Although Simpro has a global supply chain, our highest-volume products are still manufactured in Auckland. In a globalised world, it may seem incongruous tomanufacture machinery in an isolated first-world nation whose largest exports are milk and tourism.
But we’ve stayed in New Zealand for good reasons:
Of course, our customers always come first, and global supply chains play a key role for every manufacturing business today. But Simpro will always maintain a core capability in New Zealand – because in a genericised, mass-produced world, we believe it gives us an important competitive edge. You can link through to the Simpro website here
Firstly, polls can get it wrong, particularly when turnout is low, or people are ashamed to admit who they are voting for.
In the 80’s America had their own version of Rogernomics; Reagenomics. Much like here a lot of the reform was sorely needed, but it left some socia l wounds that have since festered. Now we are seeing the outcome of that.
The idea of Reaganomics (like Rogernomics and Ruthenasia) was that if you freed up the economy, people would create more wealth, and that extra wealth would eventually benefit everyone (trickle down). The trouble is that trickle down hasn’t worked. In this country most of that wealth has gone into housing speculation, pushing up the cost of living for everyone.
Trickle down hasn’t worked in the United States either, and for way too long the Establishment Parties in America haven’t done anything about it. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Backblocks America - including on motorcycle trips - and what has always astounded me is the disconnect between those Backblocks and the seaboard states where the bankers and the tech gurus dwell. It’s like two different worlds.
It is the same here in New Zealand where the Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland elite are quite separated from the provinces; or even from the working class suburbs of their own cities. No matter how ‘cool’ we think Mr Obama is – he has simply pissed too many people off, and at the end of the day there is only one America.
The same backlash could hit here, given our own big, lumbering Establishment parties that really have not served the provinces that well. You cannot have an economy “doing well” when the salaries of the bankers, senior civil servants and the upper tranches of the corporate world are capturing the benefits of that and multiplying it through property speculation. Trickle down is a farce, the ballot box eventually tells the truth.
The difference is that New Zealand has more time; thankfully we are not in the position that the United States is in yet. We need to take action to prevent the same thing happening here, but that means ending the cosy two party system we have. We need to make these Establishment Party-led governments respond to the needs of New Zealanders way sooner than it has taken the US - or the UK - to respond. We do not want an extremist being the eventual response to electorate frustration with ‘the steady as she goes’ policy negligence of a John Key-style governments. How many more elections before that’s inevitable? Form your own view.
Trump is an extremist, not a radical, an extremist. We have to hope, hope and hope again that his rhetoric is not translated into action lest that leads to a very ugly clash with America as the footsoldiers of extremism take the law into their own hands under the belief they too now have a mandate to act outside the law. We have to hope that his infatuation with Putin isn’t a love affair but rather only adulation of him for being ‘tough’. A ‘tough’ antidote to Putin would not necessarily be bad. There is so much we have to hope for with President Trump that one has to have doubts that all those hopes will be realised.
Finally, what does this mean for New Zealand? It seems firstly that the TPPA is dead in the water. Ironic isn’t it that New Zealanders were concerned we weren’t getting enough out of it, we were afraid of United States corporates having too much power, and in the end it is the United States that buries it.
If Mr Trump is true to his word – which only time will tell – then we can safely forget about the United States for a few years while their focus turns inward. New Zealand’s future for trade and diplomacy moves squarely toward Asia. It will be interesting to see what that means for the United States’ position in the world.
The more concerning thing is what this means to the world’s greatest challenge – climate change. After just being ratified, the Paris Agreement is already looking very shaky.
An Opportunity Party Release
Auckland, New Zealand, 2016-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — On Tuesday the 8th of November, Foodstuffs North Island Ltd welcomes 20 innovative Dutch companies from horticultural and agricultural sectors, on a Trade Mission from the Netherlands to New Zealand.
The trade delegation is headed by Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs, Minister Kamp. The trip is taking place parallel to the state visit by Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. New Zealand and the Netherlands are like minded international partners and business cooperation is very successful. We share a number of similar values including freedom, democracy and human rights. We also face similar challenges such as urbanisation and sustainability.
The strong ties between the countries are greatly attributed to the fact that today there is a large community of around 150,000 Kiwis with Dutch roots living in New Zealand.This mission provides great opportunities for the businesses involved as they engage in exploring New Zealand innovation while sharing ideas and building relationships. The companies can gain international knowledge and explore finding solutions for New Zealand’s and the Netherlands’ economic, social and environmental challenges.
Vaughan Grant, General Manager Supply Chain, Foodstuffs North Island says the Netherlands has an excellent relationship with New Zealand and Foodstuffs is pleased to host the delegation and strengthen the partnership.
“As New Zealand’s largest grocery distributer, by serving over 1.30 million New Zealanders every week we are an integral part of many communities. We are pleased to have an opportunity to host the Netherlands delegation to share knowledge on how to provide the best service to our customers.”
