Regional Manufacturing

University programme expands to help manufacturers go digital

New funding will enable a University initiative to help more small manufacturers access affordable digital technology and improve productivity. Key facts The Government has committed up to $475,000 per year for three years from 1 April 2026 to expand the University of Auckland-led Digital Manufacturing Light programme. Digital Manufacturing Light is delivered by researchers from the University’s Laboratory for Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing Systems and supports SMEs to adopt practical, low-cost digital technologies. The programme was first piloted in 2022 in partnership with Auckland Council. A University of Auckland initiative that helps manufacturers adopt low-cost digital technologies is set to expand under a new three-year Government funding commitment. From 1 April 2026, funding of up to $475,000 per year will support the expansion of the University-led Digital Manufacturing Light programme, enabling more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to increase digitalisation in their operations. The programme will continue in Auckland and expand into parts of Waikato, Northland and the Bay of Plenty, reaching around 55 percent of New Zealand’s manufacturing businesses. Digital Manufacturing Light is led by Dr Jan Polzer and Professor Xun Xu from the Faculty of Engineering and Design’s Laboratory for Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing Systems (LISMS). It builds on the Digital Manufacturing on a Shoestring framework developed by the team led by Professor Duncan McFarlane from the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge. Between 2022 and 2025, LISMS worked in partnership with Auckland Council to test and adapt the Shoestring programme for the New Zealand market, launching a 12-month Digital Manufacturing Light pilot on 1 July 2025 with 12 Auckland companies. The programme development has also involved Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa and the Employers and Manufacturers Association. The work drew the attention of Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Hon Chris Penk, who visited the Faculty of Engineering […]

The world wants Kiwi manufacturing: Turning acquisitions into advantage

By Sean Doherty,Manufacturing Commentator | NZ Industry Trends Global investment is reshaping the future of Kiwi manufacturers—and the outlook is surprisingly positive. It has been a historic couple of years for New Zealand’s manufacturing and food processing sectors. From Invercargill to Auckland, a remarkable string of large manufacturing companies have been acquired by overseas buyers—or are in the process of changing hands. Fonterra’s consumer brands, Alliance Group, Synlait Milk, MHM Automation, Robotics Plus, Bremworth, Rakon, and a host of others have all attracted international attention. At first glance, headlines about foreign buyers snapping up New Zealand businesses can feel unsettling. The instinct is to ask: are we losing jobs and intellectual property? But when you dig into the details, a more encouraging picture emerges — one of fresh capital, global market access, jobs protected, and innovation accelerated. Here’s what’s really going on, and why there’s reason to be optimistic. The world wants what we’ve built The sheer scale of interest in New Zealand companies tells a story of success, not failure. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, 52 deals were announced, a 41 percent increase on the same period a year earlier. International investors from France, Ireland, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia, and Sri Lanka have all been writing cheques. Why? Because New Zealand companies have built something genuinely valuable. Robotics Plus, a Tauranga-based agricultural robotics company, attracted Yamaha Motor—one of the world’s leading industrial conglomerates—because its autonomous orchard vehicles and AI-powered systems are among the best in the world. Yamaha has now made Robotics Plus part of the foundation of its new global agricultural automation company, Yamaha Agriculture Inc. That’s not a loss. It’s a global validation of Kiwi ingenuity. Similarly, Christchurch’s MHM Automation caught the eye of Fortifi Food Processing Solutions because its post-harvest, […]

New Zealand Productivity Organisation wants to hear from you

www.nzproductivityorganisation.co.nz www.nzmanufacturer.co.nz/nzproductivityorganisation The New Zealand Productivity Organisation (NZPO) invites all businesses throughout the country to share their views on Productivity and how they are finding current business conditions. Your company may be doing well or not quite reaching the mark you are aiming for. The economy in 2026 seems to be picking up and the better than expected PMI figures are welcome and a sign of better things around the corner. For each company it will be different, the level of Productivity. Share with us how the tools and methods you are using, the technology and expert advice, showing the way to a better future and just how you are planning ahead. Your story can appear jn the NZ Manufacturer magazine or on the media platform. Please visit NZPO at the above address.

