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The introduction of Kiwi-designed innovative products has seen a New Zealand based exporter recognised in a new government-lead initiative to promote creative research and development in New Zealand business. Heating appliance manufacturer Rinnai was assessed on their innovative practices by the Callaghan Institute, a stand-alone crown entity established in 2013, and tasked with encouraging innovative practice in New Zealand businesses. In a new initiative, Callaghan Innovation is now using an international benchmark framework – the IMProve Innovation assessment – to gauge the success of Kiwi companies, and provide them with feedback on their competitiveness and sustainable growth in terms of the global market. In the report, Rinnai was given an overall score of 63% for their innovation management performance, compared to an average score of 50% among 594 comparable companies from around the world in the machinery/equipment (plant construction) class. Rinnai was also ranked higher than a category of global Growth Champions – a group defined as the top 10% of their category, based on the highest and most sustainable growth in sales, operational profit and number of employees over the last four years. The outstanding results reflect a dedicated approach to innovation within the Kiwi company, says Rinnai’s design manager Ben Hawkins, which has also seen sales growth of 109% since 2009, and currently exports to Australia and Japan. “Rinnai has a real focus on innovation, and we have increased that focus in the last four years, so it’s good to know the processes and practices we have put in place are working,” says Hawkins. Hawkins says products such as Rinnai’s Neo Gas Fireplace (designed as an insert model into existing Masonry chimneys), which offered a simple installation with good efficiency performance and functionality that suits customers’ needs, is a key example of the result of innovative practices at […]

Sometimes we talk about the regions as if they under some secluded rock, a long long way from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It is true, however, that we don’t know enough about what they are doing – if we live in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch – even when companies in the regions put their exports on a plane to market. I am pleased to report of manufacturing news from the regions, specifically EIS, the Invercargill based multi-disciplined automation and electrical company which has been in business for nearly 20 years. They are going well because they realised the importance of technology to the growth of the business and they are currently delivering projects throughout New Zealand and as far afield as Saudi Arabia, Canada and Australia. When we hear about how well the regions are going we focus on social conditions, primarily. What we don’t always hear is where the entrepreneur is finding markets for his innovations from such far flung places as Whangarei, Westland and Lyttelton. The trailer manufacturer in Rotorua talks to me about the difficulties of competing with imported goods…is he still bothering? I’ll need to find out. The sole New Zealand agent based in Hamilton who finds it cut throat doing business in Auckland tells me he doesn’t like driving up the motorway. But back to the point, if you are a manufacturer based in the regions tell me what you are making, how you are faring in the competitive world, how your pride and joy has made you a millionaire. If you don’t want to tell me, if you fear competition. If the world is too small for you to share your story get over it. There is nothing new under the sun…just a whole lot of different ways of doing the same thing. With […]

With a high demand in New Zealand for qualified, skilled engineering graduates, Open Polytechnic provides a variety of study pathways to help those working in the industry with professional development. Flexible distance learning enables students in employment to enhance their careers through on-going learning and upskilling. Blair Falconer, who is completing his National Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Advanced Trade) this year, says that he decided to study through Open Polytechnic to not only help him grow in his current role, but  also give him the skills to develop into a more senior role as his career progresses. In his busy position as wind technician and electrician at Meridian Energy’s West Wind wind farm in Makara, Wellington, distance learning was the best option for him. “I don’t have to attend class so I have more time and can plan to do study on specific days. It is flexible and I can do it when it suits me, during my lunch breaks or after work,” he says. “I used the online campus for submitting most of my units. It’s very easy to use, and if I leave my books at work, I can still access the online learning material from home. The learning material is easy to read, with plenty of diagrams and photos.” Blair is looking to study further, with a solid foundation in Advanced Trade. “I think the National Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Advanced Trade) is a good taster in a lot of different areas, not just in electrical engineering, you also cover health and safety, drawing, accounting and electrical legislation.” Open Polytechnic Head of School of Engineering, Trades and Construction, Christo Potgieter, says there are many study options for those looking to develop their engineering careers. As well as the National Certificate in Electrical Engineering (Advanced Trade), Open Polytechnic also […]

Economic and trade development between New Zealand and China is set to improve further following a new arrangement between the two countries’ accreditation organisations. Dr Llew Richards, the chief executive of International Accreditation NZ (IANZ), and Mr Xiao Jianhua, the chief executive of the China National Accreditation Service (CNAS), signed the deal at a meeting in Frankfurt recently.  Dr Richards says having robust and widely-accepted accreditation offers significant economic benefits for trade between New Zealand and China and gives assurance of market access for exporters. “We have been working on this for some time and are very pleased to have now finalised the arrangement,” says Dr Richards. “There are many advantages for both New Zealand and China in the development of strong links between our organisations. A closer, long-term relationship and greater technical co-operation will make trade easier in both directions.”  New Zealand and China already have a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) in place, which was originally signed in 1999. www.ianz.govt.nz “That means we accept reports from their accredited laboratories and vice versa,” says Dr Richards. “However, this latest signing goes much deeper than that. It will help eliminate technical barriers to trade, boost awareness and confidence in accreditation amongst regulators and exporters and ensure the MRA is working as effectively as possible. “Using cross-country accreditation provides cost-effective solutions for regulators and exporters. It means more robust systems for checking goods and it minimises liability for all parties. In addition, greater collaboration will bring benefits like staff training and interaction, improved information exchange and co-operative assessments.”

-Peter Isaac New Zealand’s most recently concocted public fund for industry Callaghan Innovation is already showing signs of becoming the contemporary culture version of the Development Finance Organisation. The Callaghan fund much earlier in its career than the DFC is bestowing its funds on elements such as literary endeavour of various manifestations, and upon those such as Larry Ellison of Oracle fame who have plenty of funds of their own, much of it already derived from the New Zealand public sector. The importance of the Callaghan fund is that it serves as an early warning about just the perils of what it is doing. Its precursor the Development Finance Corporation had until the mid 1980s been a starchy government controlled lender of last resort into critical industries. It then became souped-up to become a lender to a surprising cross section of industry much of it anything but essential. A very large cross section of industry in which the DFC placed public money in the event was quite unable to repay it after the 1987 crash. It was found that the corporation had invested in such “essentials” as printing presses and commercial property. Worse still, the DFC in its wild lending encouraged the Bank of New Zealander to become an even wilder lender with the result that the nation’s only trading bank went out of business and was eventually absorbed into the National Bank of Australia. Leaving New Zealand with no trading bank of its own. An axiom of public finance is that wherever pools of unallocated money exist, certain people will seek it and those responsible for the money will in turn allocate it to them. The Callaghan pool shows signs of another example of a pool of public money looking for somewhere to go. Donations to Larry Ellison’s yacht […]