New Health and Safety agency will be welcome if new approach included
The new workplace health and safety agency, Worksafe New Zealand, will be most welcome provided it comes with an entirely new organisation approach and culture, says Paul Jarvie, Health and Safety Manager for the Employers and Manufacturers Association. “Businesses are pleased to see the start of the new direction and […]
NZ economy – gaining traction
The BusinessNZ Planning Forecast indicates that the New Zealand economy is gaining traction. Export prices remain high, and economic growth is forecast to average just over 3 percent per annum out to March 2015. Improved business and consumer confidence and continued solid growth prospects for China, New Zealand’s largest export […]
Protection of migrant workers good job
The new regulations announced today to protect migrant workers from exploitation are a positive step, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says. “The changes will help protect both workers and employers,” said David Lowe, EMA’s Employment Services Manager. “Unethical employers are being given their notice, which is as it should be […]
Thickness gauges with waveform
A new line of ultrasonic thickness gauges now includes the Sonagage IV, T-Gage V, Microgage III and Steelgage II. The Sonagage IV is a straight-forward gauge for corrosion applications & can measure metal loss within a range of 1mm-500mm to an accuracy of +/- 0.1mm. Ideal for operators testing a […]
Brighter horizons
Service sector expansion for May continued a solid run of recent expansion, according to the BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index (PSI). The PSI for May was 56.2. This was identical to the result for April, and given both March and February stood at 55.7 this represents a very […]
Balloted Bill possibly a bridge too far
The private members Bill that would allow employers to take on temporary workers to replace people going on strike needs a lot of thought and debate, the Employers & Manufacturers Association says. “At first flush employers could think the Bill a good idea without taking into account unintended consequences,” said […]
Magic May
The manufacturing sector recorded its highest level of activity for almost nine years, according to the latest BNZ – BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI). The seasonally adjusted PMI for May was 59.2 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining). […]
Minerals exploration will boost Northland economy
New minerals exploration permits awarded today will help create jobs and lift the Northland economy, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says. Five permits have been offered to three companies – Tai Tokerau Minerals Limited, Waimatenui Exploration Limited and De Grey Mining Limited – as a result of the Northland […]
Northland economy stands to benefit handsomely from minerals exploration
The five year permits for minerals exploration on offer to three companies in Northland will provide a useful boost to the region’s growth outlook, says Kim Campbell, chief executive of the Employers and Manufacturers Association. “Northland needs this sort of responsible exploration,” Mr Campbell said. “The region’s employment prospects stand […]
Positive development for regional economy
Minerals exploration permits awarded today are a positive development in growing the regional economy, says BusinessNZ. Three companies have been offered permits for exploring for metallic minerals in the Northland region, under the new environmental regulatory regime. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says responsible development of mineral resources is part […]
The ultimate on-machine seasoning system
Intelli-FlavOMS 5 is for ultimate flexibility in on-machine seasoning (OMS) applications. The latest evolution of the leading intelli-flav seasoning range, the tna intelli-flav OMS 5 offers consistent coverage and flavour for both wet and dry seasoning. Fully integrated with both oil spray and flavour injection systems, the new OMS provides […]
New microgram load cell key to redefining the kilogram
A new microgram load cell is for use in an experiment aimed at establishing a new definition of the kilogram. The kilogram is the last unit of the International System of Units (SI) still based on an artifact – the international prototype of the kilogram (IPK), kept at the Bureau […]
A look at: The resilience of steel
The steel industry is at a crossroads, and the warning signs should not be ignored. Amid many competing sources of change and uncertainty, adopting the right strategy in the years to come—and knowing how and when to recognise the opportunities for resilience—will differentiate the leaders from the laggards. The steel industry’s outlook for the next ten years remains fragile. Company leaders can adopt a strategic approach to ride out uncertainties and mitigate risk while the industry is being reshaped. Despite unprecedented volatility, the first half of 2022 remained strong for steel players, with prices and utilisation higher than historical levels and unprecedented levels of EBITDA margins across most regions. This cycle was driven mainly by positive demand outlook that followed the recovery from disruptions caused by COVID-19, as well as infrastructure spending that was both long overdue and anticipated as part of the recovery stimulus. However, several signs of market slowdown began to appear in early 2022. As a result, steel demand outlooks have been revised downward: in April 2022, the World Steel Association’s short-range outlook was less optimistic than the one from late 2021, and its October 2022 demand forecasts for 2022 and 2023 saw downward revisions of 2.7 and 1.2 percent, respectively. Reasons for this include the ongoing war in Ukraine, waves of COVID-19-related lockdowns in China, and supply chain disruptions, as well as the overall macroeconomic situation, including repercussions from persistently high inflation and rising global interest rates. In steel markets, EBITDA margins and the margin over raw materials (MORM) have significantly declined from previously unseen highs, mainly due to negative market expectations and high energy prices, and players have reacted by idling capacities. In fact, more than 30 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) of capacities have idled in Europe in the second half of 2022, while […]