Manufacturing starts year by shifting up a gear

Hon Chris Penk New data showing New Zealand manufacturing is experiencing its highest level of activity since December 2021 signals a strong start to the year, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Chris Penk says. The latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) shows the seasonally adjusted PMI for December has risen by 4.4 points compared to November, bringing it to 56.1. “This is an incredibly positive signal, as a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates the manufacturing industry is generally expanding. The data suggests New Zealand manufacturing growth is outperforming major economies including the United States, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia,” Mr Penk says. “The success of manufacturing is central to the health of the New Zealand economy. The sector directly employs more than 220,000 people, contributes around eight percent of GDP and accounts for 60 percent of our exports. “We know some manufacturers felt the pinch of harder months last year. Today’s great news coupled with a 1.1 percent uptick for national GDP in the September quarter indicates a brighter future for businesses. “The Government is focused on setting the right conditions and fixing the basics so that businesses can thrive. Manufacturers are turning that certainty into growth through hard work and innovation. “The creativity and resilience of the sector, and its contribution to national prosperity deserve to be celebrated. It’s therefore my pleasure to announce the second annual Minister for Manufacturing Awards will be held at Auckland Showgrounds on 27 May. “This year’s awards will again recognise the Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing Leader of the Year, Apprentice of the Year and Excellence in Process Innovation. It will also introduce three new categories. “This includes a dedicated Manufacturer of the Year award for businesses with fewer than 50 Full Time Equivalent Employees (FTEs). With around 97 percent of manufacturers falling into this group, opening a new category ensures small businesses receive the recognition they deserve. “An Emerging Manufacturer Leader of the Year award is also being added to shine a spotlight on the next generation of innovators and trailblazers, alongside a Manufacturing Lifetime & Legacy Award to honour those who have […]

2026, moving forward together: Competenz deepens support for learners and employers

By Toni Christie: Competenz General Manager – Employer and Learner Experience With apprentices and employers across the country navigating an evolving sector, Competenz focused on stability, support and momentum — strengthening learner pathways and employer capability ahead of the 2026 shift to Industry Skills Boards. More than 7,000 apprentices and trainees are developing their careers through Competenz-supported programmes across New Zealand – everywhere from engineering workshops to plastics manufacturing lines, heating and ventilation rooms, forestry operations and fabrication floors. And in 2025, that collective momentum has only grown. Even as the vocational education system continued to evolve, our focus remained clear: equip learners and employers with the support and confidence they need to make real progress. A major driver of that progress has been the continued strengthening of our Learner Support Framework. The needs across our network have become more varied, and this year the framework supported apprentices everywhere from engineering workshops and plastics plants to fire protection crews and forestry teams. By early 2025, more than 1,000 learners were joining our fortnightly study groups – a sign not just of demand, but of trust and belonging. Support for priority learners has continued to deepen. Whether someone needs help with literacy, numeracy, drawing, or navigating neurodiversity, we’ve ensured there’s a pathway that meets them where they are. Accessibility has remained a priority too, with 300 Chromebooks circulating nationally — many in the hands of learners who would otherwise struggle to engage online. Wellbeing has been another steady thread through 2025. Our partnership with Vitae continued to provide vital mental-health support. Employers have also played a pivotal role in setting apprentices up for success, and in 2025 our nationwide Train-the-Trainer workshops helped build that capability even further. The series focused on practical, real-world coaching skills — exploring how effective on-the-job guidance […]