Arthur Huijser, Economic and Public Diplomacy Officer at the Embassy of the Netherlands, says he is thrilled the delegation will be exposed to New Zealand’s most promising sectors, he sees this is an opportunity to further strengthen relationships and meet future business partners.
“This mission is a collaborative approach to make connections and share expertise. We feel privileged to gain insights into the Foodstuffs Co-operative and gain a better understanding of the New Zealand grocery market” says Huijser.
International trade could be a source of tension with the election of Donald Trump as US President, says BusinessNZ.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says New Zealand’s prosperity relies on open and free trading of our export products, and if the US takes a more closed approach to trade in future, New Zealand export returns could be affected.
"The US is New Zealand’s third largest export market. Trade with the US earns New Zealand over $5 billion a year in products including meat, dairy and wine, and over $2 billion a year in services. A reduction in this level of trade would make a difference to New Zealand’s growth prospects.
"International trade generally could become more uncertain, as statements made during the Presidential campaign indicated an intention for the US to impose large tariffs on imports into the US from China and Mexico. This raises the possibility of tariff retaliation and a more general increase in protectionism by other countries. The overall result could be a general decrease in international trade. This would not be in New Zealand’s interests, given that we are a highly trade-reliant economy.
"It is possible that statements made during the campaign may prove to have been merely rhetoric, and the US will maintain its orthodox approach to international trade - that will be the hope of business in New Zealand.
"New Zealand business will continue its course of growing high quality innovative exports of goods and services and seeking trade opportunities in all parts of the world."
ExportNZ says Trump winning the US Presidential election signals a bumpy ride for currency markets and a lost opportunity to reduce trade barriers for New Zealand products if the TPPA gets knocked back.
Executive Director Catherine Beard says, "Trump's anti-trade position and general protectionist stance is concerning. If his intentions to stop US companies from outsourcing overseas and tariff walls eventuate then New Zealand will lose from this.
"The US is an important market for New Zealand. We exported $8.4 billion of goods and services there in 2015. If Trump's economic policies result in slowing the growth of the US economy, we can expect the demand for New Zealand's exports to drop too.
"Even though Trump has labelled free trade agreements and the TPPA as "horrible" and "disastrous", it's unclear as to exactly what his objections are. Also, it remains to be seen how much these statements were merely political rhetoric.
"We hope that in reality, common sense prevails and there will be a return to a more orthodox position on international affairs. This would include the US taking a leadership role on trade in the TPPA region."
In his speech and in questions and answers to the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce last week New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters explained why he thought Donald Trump would win the US presidential election.
“His victory results from the establishment treating ordinary Americans with contempt, and they are fighting back with their vote. Leading up to the election 72 per cent had no trust in Washington politicians. “This is yet again a dramatic lesson for the commentariat, pollsters and the political establishment. “The greatest message for the elite is that the ordinary people in the Western world are not going to go on being ignored. “The pollsters and media got it wrong because they refused to see what is happening in America and this is not a Republican victory over the Democrats, this is a rejection of neo- liberalism or, in plain words, the elite enriching themselves at the expense of the hard working, law abiding middle-class and workers.”
With a continued focus on providing clients with superior security integration, Integrated Control Technology have announced the opening of new premises in Amersham, UK. This move is just one step of a strategic plan to develop ICT into a premier global supplier of access control solutions and to meet increased demand for the industry leading ProtegeGX and WX platforms across the EMEA region.
ICT is a world leading manufacturer of unified and intelligent electronic access control and security solutions that enable organizations to protect their people, operations and information. With the primary vision of providing innovative and superior electronic access control and security solutions that are easy to use, integrate with existing systems to leverage investments already made, and that are manufactured to the highest of standards, ICT products and systems are used every day by tens of thousands of companies worldwide.
Headed by Ian Henderson and Nicholas Gouloussis, both who bring many years’ experience in the security industry, the new office will provide system design, applications engineering, the full range of ICT products, as well as product training and technical support to serve the EMEA region.
"We are excited to be opening a new office in the UK that is dedicated to servicing the EMEA Region," said ICT CEO Hayden Burr. "Ian and Nicholas have an extensive background in the security and access control industry, which ensures our new and existing partners will experience the highest level of sales and support that ICT have become renowned for."
An ICT Release
Efforts by primary stakeholders, helped by the rising prevalence of technology in the horticultural sector, appear to be paying off as more and more young people enter the industry.
Initiatives such as the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 Competition – to be contested on Thursday 10 November – andT&G Pipfruit’s annual Young Fruit Growers recent competition, which attracted spectators from Hastings Girls High School, are helping to change perceptions and generate excitement about careers in one of New Zealand's more profitable primary industries.
T&G is a major partner of the national Young Hort competition, but also runs the company's internal competition for young orchard workers as a pathway to the pipfruit sector contest (whose winner goes on to the national contest for New Zealand's best young horticulturist).
