added Objective 3D Technical Director, Darryl Wootton, “We have been benefiting from his extensive background in a number of ways. He hit the ground running and immediately began contacting our customers and undertaking both onsite and over the phone. Arron’s appointment is already resulting in more timely resolutions to customer technical service issues which is a key requirement in the market.”

Law changes to watch out for

-Dieter Adam, CE, The Manufacturers Network The Government has launched a couple of working groups which will be critical over the coming years in the area of employment law and regulation. We already have the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, to which we submitted and presented our comments to the Select Committee, and now there is a review of the Holiday Act 2003, as well as a Fair Pay working group. After a number of high profile cases of underpayment of holiday entitlements by some employers (both private and public sector), the Government is reviewing the Holiday Act 2003. The review group will include representatives from Business NZ, Unions and Government, and will be chaired by Gordon Anderson, law professor at Victoria University. The group is set to report back in 12 months, though any legislation changes will likely be two or three years away, depending on political movements. In terms of detail, so far, we have a Cabinet Paper outlining the terms of reference, which include key objectives of the review to develop options that: make the provision of, and payment for, entitlements to holidays and leave simpler and more readily applicable to the range of working arrangements in the labour market provide clarity and certainty to employers and employees so that employees receive their correct entitlements and employers’ indirect compliance costs are reduced aim to protect the overall entitlements to employees are easy to systematise and implement in payroll systems One example of the issues in the current act described in the Cabinet Paper is the definition of a working week, when hours may be variable, or a company’s roster and production cycle does fit into a weekly cycle – the act does not provide clear guidance and simple rules for how to deal with such a situation. […]

Modern workplaces need fit for purpose legislation

– Leeann Watson , Chief Executive, Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce Parliament’s Education and Workforce Select Committee has now completed its hearings on the Government’s Employment Relations Amendment Bill. Hopefully, the Committee will take on-board the strong feedback from the business community that any legislative changes need to be fit for modern workplaces and a high performing economy, and not based on failed approaches from the Seventies. The Government has stated that is aspires to create a high wage, high productivity economy, a goal that we all strongly support. However, I am concerned that this Bill will not deliver those goals. Four aspects of the Bill are especially worrying: Employers with 20 employees or more will lose the right to include trial periods in employment agreements. Trial periods have given many employers the confidence to take on people without experience. 80% of employers used a 90-day trial period in the last year. This clause will discourage New Zealand’s larger employers from doing this and make it harder for young and inexperienced people to enter the workforce. Allowing union reps access to workplaces without any permission. This caused issues in the past. Thankfully, employers and unions today have mutually respectful relationships, and we expect most unions would still provide notice regardless of legislation. So why return the country to an “us-vs-them”, anti-growth mentality from the 70s? Forcing businesses to settle collective agreements even if they don’t or can’t agree. The right for either party to opt out of the bargaining process is fair and equitable. Removing this right from employers creates an uneven playing field, which is not only unfair but also a recipe for bad agreements created under duress. Not allowing businesses a choice to opt out of a multi-employer collective agreement. This compels businesses to join […]

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