New Zealand expertise in renewable energy will be put to good use in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan when a University of Canterbury (UC) engineering student returns to her homeland. Sonam Zam is a new graduate of UC’s Master of Engineering Studies (Renewable Energy) programme in the Civil and Natural Resources Engineering department. Her travel to Christchurch […]
The Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) software suite powers production for increased productivity and profitability, enabling seamless plant orchestration. The new version will offer an extended range of capabilities and new digital applications. This flexible and secure software platform with a broad suite of industrial applications gives operators, supervisors and plant managers the visibility and insights to […]
With changing consumer and business demands bringing greater competition to global markets, companies in New Zealand’s engineering and manufacturing sectors must consistently evolve in order to win new business and succeed. A term that has saturated global markets for the last decade is Industry 4.0 – the digitalisation of manufacturing. What we are in fact […]
Facteon’s new partnership with Universal Robots to benefit local manufacturers Global factory solutions specialist, Facteon, has announced its collaboration with Universal Robots – an international market leader in collaborative robots (cobots). The partnership, which will make cobots more accessible to the New Zealand manufacturing sector, is the latest move from Facteon and showcases the business’s […]
New Plymouth-based McKechnie Aluminium is now home to New Zealand’s largest and most technologically advanced aluminium extrusion press. The Italian press, named ‘Giulia’ literally means ‘youth’ and its broader meaning is ‘new’ and ‘prosperous’. McKechnie Managing Director Mr Pramod Khatri says: “This significant investment is part of our strategy to grow our business and futureproof our customer base, employees and local community. McKechnie has been manufacturing, exporting and creating employment […]
Barbara Nebel, CEO, thinkstep-anz This year has seen a significant rise in consumer concern around environmental and social issues, and a corresponding demand for better information about products and business practices. Colmar Brunton’s Better Futures report[1] in February found that New Zealanders had the highest levels of concern about climate change in a decade, but […]
Fiona Kingsford, CEO, Competenz 2019 has been a year of extremes in the manufacturing industry, impacted by both a skills shortage and a government reform that will reshape vocational education. New Zealand is facing its biggest skills shortage in decades. By 2024, more than 18,000 people will be needed to fill new roles and replace […]
-Leeann Watson, Chief Executive Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce The last year has been– not quite the transformational 2019 that many expected – but as we head into 2020 and the general election, I think that will likely change. There was the release of a Government Budget focused on wellbeing, as well as the announcement […]
-By EMA senior policy analyst Michael Burgess Despite the economic predictions, manufacturers have concerns with finding skilled workers, the bewildering speed of technological change, and how to make investment decisions in light of low business confidence. Internationally and domestically, a number of factors have put the brakes on the New Zealand economy in 2019. […]
BusinessNZ has welcomed the $12 billion infrastructure boost announced today, and says it’s appropriate for road and rail transport to be the priorities. Chief Executive Kirk Hope said business would be keen to see the details of the projects. “We need to make sure the projects can be executed, and that decisions are worked through […]