Smart Manufacturing Today

Sustainability: Digital product passports and the MCI – a practical guide for manufacturers

From June issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine Manufacturers are being asked to answer harder questions about their products: What are they made from? Where did the materials come from? Can they be repaired, reused or recycled? And can those claims be verified? Digital product passports (DPPs) are emerging as a practical answer. They give each product a digital record that can travel with it through the value chain, making trusted information easier to share, update and use. For manufacturers, this is becoming a way to prepare for changing regulations, support circular economy goals and make product data more useful for customers, suppliers and recyclers. Manufacturers are also under pressure to prove claims around recycled content, durability and end-of-life recovery. Together, DPPs and the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) can provide a practical way to measure and communicate circularity performance. What is a digital product passport? A digital product passport is a structured digital record that stores and shares information about a product across its life cycle. It can bring together technical specifications, material composition, recycled content, installation and repair manuals, end of use pathways, chemicals of concern, and other product details in one digital thread. Digital product passport information can sit with each product, using a QR code, RFID tag or other digital identifier. It can also be managed across a whole project through systems like Rosella Street, an Australian-built platform that helps manufacturers and project teams collect, manage and report passport data. The idea may sound technical, but the purpose is simple: to give procurement officers, project teams, asset managers, deconstruction crews, recyclers and regulators reliable product information when they need it. As Jim Goddin, thinkstep-anz’s Head of Circular Economy explains, product information is increasingly expected to move with the product itself. Mick Fritschy, Director and Co-founder of enterprise software company […]

Last month massive for the Manufacturing sector

-Hon. Cameron Brewer, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing I had the opportunity to attend and speak at the Hutt Valley Manufacturing and Innovation Expo, where I saw first-hand the breadth of activity and innovation underway in the region. Following this, visiting EMEX 2026 (Pictured)and speaking directly with exhibitors reinforced a clear message: high value added, innovative manufacturing is happening right across the country. Not just in the main centres, but in places like Bluff, Gisborne and everywhere in between. A particular highlight for me was the second Minister for Manufacturing Awards. It was a great opportunity to celebrate success and recognise the high standards being set across the sector. This year’s finalists and winners showed the innovation and strong execution needed for the sector to stay competitive and grow its $22 billion contribution to the economy. The awards showcased what excellence looks like in practice, with businesses investing in their people, improving processes, and adopting new technologies to lift productivity and performance. One of the new categories this year, the Manufacturing Lifetime and Legacy Award, recognises sustained leadership and impact. Jeff Douglas of Douglas Pharmaceuticals was a highly deserving recipient. Over three decades, he has led the transformation of the business, choosing to anchor high value research and development and specialised manufacturing in New Zealand rather than following the global trend of offshoring. That kind of long-term commitment is exactly what strengthens our manufacturing base. For my part, this Government is committed to backing manufacturing by getting the basics right. That means supporting investment, strengthening skills, enabling innovation and improving access to markets so businesses can grow, compete and succeed. The 2026 Budget, released in late May, delivers a number of measures that will support the sector to remain competitive and resilient in a changing operating environment. These respond […]

Do you have a plan for after your exit ?

From June 2026 issue NZ Manufacturer magazine -Mike Warmington, Director, Platform 1 Having a plan for after you exit your business is just as important as the exit plan. You may have been in your business many years and it defines you. There has been structure to your life and you have emersed yourself in what you know and are good at. Many owners find that when they exit they have not defined what their purpose and direction now is. You like golf and fishing, but not for 7 days a week. You wonder how your business is performing, and also the lives of your loyal staff and long-term customers. A post exit plan before you fully leave the business enables you to consider the legacy you want to leave behind and how you can make a positive impact. Last week I spoke to a business owner who had some exciting new idea’s to implement in his business. At the same he wanted to start stepping back from the business but hadn’t fully determined what he would do. It became apparent an option was to find a Business Partner to grow the core part of the business, allowing him focus only on the new initiative which working 2 days a week when he wanted to. This also would give him time to plan out the future and emotionally come to terms with it, without a complete hard reset. He could gradually exit on his terms. Some key considerations for post business life: Don’t rush into it and you could consider a more gradual exit. The transition out of a business can be emotionally and mentally challenging. Having a plan can mitigate this by providing clarity. Work out your new purpose in life. Discuss your transition with your family and loved […]

Q & A: Greg Balla, CEO, AoFrio

From June issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine. How is business? The business is in great shape and we’re genuinely optimistic about where we’re heading. In 2025, AoFrio’s revenue reached a record NZ$83.2 million, up 4.4% on the prior year with strong growth across our IoT business. We expect full-year 2026 to exceed this, supported by the commercial launch of our flagship products SCS800 and AoFrio iQ, which open the door to meaningful growth in IoT and software across the US and European markets. Part of what makes AoFrio a great company is the people on our team, and the relationship we have with customers. We have over 150 people in our organisation now, with around 100 of those in New Zealand. The team is growing and we’ve managed to keep our staff engagement high. Our customer NPS scores are around +62 which is really high for our industry, and that comes down to the great people in the regions building strong relationships Your blue-sky picture of future transformation must be a challenge that excites you? It absolutely does. We built a respected business based on the manufacture of high-quality EC motors and controllers. That’s our heritage. But what we’re building toward now is something quite different: an AI-powered intelligence company. The foundation is already there. We have almost a decade of data from 3.2 million connected devices in commercial beverage coolers, that competitors simply cannot replicate. What makes this genuinely exciting is that our hardware manufacturing heritage isn’t a constraint. It’s the very reason we can credibly pursue this transformation. Helping build AoFrio into a great New Zealand technology company is something I find deeply motivating. How long has AoFrio been a motor manufacturer? We began manufacturing our own EC motors back in 2001 and launched the ECR2 in 2016. […]