Apex Valves: From garage to global

From humble beginnings in a Titirangi garage, Apex Valves has grown into one of New Zealand’s standout manufacturing and export success stories. Built on precision engineering and commitment to quality, the company now supplies high performance water control valves to homes and farms around the globe. The EMA’s Nicholas Russell sat down with Apex General Manager Mark Gracie to talk about the competitive edge that comes from manufacturing excellence backed by decades of innovation. Q: How did Apex Valves’ journey begin, and what triggered your move into larger-scale manufacturing? Mark Gracie: Apex was founded in 1982 by my father, Alan Gracie, in a Titirangi garage. At that time, New Zealand had almost no domestic manufacturers of valves for home hot-water systems. If you needed one, you imported it, often at high cost and with long delays. That gap in the market sparked the idea: could a Kiwi manufacturer produce a reliable, locally made alternative? From that question, Apex grew steadily. We expanded from residential hot-water valves into broader plumbing fittings, and then into agriculture when a rural-supply customer asked if we could engineer a heavy-duty trough valve that would not break under high water pressure or daily farm use. That product became our breakout success. More than 40 years later, that trough valve remains one of our biggest sellers, used on farms across New Zealand and in multiple export markets. As demand grew, we shifted into proper manufacturing facilities, but over time those sites became limiting. Our last location served us for 28 years, but we were spread across four buildings, with production split into disconnected pockets. For a company that prides itself on quality and efficiency, the layout created unnecessary complications and increasing constraints. Q: What has changed now, after the move to your new facility at Rosebank Road? […]

A year of supporting innovation, safety and export growth

By EMA Head of Membership, Export and Manufacturing Simon Devoy It’s not news that New Zealand’s economy remains heavily reliant on commodity-based exports. Yet the country is steadily carving out a reputation for high‑tech, high‑value manufacturing. While we’re known globally for milk powder, meat and timber, we are increasingly competing across advanced sectors, including aerospace, agritech, medical devices and precision engineering. The ambition is to be seen as an innovation nation, but there are significant challenges that must be addressed. Throughout 2025, the EMA’s focus in the manufacturing sector has been on two linked priorities: reducing workplace harm and helping the sector modernise and become better connected so businesses can scale and export with confidence. Despite the sector’s strengths, stubborn rates of workplace injury continue to drag on productivity and impose high costs. In response, we partnered with ACC and data specialists Flock to launch the Manufacturing Safety Dashboard, an anonymised benchmarking tool that allows manufacturers to compare reported incidents across sub‑sectors and identify where to focus safety improvements. This tool converts raw accident data into actionable insight. It highlights where injuries cluster, identifies high-risk tasks, and demonstrates which businesses are making measurable progress. This approach moves safety conversations from awareness to actionable intelligence, and anonymised peer data provides a clear pathway for improvement rather than a spotlight on failure. The sector has also shown a strong appetite for peer-led guidance and practical tools that enable measurable improvement. To address this, we partnered with ASB to run the Manufacturers’ Workshop Series exploring the impact of Industry 4.0 technology on New Zealand manufacturing. These workshops offered a practical examination of automation, data integration, and digital technologies through interactive demonstrations, including digital twin simulations. This hands‑on approach enabled manufacturers with lower levels of automation to see the potential of technology to improve efficiency, safety […]

It won’t be the new machines that win in 2026. It will be the people running them

Adam Harvey, Business Performance Partner – Manufacturing, The Learning Wave What if next year looked different? Picture this: Same pressures. Same market conditions. But instead of starting 2026 already firefighting, you’re ahead of demand. Your people anticipate issues before they hit production. Technology accelerates performance instead of slowing it down. The morning meeting is about what you’re improving, not what you’re recovering from. That’s the position some manufacturers have put themselves in this year. And let’s be honest. They didn’t get there because 2025 was easy. This has been one of the toughest planning cycles in recent memory. Margin squeeze. Labour shortages. Compliance tightening. Digital expectations rising. Budgets dissected line by line just to keep the lights on and the line moving. But while most held back waiting for “the right moment”, the bold manufacturers, big and small, doubled down on capability. Not because it was part of a grand strategy. In some cases, because the same issues kept cropping up, and the old approach wasn’t working. Not because they had spare time. Because they knew they couldn’t afford to wait. We saw it everywhere: Lion invested in teams’ problem-solving capability and OEE improved Altus backed their leaders to own and solve problems and culture and collaboration lifted – this piece of work paid for itself 3X Tegel moved safety from reactive to proactive by growing rep capability Ashburton Meats and Kraft Heinz built their leaders ahead of operational change Tasman Tanning, Essity, AFFCO, George Weston Foods, Vitaco and Inghams built performance skills. Their frontline teams now act earlier, make better decisions, solve problems faster, reduce waste, and speak up when performance is at risk Buckleys continued building capability at every level Foot Science International, Baker Boys and Argus ManuTech prepared their teams for digital transformation They didn’t just […]