T&G corporate communications manager, Jo Jalfon, said that this year was the first time the public and high school students were invited to observe and learn about New Zealand’s $700 million dollar pipfruit industry, of which T&G is a major player, and the opportunities the company and industry offers.
“Young people are unsure of what to do when they leave school and many don’t realise the amazing opportunities the horticulture sector offers them. The competition and open day helps our young people hone and test their knowledge while showing others the awesome and varied roles available to them," Ms Jalfon said.
The national manager of Fruitfed Supplies, Max Spence, said his observation was that the pervasiveness of technology and the rise of corporate growers were facilitating the entry of more young people into the business.
"I think that competitions like the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 Competition are particularly valuable in helping young people to see how they can develop a career in horticulture beyond just having a job.
"We're beginning to see a lot of bright young people in the corporate businesses of grape, apple and Kiwifruit growers – either employed by the growers or their suppliers – who are working to develop new technology. There's a lot of research going on that will be commercialised, and that alone is a positive upside for our industry."
Mr Spence said that meeting customer demands for greater sustainability and traceability – in which New Zealand is a global leader – required greater emphasis on technology and science.
"We do need more scientists in the industry, and a greater emphasis on science in schools and tertiary education," he said.
AGMARDT general manager, Malcolm Nitschke, agreed that there is a lift in the quality and calibre of young people entering the horticulture industry, saying that the quality of the contestants in this year's Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 Competition reflects that shift.
"In general we're very encouraged by the fact that horticulture is starting to be viewed as a good career choice for many young people. For the sector to continue to grow and thrive, requires capable and passionate people throughout the whole value chain, providing great ideas that lead to fantastic innovations."
Mr Nitschke said the huge focus on technology – in particular apps and sensors to manage and monitor both crops and product – fits the interests of young people.
"Traceability is huge. Customers demand transparency across the whole supply chain and technology is enabling us to pick the right fruit, at the right time, and at the right quality for the right market.
"When it comes to sustainability, technology is helping us monitor and manage what's going on, enabling targeted responses to pests and diseases. Technology in horticulture is about prevention rather than cure, and I think the possibilities inherent in this are leading young people to recognise that their interests and values can align with the scale and depth of opportunities in horticulture," he said.
The five finalists in the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture Education Trust’s ‘Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 Competition’ – to be contested this week on Wednesday and Thursday – come from Pukekohe, Auckland (2), Hawke's Bay and the Manawatu.
The finalists – all winners of their respective horticulture sectors – will compete in the Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 Competition’ grand final, held over the two days of November 9 and 10, at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa.
Finalists (30 years and under) compete for a prize pool of over $40,000 that includes a $7,500 T&G travel and accommodation package and a $5,500 Massey University study scholarship, as well as an AGMARDT Market Innovation Project first prize of $5,000.
The Young Horticulturist of the Year competition is made possible through the generous support of Young Horticulturist of the Year 2016 competition partners, AGMARDT, T&G and Fruitfed Supplies.
Supporters of the competition are Bayer CropScience, Massey University, Primary ITO, Countdown, NZ Gardener Magazine and Trillian Trust. Plus, affiliated supporters, friends, volunteers and industry specialist who give their time.
For more information about how to enter, visit www.younghort.co.nz.
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Halo, provider of self-service supply chain intelligence geared to the mid-market and with a focus primarily on manufacturing, distribution and retail, today announced its development centre in Auckland, New Zealand has been awarded Research and Development funding under the New Zealand Government's Callaghan Innovation Scheme, a scheme committed to accelerating business growth through government investment.
Key criteria of the Halo submission included providing a sound history of sales growth and a positive cash flow, along with a convincing R&D program and business plan. The Callaghan Growth Grant will provide a 20% rebate for all audited R&D expenses for three years, with an optional two-year extension. Keith Peterson, President and CEO of Halo, commented, "The significance of this award demonstrates not only government recognition of Halo's growth potential, but also Halo's commitment to New Zealand, and the opportunity to leverage new innovation from New Zealand in Halo's global markets through Asia-Pacific, the US, Latin America and Europe."
Under the direction of Joseph Tan, Halo's Vice President of Product and Engineering, the Halo development team will conduct R&D in the areas of predictive analysis and data visualisation. Mr Tan stated, "The Callaghan Growth Fund will enable Halo to accelerate research and development in the area of predictive analytics which has practical applications in supply chain optimization. Being able to increase the forecast accuracy of sales by even 1% can translate into significant cost savings for inventory."
About HaloHalo delivers self-service supply chain intelligence solutions to hundreds of enterprise customers and service provider partners in North and South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Our solutions provide enterprise grade products without the drag and cost of major platforms. Halo replaces the complexity of siloed data sources and disparate applications with a single purpose platform that lets firms analyze, decide and plan faster than ever before. Halo is headquartered in San Diego, California, and can be reached via the web (www.halobi.com), Twitter (@Halo_BI) or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242