Will the budget boost small firms? Not in the way we might think

Rod McNaughton, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau With the lid lifted on Budget 2026 many small and medium New Zealand businesses will be poring over the detail to see what it has in store for them. Many may come away disappointed. With the government having been upfront about its spending constraints, this budget was never likely to deliver a large new package for small firms. Instead, the budget delivers a mix of smaller compliance changes, infrastructure spending and energy transition support. It also includes funding for advisory services, digital systems, early-stage capital initiatives and small-business capability programmes, alongside changes to research and development support. It might be asked whether this mix of small initiatives adds up to anything that will lift productivity. But aside from offering direct support, budgets can also act as useful signals from government. On this test, this budget appears strongest on encouraging restraint and resilience in a difficult economic environment, even if it is less clear how ordinary small and medium firms are expected to become more productive. That is important because New Zealand’s productivity problem will not be solved by large firms, infrastructure projects or high-growth startups alone. It also depends on whether thousands of everyday businesses can lift capability, adopt technology and improve margins. There is an important distinction here. Business support helps firms navigate rules or cope with pressure. Productivity policy helps firms change how they create value. If we look closely, there are measures in the budget to assist in both areas. The hidden small-business budget Several budget initiatives are relevant to small firms. Simplified fringe benefit tax rules for private motor vehicle use will be welcomed by owner managers, trades businesses and service firms. Removing detailed logbook requirements may not sound transformational, but compliance time is time taken away from customers, […]

Manufacturing excellence celebrated at annual awards

NZ Manufacturer Manufacturing awards presented during EMEX 2026. The people and businesses driving innovation, growth and resilience across New Zealand’s manufacturing sector have been recognised at the second annual Minister for Manufacturing Awards. “This year’s finalists have set the bar for excellence in modern New Zealand manufacturing,” says Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Cameron Brewer. “Innovation and strong execution are critical to staying competitive in a challenging global environment and manufacturing remains vital to New Zealand’s future prosperity. “Manufacturing contributes around $22 billion a year to our economy and makes up roughly 60 per cent of our goods exports,” Mr Brewer says. “Beyond the numbers, it anchors our regions, strengthens supply chains, and turns ideas into globally competitive products, making a big impact. “The awards recognise what excellence looks like in practice: businesses investing in their people, improving processes, and adopting new technologies to lift productivity and performance. That’s what keeps the sector moving forward, even as cost pressures and global uncertainty persist.” Since taking on the Small Business and Manufacturing portfolio in early April, Mr Brewer has visited many manufacturing businesses nationwide and will continue to engage directly on the factory floor and with the Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group (MPAG) in the coming months. “This Government is committed to backing manufacturing by getting the basics right, supporting investment, skills, innovation and trade, so businesses can build their future and grow, compete and succeed,” Mr Brewer says. “Congratulations to all finalists and winners. Your leadership and ambition are helping shape the future of New Zealand manufacturing.” 2026 Minister for Manufacturing Awards winners: Excellence in Process Innovation: Supported by Swell Architectural Glass Products Architectural Glass Products was created to solve a growing market need for dependable, high-quality double-glazed glass supply in New Zealand. Through advanced automation, purpose-built systems and a culture […]

Critical materials: the hidden supply chain risk for manufacturers

By Jim Goddin, Head of Circularity at thinkstep-nz The Iran crisis has exposed a hard truth for global business: supply chains are only as resilient as their weakest link. When conflict disrupts major trade routes, the effects spread quickly through the wider economy. The immediate shock may be geopolitical, but the underlying business problem is dependence. Too much reliance on fragile external supply chains leaves companies exposed when conditions change. This is where critical materials come into focus. For years, discussion has centred on critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements. These matter, and governments are right to worry about them. But for business, the more immediate issue often sits further along the value chain. What matters operationally are critical materials: batteries, magnets, alloys, catalysts and electronic components that deliver the performance modern products depend on. These materials are often hidden within products, used in low concentrations and difficult to substitute without losing performance. They are also tied to long, complex and fragile global supply chains. That makes them a resilience issue, not just a resource issue. For New Zealand manufacturers, this matters because distance, scale and reliance on imported components can amplify disruption. Many manufacturers operate in specialised markets where a single component, supplier or shipping route can determine whether production continues smoothly. Resilience is not only about holding more stock. It is about understanding where value sits, where dependencies exist and how materials can be kept working for longer. The transition to renewables must also be resilient None of this is an argument against renewables. Quite the opposite. Greater use of renewable energy is critical because continued dependence on oil and gas leaves economies exposed to repeated price shocks and geopolitical disruption. But the transition brings a second challenge. Many renewable and low-emissions technologies […]

