The Circular Economy

Talking point from Mayor Wendy Schollum: McCain and Wattie’s closures

When a major employer closes and another downsizes, the impact doesn’t stop at the factory gate. In Hastings it affects workers, growers, contractors, suppliers, transport operators, local businesses, and families across our region – because when steady jobs disappear, it is felt around kitchen tables, in local shops, and across the wider community. That is why the recent changes at McCain and Wattie’s matter to our community, and why Council has a role to play. Over recent weeks we’ve brought together growers and industry to understand the drivers and impacts, and successfully pushed for a national review of the issues that have resulted in these business decisions. Wattie’s is not just a factory. For many families in this district, it is part of their history. Parents and grandparents worked there. Growers built businesses around supplying it. Contractors and transport operators have relied on it. It is part of Hastings’ identity as a food-producing district. But it is also important to say this clearly: Hastings is not starting from a weak position. We have strong growers, manufacturers, exporters and businesses that continue to play a major role in our district. Hastings is a powerhouse in primary industry, manufacturing, health and technology for the region, which provide about 60 per cent of Hawke’s Bay jobs, and we must remain focused on continued growth. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to respond with urgency to these recent announcements. Since they were made, I have been working with Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Will Foley, growers and industry, to advocate at a national level with one clear Hawke’s Bay voice. This is a regional and national issue, not just a Hastings issue. Many affected growers are in Central Hawke’s Bay. Workers come from across the region, including Napier. The consequences reach well beyond one […]

The most expensive decision you signed off

Why not investing still shows up on your P&L Not many of us would say it out loud at the next networking event or Friday drinks. The biggest barrier to growth in New Zealand manufacturing isn’t the banks, isn’t the government, and it isn’t Donald Trump. It’s us. David Altana is Head of Growth &Partnerships at SmartSpace.ai & C0-Founder & Host of The Better SMB Podcast. david@altena.solutions It’s the business owner who knows what needs to change but keeps the wallet closed. The operator who will spend sixty grand on a new ute without blinking, but won’t invest $5,000 in a consultant with the knowledge to fundamentally improve how the business runs. Yes, the environment is genuinely difficult. A 15% tariff on New Zealand exports to the US, ongoing US-China trade tension rattling our largest trading partner, and renewed inflationary pressure on input costs driven by conflict in the Middle East. Add unemployment at 5.4%, near a decade high, and it’s no surprise consumer confidence is slipping. Rob Bull is Director of the New Zealand Lean Academy. rob@nzla.nz But this environment also creates the perfect alibi for doing nothing. And doing nothing is still a decision — one with real, measurable consequences. Holding back feels sensible – But it isn’t Of course hesitation feels rational right now. When uncertainty is everywhere, restraint looks like discipline. Deferring a machine upgrade preserves cash. Pausing training protects short‑term capacity. Delaying external support feels responsible. Inside businesses, that restraint shows up in familiar ways. Capital projects slide into the next quarter. Improvement initiatives lose momentum. Capability gaps are acknowledged, then tolerated. Nothing dramatic happens — just a series of small deferrals that quietly become the status quo. But financially, this isn’t neutrality. It’s a position, and one your competitors can see. The […]

New Zealand manufacturers leaving value on the table in functional foods

As global markets shift toward science-led, high-margin nutrition, New Zealand risks missing a significant opportunity in functional foods, reflecting a sector that has been slow to move beyond its traditional commodity mindset, writes Mark Devlin, director of Impact PR and NZ Manufacturer business advisor. New Zealand is sitting on a high-value food innovation opportunity that it continues to under develop, as global food markets move away from commodity nutrition and toward targeted, function-driven products. Much of the sector still exports raw ingredients, while higher-value product development, branding and margin are captured offshore. Reports out of the US suggest that up to one-third of people may have low levels of a specific dairy-derived fatty acid should be viewed in that context – as an example of a potential opportunity for New Zealand manufacturers looking to take advantage of a broader shift in how food is understood, valued and commercialised. The compound in question, C15:0 or pentadecanoic acid, is naturally present in dairy fat and certain fish and was historically overlooked in favour of broad classifications of dietary fat. Current research is examining how individual fatty acids behave in the body, with studies linking higher circulating levels of odd-chain fatty acids to improved metabolic outcomes and lower risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At the centre of that shift is Dr Stephanie Venn-Watson, a veterinary epidemiologist who previously served with the World Health Organization and the US Navy and has spent much of her career advancing understanding of this nutrient. Her research, including long-term analysis of ageing dolphin populations, identified C15:0 as one of the strongest markers associated with healthier metabolic profiles, lower inflammation and reduced metabolic dysfunction. Those findings are directly relevant in New Zealand, where dairy consumption is shifting at the same time as rates […]

How one local council helped 1,200 low‑income residents finance solar and home energy upgrades

