Toll New Zealand, one of New Zealand’s largest domestic freight forwarders offering end-to-end transport services and logistics solutions, has announced that it will deploy Promapp’s cloud-based business process management software as part of the company’s ongoing continuous improvement program.
Promapp will replace the company’s range of processes created and stored in Visio, Word and on their intranet which, although documented, were difficult to update and manage for the diverse business groups throughout the Toll business.
“We wanted a common language for process throughout the business and sought to deploy an industry best practice solution. At the same time, we aspired to deploy a platform where processes could be documented and then evolve to where these processes could actually provide a platform for continuous process improvement,” explains Anthony Barrett, General Manager, IT, Toll New Zealand.
The decision to deploy Promapp followed a review of market solutions available. Promapp was selected based on its ease of use, attractive user interface and its overall return on investment based on the experience of other companies.
Promapp will be rolled out to all of Toll New Zealand’s business units and departments. They will use the software to support continuous improvement.
“We believe that people perform best when they are empowered, accountable and recognised. How we go about achieving success is as important as success itself. Promapp will enable us to drive this strategy,” said Barrett.
At the same time, the company has also started to deploy Promapp’s risk module which will support the company’s overall compliance initiatives.
“Our compliance policy aims to achieve the ongoing involvement and total commitment of all management, employees, contractors and suppliers to seek and achieve continuous improvement in everything we do,” says Barrett. “Promapp will support this program in the coming years.”
Promapp’s recently launched Process Variant Management Module will also provide Toll New Zealand with the ability to recognise standard processes and manage or eliminate process variations.
“We need Process Variant Management functionality as we have customer and region specific variations and must capture and manage these effectively in order to boost business operational performance. Previously, we didn’t know how different a process was from one customer, region or department to another so we were unable to attach a value to it. Now, we will be able to see each variant and more importantly, identify the cost and impact of each process variation. We will achieve better management of process variations so will be able to better manage risk,” says Barrett.
Being cloud-based, Promapp enables teams to suggest improvements and update processes in real-time. This means all staff will always see the latest information.
As New Zealand's most successful multi-modal supply chain operator, Toll New Zealand provides its customers with high quality freight forwarding and logistics solutions from Kaitaia to Invercargill. In addition to its transport and relocation capabilities, the organisation is also expert in providing fully integrated logistics solutions and is able to manage a customer’s supply chain warehouse and support with third party logistics (3PL) services.
“Our company mission is to harness our significant resources, know-how and passion to deliver the optimal logistics solutions for our customers. By using Promapp, we will have a process management solution that is accessible throughout the organisation. The feedback loop will also enable people to engage with processes and suggest improvements, ultimately supporting our strategy of being recognised as the Asia Pacific region’s most successful provider of logistics,” said Barrett.
The Commission has now completed its seismic steel mesh investigations into five of the companies under investigation. Three companies, who cannot be named at this time, have been advised that the Commission intends to issue criminal proceedings under the Fair Trading Act. Two other companies have been issued with lower-level investigation outcomes. Fletcher Steel Limited (Fletchers) has been issued with a warning and United Steel Limited (United Steel) has been issued with compliance advice. Investigations are continuing into several other companies.
The Commission began investigating seismic steel mesh in August 2015 after a complaint was laid that some steel mesh products did not comply with the Australia/New Zealand standard (AS/NZ 4671:2001) (the Standard). The Standard mandates various physical characteristics required of steel mesh, and the testing methods that must be applied during their production. The complaint related to grade 500E steel mesh, which is ductile steel mesh often used in concrete slabs like house foundation slabs and driveways.
Early mesh testing results gave the Commission concern that some steel mesh being sold in New Zealand did not meet the requirements of the Standard as to ductility (elongation). As the investigation developed, and more companies were investigated, the Commission also developed concerns about compliance with testing procedures.
The three companies who are to be prosecuted cannot be named at this time, to provide them an opportunity to seek name suppression. The Commission will be alleging that the companies misrepresented that their mesh was “500E” and complied with the Standard, when it was not and did not. The Commission will also allege that the companies made unsubstantiated representations that the mesh complied with the Standard, when it did not.
Commission Chairman Dr Mark Berry, said “Our focus has been on the claims that these companies made about the steel mesh they were selling. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is the building regulator, and sets and enforces the Standards and Building Code. While the Commission is not responsible for the Standard or the Code we can take legal action where we see misleading or deceptive claims about compliance.”
The Commission is aiming to the file these criminal charges in early 2017.
The Commission has warned Fletchers for engaging in conduct that was likely to breach the Fair Trading Act in relation to 19 specific batches of Fletchers 500E product. The Commission was concerned that these 19 batches did not comply with the requirements of the Standard because:
However, the Commission was satisfied that the mesh had the strength and ductility required by the Standard, and was therefore comfortable in restricting its response to a warning letter.
United Steel has been sent compliance advice by the Commission for similar retesting deficiencies. In its case, United retested two batches in a way that did not comply with the Standard. However, United Steel was not required to retest that mesh as it already complied with the Standard. The Commission’s advice says that where a company chooses to retest mesh, it must adopt a retesting method that complied with the Standard, to ensure that accurate results are recorded on test certificates and in its database. The Commission was satisfied that the United Steel mesh had the strength and ductility required by the Standard.