A New Service to Power Your Projects

We’re heading back to EMEX 2026, and this year we’ve got something new to share. Complex projects rarely sit neatly inside one discipline. Electrical design, automation, controls, mechanical design, commissioning, and documentation all need to line up. We’ve introduced Automation & Controls so we can support clients across more of the engineering work it takes to get complex projects delivered. From mechanical design and project engineering through to electrical design, automation, commissioning, and documentation, our goal is to help keep the technical pieces connected and moving. Caliber Design has been supporting New Zealand engineering companies for 11 years, working with more than 300 companies across 1200+ projects. Our model is simple: we provide talented engineers on a seconded basis, embedded in your team, working within your systems, standards, and processes to help get projects over the line. Until now, that’s meant mechanical design, FE analysis, product development, and project engineering. With our new Automation & Controls service, we can now support clients across a broader mix of disciplines. Our degree-qualified engineers can support electrical design, PLC, HMI and SCADA development, commissioning, documentation, and project support, while you retain full control and ownership of the work. We’re also contributing to the EMEX seminar programme. Daniel du Plessis, our Auckland Regional Manager, is presenting Project Plans Don’t Solve Technical Problems on Wednesday 27 May at 2pm. Dan’s session looks at the gaps that can open up between design, procurement, fabrication, installation, and commissioning, and how technical leadership can support more successful outcomes. EMEX is always a great chance to celebrate the depth of Kiwi engineering and manufacturing innovation. We’ll be keeping an eye out for stories for our monthly Celebrating Kiwi Innovation newsletter. If you’d like to be featured, come and find us at Stand 1015. We currently have vacancies throughout the […]

Listening harder in a noisier world

By EMA Head of Membership and Export Simon Devoy If there’s one thing Kiwi manufacturers and exporters don’t need in 2026, it’s more noise. Between tariffs, geopolitical tensions and the return of supply chain disruption, clarity is harder to find. That is why the ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer matters, and why more manufacturers and exporters need to contribute to it. The EMA supports ExportNZ’s work north of Taupō, connecting exporters across the Upper North Island into a national advocacy voice. That voice is only as strong as the evidence behind it. The Barometer is one of the clearest ways we can cut through uncertainty and influence the policy and support settings that shape global competitiveness. The 2025 results showed resilience under pressure. Nearly half of exporters increased export orders, and a further third held steady. That performance stands out given the backdrop. Beneath that headline, serious pressures remain. Logistics continues to be the number one constraint. Even as shipping costs remained high but relatively stable, 72 percent of exporters still cited shipping costs as a supply chain impact. With continued instability across key global trade routes, those costs are again under pressure. For manufacturers operating on tight margins, this directly affects competitiveness. At the same time, concern about global trade tensions has increased sharply. The proportion of exporters worried about escalating trade wars has more than doubled year on year. Tariffs, particularly in the United States, are adding complexity, even where the full impact is still unfolding. There is also clear opportunity in the data. Manufacturers and exporters are adapting by developing new products, strengthening their digital presence, and exploring new markets. The United Kingdom and Japan are gaining traction, while Australia and the United States remain core markets. These insights directly inform the EMA’s annual Global X Summit, which […]

Leadership: The difference between the plan you have and the results you get

Adam Harvey, Business Performance Partner – Manufacturing , The Learning Wave You can feel good leadership before you see it. A strong shift hums. There’s a rhythm: Clean handovers, problems solved where they happen, and a team that knows what “good” is. Output is steady. Waste is controlled. The team owns it. You can feel a weak one too. The plan exists…somewhere. Standards are vague. Rework builds without anyone asking “why”. And when you’re in it, it feels like you’re constantly chasing your table. Most manufacturing businesses don’t have a strategy problem. They have a leadership one. The productivity illusion Right now, the industry is full of intent. We’re chasing efficiency with everything we’ve got. New systems. Dashboards. Automation. Continuous improvement programmes. Everyone is chasing that extra 2% of output. It feels like progress. But if your leaders on the floor can’t lead performance, none of it sticks. If they can’t set clear expectations, keep the team focused on what matters, and have the tough conversations when standards slip, you haven’t improved performance. You’ve just made inefficiency faster. It’s like putting a faster engine into a car with no steering. It moves. But not where you need it to. Where the performance actually leaks Most leaders can’t pinpoint where the operation is losing performance because it doesn’t show up as one big issue. It leaks. A missed standard. A shortcut. A conversation avoided. A problem escalated that should never have left the floor. Individually, small. Across a shift, expensive. The biggest leak is “silence on standards”. Every time a leader sees something off and says nothing, the standard drops. And once it drops, it spreads. Most frontline leaders aren’t underperforming because they don’t care. They’re stuck. Reacting. Firefighting. Being the best operator instead of the best leader. But the moment […]

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