Reflecting on a year of New Zealand manufacturing

From The Year in Review, NZ Manufacturer magazine, December issue. By Hon Chris Penk, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing As 2025 draws to a close, it’s a good moment to reflect on a year of resilience and progress for New Zealand’s manufacturing sector. The year brought challenges, but there is much to celebrate, and I’m proud to represent a sector that spans so many different industries. Manufacturing is at the heart of our economy. It’s the petroleum processor in Taranaki, the wood miller in Rotorua, the food and beverage producer in Hastings, the metal fabricator in Hamilton, the chemical technician in New Plymouth, the machinery engineer in Christchurch, and the equipment assembler in Dunedin that we have to thank. The sector employs more than 220,000 people, generates roughly 8 percent of GDP, and accounts for 60 percent of our exports. Over the past year, export growth has been strong, reflecting the dedication and innovation of manufacturers across the country. One highlight for me was hosting the first Minister for Manufacturing Awards at SouthMACH in Christchurch in May, supported by Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa. These awards celebrated leadership and creativity, with 38 entries narrowed to 16 finalists across four categories. It was a fantastic opportunity to recognise excellence and connect as an industry. More recently, I have been inspired by Kiwi manufacturers winning awards at regional, chamber, and national business events. Gallagher New Zealand Trade and Enterprise received the Supreme Award at the International Business Awards. RML Machinery in the Waikato, AROTEC Diagnostics Limited in the Hutt Valley, and United Machinists in Dunedin each earned top honours in their regions. These successes show how manufacturers are fueling regional prosperity, boosting our competitive edge, and showcasing worldclass expertise. Many parts of the sector are not standing still; they are growing and […]

Two Factories, One Economy

NZ Manufacturer, December issue. How the Same Conditions Create Winners and Loser Christmas is almost here and for many it can’t come fast enough. Another year of holding on, fighting fires and telling ourselves we just need to wait for better times to arrive. Yet look across the industry and you’ll see something striking: the same tough conditions producing completely different outcomes. One manufacturer is crawling to the finish line; another is smashing targets and celebrating wins. The break ahead isn’t just an opportunity to rest, it’s a reset. David Altena is Head of Growth & Partnerships at SmartSpace.ai & C0-Founder & Host of The Better SMB Podcast. david@altena.solutions The biggest variable in 2026 won’t be the economy. It’ll be the mindset you choose over the holidays. Because when you strip away the noise, this year has made one truth impossible to ignore: the same conditions are producing entirely different results. Some firms have spent 2025 wrestling the economy like an anchor, while others have treated it like a headwind to lean into… uncomfortable, but navigable. That contrast is the real story. It tells us the gap between struggling and succeeding may not be the market at all, but the mindset leaders bring to it. Rob Bull is Director of The New Zealand Lean Academy. rob@nzla.nz This is where the tale of two manufacturers begins The phrase we heard so much last year, “Survive till ’25”, was the hope we were clinging to, but it quickly morphed into “Survive 25,” reflecting how many manufacturers feel worn down by another long, slow year. Stories of closures, liquidations and persistent pressure have reinforced the sense that the economy is dictating our destiny. It is easy to get swept into that narrative. Yet, if we look closer, we find a stark contrast, two […]

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Regional Manufacturing