Could this work in New Zealand? Feedback please. Paris Hadfield, Research Fellow, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Most of Australia’s existing homes are old, uncomfortable and expensive to run. Too many are energy inefficient, and rising electricity and gas prices are making things worse. Mainstream programs are supporting home energy upgrades. But the transition isn’t happening quickly enough and risks leaving behind the households that could benefit most. Innovative finance models could help. Local initiatives can make solar and electrification more accessible. Darebin City Council’s Solar Saver program Running from 2014-2025, Darebin City Council’s Solar Saver program helped almost 1,200 low-income and vulnerable homeowners in the area get A$4.8 million worth of home energy upgrades. Council paid the upfront cost of installing solar and, in later iterations of the program, reverse cycle air conditioners and hot water heat pumps. Factoring in state government rebates, these costs were added to the homeowner’s property taxes as a “special rates charge”. The homeowner could then repay this money over ten years – interest-free. Suppliers were selected through council tender to make the process easier for homeowners, while ensuring quality products and services including component and performance warranties. This provided certainty for residents, one of whom said: the council’s not going to get involved with some shonky person who’s going to come in and tell you: “Terribly sorry, we’ve got to double the price because you’ve got a nail in the wrong place on your roof” or something. The scheme reduced financial risks and burdens for low-income homeowners. By using council rates to repay the money, the loan is attached to the property itself rather than the homeowner. This means any remaining debt is recouped if and when the house is sold, avoiding a situation where someone is paying a debt for solar […]

The cost of Deindustrialisation: How New Zealand’s manufacturing decline threatens our economic future

NZ Manufacturer magazine wants more business owners and decisionmakers to speak up and positively make suggestions on issues affecting the future of manufacturing. Dont be silent when your ideas can make a difference. Speak up for your country. Doug Green, Publisher By Sean Doherty, Manufacturing Commentator | NZ Industry Trends Manufacturing is not just another sector in New Zealand; it is one of the core systems that keeps regional communities alive and anchors our standard of living. When factories close in Whakatāne, or the outer suburbs of Christchurch, we do not seamlessly “move up the value chain.” We lose well‑paid careers, technical capability, and the dense network of firms and supply chains that make an economy resilient. The signs of deindustrialisation are already all around us Long‑standing manufacturing plants shutting, production shifting offshore, and investment decisions quietly goes against New Zealand. The immediate impact is job loss, but the deeper damage is structural. Manufacturing has long provided thousands of solid, mid‑skill, mid‑wage jobs for people who are prepared to learn a trade, run complex processes, and take responsibility for quality and output. As these roles disappear, the labour market splits into a small group of high‑income professionals and a growing pool of low‑paid service jobs in areas like tourism and hospitality. That mix locks in stagnant wages, weakens social mobility, and drives up fiscal pressure as more households rely on government support to close the income gap. For regions, the consequences are even more personal. A single plant in a provincial town can support hundreds of families directly and many more through suppliers—maintenance firms, transport operators, engineering workshops, automation integrators, local business services. When production ceases, these networks unravel. Young people see fewer reasons to stay, schools lose roll numbers, and community struggle. Once this cycle takes hold, it is […]

McCain employees walking towards production facility

Turning manufacturing around

The announcement by McCains of their closure in Hastings and that of Heinz Wattie’s to close three sites around the country has come with a (wait for it) vacuum of comment, suggestions and concern. Neither does it affirm the benefits of having fifty cent cans of vegetables coming into NZ for sale in supermarkets. It shows greed is alive and kicking! Especially if growers need to readapt and align with the dairy and sheep sectors to survive. Where are the industry leaders, Government officials and ministers leading the charge to do something about the situation, so we do not continue to see the reduction in manufacturing throughout this and other sectors? Have any ideas been expressed and shared as to how this situation can be reversed because, after all, we do want home grown produce and continue to have pride in our land-based industries, don’t we? Is the lack of outrage down to the lack of belief in the ability to come up with concrete ideas to turn the sector around. This must at least be the bottom line to bring about change. Here are a couple you can feed back to me on. Or you might have an idea you want to share: Idea No.1 Is it possible for all affected growers to pull together their produce and start a grower’s co-op, on the North Island and on the South Island, to take on the supermarkets, get a decent return for their efforts and continue to have the populous support “home grown”? Idea No 2 The nation of 5m deposits $1 a week, for a month, into a bank account, NZ Future Manufacturing (for example). After the month there will be $20m in the account. A site is selected, central North Island (Palmerston North, for example) where a manufacturing […]

Ecostore: Building world-class sustainable manufacturing from Auckland

Offering environmentally responsible and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional products has been the goal of Ecostore since its foundation in 1993. That purpose is backed by a sophisticated manufacturing operation in Auckland, where ecostore develops, manufactures and packs its home cleaning, personal care and baby products at its own Toitū Net Carbon Zero-certified factory in Pakuranga. A B Corp-certified business with products sold across New Zealand and into multiple export markets, Ecostore’s growth story is one of continuous improvement. The EMA’s Nicholas Russell spoke to Ecostore Chief Operating Officer Tony Acland about how the company has used smart design, practical technology and better factory flows to lift performance, capability and scale. How does manufacturing support ecostore’s growth and export strategy? Tony Acland: Manufacturing is at the heart of Ecostore’s business model. By owning our production and packing, the company can move faster on product innovation, control quality, and continuously improve how products are made. As demand has grown over the past decade, the focus has been on redesigning layouts, upgrading equipment and improving material flows so the factory can scale efficiently while maintaining high environmental and quality standards. That mindset has driven major changes in how the site operates, from relocating and re-positioning key production equipment into brighter, cleaner, better-ventilated areas, through to re-engineering how raw materials and packaging move through the facility. The result is a manufacturing environment that better supports higher volumes, smoother workflows and more consistent output. What practical investments have made the biggest difference on the factory floor? Tony Acland: One standout example has been investing in equipment that improves both efficiency and accessibility. The installation of vacuum bag lifters means powder batches can now be manufactured without manual handling of large volumes, making production faster, safer and more inclusive for a wider range of workers. Space and logistics were another key focus. As […]

