New Zealand Steel: Landmark carbon reduction project powers ahead
Around 70% of world’s steel is produced from iron ore reduced in blast furnaces. Most of the remaining 30% is produced by minimills, which recycle scrap steel using electric arc furnaces – a proportion set to grow as companies seek to decarbonise their operations. Work is underway at New Zealand […]
What is net zero?
Net zero is an ideal state where the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the earth’s atmosphere is balanced by the amount of GHGs removed. Decarbonisation efforts are needed to reach net zero. If you follow sustainability and climate topics, you have probably heard the term net zero thrown around. […]
Women in Business: Peri Drysdale
Tell readers what you do? I am the Founder/CEO of Untouched World Ltd, established in 1981 ( formerly called Snowy Peak Ltd). We are a sustainability focussed lifestyle company, we manufacture here in NZ (mostly in Christchurch); we design, develop, produce mainly knitwear but also woven clothing. We wholesale in […]
Navigating energy intensity and energy efficiency in manufacturing
-By Insa Errey In advanced manufacturing, the concepts of energy intensity and energy efficiency play crucial roles in influencing both operational costs and emissions profile. While both terms are interconnected, they represent distinct parts of energy management. Understanding these dynamics is crucial as businesses seek to balance production demands with […]
Developing the manufacturing sector
By Jane Finlayson; Head of Advanced Manufacturing; EMA A lot has changed in recent months. Not only have we had a change of government, and with it a change in policy direction, but we have also seen the establishment of Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa (AMA). Led by Catherine Lye, AMA is […]
Systems thinking and sustainable manufacturing
Remember the moment your flatpack furniture finally took shape (with no pieces missing and your relationships intact)? The last piece slotted in because you got the ‘system’ right. Assorted pieces came together, in the right way, to make a useful item of furniture that was ‘more than the sum of […]
2023 – The Year in Review
-Adam Sharman, Senior Partner, Dsifer For many New Zealand organisations, 2023 has been a year of navigating multiple headwinds, including increased cost of materials driven by exchange rate pressure and high levels of inflation, weakening demand from China as their domestic economy slows, and weakening consumer demand in some sectors. […]
Is 2024 “the” year?
-Ian Walsh, Partner, Argon & Co I was reflecting, as you do at this time of year, on what were the highlights and key achievements of 2023. The key highlight is primarily that supply chains are starting to settle down, business is starting to return to normal, and we are […]
Advanced Manufacturing for SMB: The path to smarter, modern and better operations
From NZ Manufacturer, December issue, focussing on ‘The Year in Review’ Catherine Lye – CEO, Advanced Manufacturing Aotearoa If you hate the phrase ‘we’ve always done it this way’ and lead your business/team with ‘we’re going to try different, we’re going to try this, we think this will be […]
“Can my business benefit from networking and word of mouth?”
As a business owner, you’re constantly on the lookout for marketing strategies and platforms that can elevate your brand and generate more opportunities, right? What if we told you LinkedIn is one of the most underutilised tools for businesses like yours? Following feedback from many business owners like you, I’m […]
December issue NZ Manufacturer – The Year in Review
Our annual ‘The Year in Review’ December issue will be out soon. It includes stand-out commentary on achievements from some of our manufacturing companies, reflections on the year winding down and the new one ahead. Challenges that face us and suggestions for achieving success. There were a lot of articles […]
Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster identifies key themes: Collaboration and innovation at the forefront
From NZ Manufacturer, March 2024 issue. Southland Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster Manager Brendan Gray. The Southland Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster, a pioneering collective dedicated to transforming Southland’s industrial landscape, has identified key themes within the industry, emphasising collaboration and innovation as primary drivers for growth. Led by Brendan Gray, the Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster is working to transform Southland into a united industrial hub for the engineering and manufacturing sector. Dean Addie, Chair of the Southland Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster, underscores the importance of collaboration within the industry, stating, “Our core objective is to ensure sustainable growth in engineering and manufacturing throughout the region. By fostering collaboration among industry players, we showcase the incredible capabilities of our region and empower our regions to bid for large engineering and manufacturing contracts with confidence.” The cluster is an initiative introduced from Just Transitions; a government supported initiative to develop an economic road map for Southland as it navigates the uncertainty of the future of New Zealand Aluminium Smelter. The Cluster has an important role to support local contracting firms to transition from reliance on NZAS business and participate fully in new economic opportunities, while also supporting existing major industries. Brendan Gray, Southland Engineering Cluster Manager, expressed his enthusiasm for supporting the engineering community, saying, “It has been enlightening working with industry, understanding the needs and desires of the engineering and manufacturing community to fully support their transition and growth into a new era of business opportunities.” The cluster’s recent findings highlight a true desire within the industry to collaborate and work together, coupled with an understanding and acceptance of the need to innovate, pivot, or change to foster growth. In an exemplar of collaboration, five key players within the Southland engineering community are joining forces to explore new energy opportunities. They recently attended a symposium delving into collaboration potential and opportunities […]