Exporting in 2026: Sustainability and proof

Exporters are not being asked for their sustainability commitments. They are being asked to prove them. Across global markets, sustainability is becoming a condition of doing business. Not because it is the “right thing to do” (although it is), but because regulators, retailers and procurement teams are building sustainability into the rules of trade. Eloise Joiner, Sustainability Lead at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), shared with thinkstep-anz team at our recent team days what NZTE is hearing directly from exporters and what this means for New Zealand businesses trying to grow internationally. Her talk was a timely reminder that while the sustainability conversation may feel noisy, complex and sometimes uncertain at home, the international direction is clear. Here are our takeaways Regulation is moving fast and it is not just climate Eloise highlighted that around 70% of New Zealand exports go to countries with mandatory climate disclosures either proposed or enforced. But climate is only one part of the picture. Exporters are also navigating requirements related to modern slavery, packaging, end-of-life responsibility and product design. For many companies, the challenge is not a single regulation. It is the growing number of overlapping requirements across multiple markets. The result is a system that is often fragmented and hard to interpret, particularly for businesses exporting to more than one region. \ The EU is setting the pace and everyone else is watching Eloise made it clear that Europe is setting the direction on sustainability requirements, and exporters will increasingly need to respond. Read more about the Europe’s sustainability demands on NZTE’s website. The challenge is not just the volume of regulation. It is the complexity, fragmentation and ambiguity, especially for companies selling into multiple markets. New Zealand’s domestic policy signals may not match what exporters face internationally. Despite any changes New […]

Find a Business Partner – DIY or Not ?

Mike Warmington, Director, Platform1 New Zealanders often like to try their hand at projects especially when it comes to DIY jobs around the house. We pride ourselves on having a can-do attitude. This can transcend itself into business when owners are looking at exit planning strategies. It may sound easy to elevate a key staff member or an external person into your business as part of a succession plan – but is it really? As business owners, we understand we need to pay an Accountant for their advice and the compliance work they do in regard to tax and our financial statements. We also pay a Lawyer for legal advice. It is seen as mandatory to engage external parties for this type of advice so why not do the same when making other decisions regarding often your most valuable asset? How often do we pay for other advice and structuring from experts about succession planning? To find a business partner to buy you out over time can be a very effective option and improve your wealth and lifestyle. There are many things to consider as part of a business owner transition plan. If you are looking to find a business partner as part of a strategy to exit your business over time here are some of the points you should consider: Finding the best person usually comes from a competitive process. Are you getting a choice? How do you ascertain the risk profile of the person? Are they entrepreneurial and will they stick to the plan? Weeding out “ tyre-kickers” early is required and it is a skill that needs to be learnt from practice. If a colleague is recommending the business partner to you do they have experience in talent identification? Does the person have the money to […]

From data to decisions: getting more value from sustainability measurement

From February issue, NZ Manufacturer magazine The way manufacturers measure sustainability is changing rapidly. New tools, improved data and AI-enabled platforms mean businesses can now measure far more than they could a few years ago. Carbon, circularity, risk and supply chains — the list keeps growing. For manufacturers, this often shows up as long lists of metrics across plants, products and suppliers. Energy and fuel use on the factory floor, raw materials, packaging, transport and supplier emissions are all in scope. Without clear priorities, teams can spend months collecting data without clarity on what to act on first. Measuring everything is rarely practical, and it is not the goal. What matters is measuring the right things, at the right level of detail, to support decisions that reduce risk and create value. As Jeff Vickers, Technical Director at sustainability firm thinkstep-anz, puts it plainly: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” He also cautions that “we need to focus our efforts on measuring what matters most so that we don’t get lost in the detail.” Why focused measurement leads to better outcomes More data does not automatically mean better decisions. The real value comes from measuring what matters and using it well. A focused approach to measurement helps organisations: Keep priorities clear: A small set of meaningful metrics makes it easier to see what matters most and act with confidence. Put effort where it counts: Time and budget are spent on data that actually changes decisions, rather than information that sits unused. Protect credibility: Reported numbers are understood, can be explained and are clearly linked to actions being taken. Meet expectations: Measurement focuses on the issues regulators and investors care about most, reducing the risk of blind spots. This approach avoids the risks of over-measurement while strengthening insight, trust, and performance. […]

1 2 3 4 ›»

News Ticker

The Circular Economy