“Our investigations concerned batches of 500E seismic steel mesh sold before April 2016. The Commission has had court enforceable undertakings in place with several steel mesh providers since April to ensure more stringent testing. In addition MBIE has recently issued a clarified Standard and made changes to the testing requirements. This should give New Zealanders greater confidence that the steel mesh currently being sold in New Zealand meets the Standard,“ Dr Berry said.
As this investigation is ongoing and prosecutions will be brought against three companies, the Commission will not be commenting further at this time.
Background
Steel mesh
Ductile steel reinforcing mesh (sometimes referred to as welded wire fabric) is typically used as reinforcement in concrete floor slabs and driveways. It strengthens concrete slabs and is generally used to reduce concrete cracks and limit crack width.
The Standard
The Australia/New Zealand standard (AS/NZ 4671:2001) (the Standard) specifies both the performance characteristics of the mesh and the procedures (ie, sampling and testing) that must be followed to comply including:
To be sold in New Zealand as 500E grade steel mesh, the mesh must be produced in accordance with the requirements of the Standard. If mesh is produced in any other way, it cannot be described as 500E mesh.
Our investigation
On 5 August 2015 the Commission received a complaint raising concerns with regard to the validity of claims being made by three companies selling steel mesh in New Zealand. This complaint related to problems with a particular size of 500E mesh. The first six months of our investigation focussed on the conduct of these three companies. During that time we asked each of the companies to substantiate the claims they made about compliance with the Standard.
On 4 March 2016 we announced we had asked two companies to stop selling steel mesh until our concerns were resolved. As a result of the information received during our initial investigation, in March and April 2016 we extended the investigation to other mesh suppliers. In April and May the Commission entered into enforceable undertakings with three companies that ensure 500E grade steel mesh can only be sold once it passes specific stringent testing. These undertakings are still in place.
In November 2016, the Government made changes to testing requirements, increasing the number of samples which need to be tested, clarifying how that testing is done and requiring testing be done by internationally accredited testing laboratories. The changes will be implemented by 30 May 2017.
Previous media releases
- March 4th – Commerce Commission investigating whether steel mesh complies with standard- April 6th – Update on steel mesh investigation- April 22nd – Commission lifts ‘stop’ on Euro Corporation’s steel mesh- April 29th – Update on Commerce Commission steel mesh investigation- June 1st – Commission lifts ‘stop’ on Brilliance Steel’s steel mesh
Enforcement Response Guidelines
When deciding the appropriate enforcement response for individual companies, the Commission considers a number of factors including how serious the potential breach is and the potential harm caused to consumers. The Commission’s Enforcement Response Guidelines outline the enforcement responses available and what factors are taken into account when deciding which response to use.
Schaeffler and DMG MORI are continuing their successful cooperation, expanding it to include the development of additive manufacturing processes for rolling bearing components. Both companies signed a cooperation agreement at the JIMTOF in Japan. In addition, the marketing partnership that began in 2016 has been extended. Schaeffler thus remains DMG MORI’s marketing partner worldwide for rolling bearings and linear technology.
DMG MORI, the world’s leading manufacturer of machine tools, and Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, system supplier for rolling bearings, linear guides and drive technology, have signed a cooperation agreement at the JIMTOF in Japan that has the objective of jointly pursuing development work in the field of additive manufacturing of rolling bearings. Additive manufacturing is a strategic focus in Schaeffler’s development roadmap.
“Both partners complement each other perfectly to drive the future of machine tools as well as the continuing development of rolling bearing technology. Our joint “Machine Tool 4.0” development project has already demonstrated this with great success. Our cooperation in additive manufacturing means another very important strategic area for the future,” said Dr. Stefan Spindler, CEO Industrial of Schaeffler AG.
Laser deposition welding for the manufacture of rolling bearing componentsThe basis for the joint development work will be a Lasertec 65 3D made by DMG MORI, a five-axis machining center including a laser metal deposition welding unit, that will be used at Schaeffler. The goal is to develop the additive manufacturing technology of what is called laser metal deposition welding so that it can be used for the flexible manufacture of rolling bearing components for prototypes and for small batch sizes. The focus here is on process issues as well as on the materials used and their suitability for the process. In laser metal deposition welding, a material is simultaneously melted and applied to a surface. In this case, the material is metal powder. The heat source is a high-performance laser. This additive manufacturing process is combined with conventional five-axis machining in the hybrid facilities developed by DMG MORI so that the resulting components can be finished immediately afterwards.
Continuing premium partnership in marketingBoth companies also extended their marketing partnership, which began this year, to 2017 at the JIMTOF. As part of this cooperation, Schaeffler is DMG MORI’s marketing partner worldwide for bearings and linear guides. As early as 2016, Schaeffler participated successfully in in-house exhibitions, technology symposia and training courses held by DMG MORI. This cooperation is expected to increase even more next year. The operators of machine tools in particular will benefit from the cooperation in two ways. Firstly, it will help to demonstrate bearings, linear technology and direct drive technology as well as new ideas in sensor systems and linking components. Secondly, it will help to show how these can be used for predictive maintenance, increasing efficiency and process optimization.
Added value through digitalization: “Machine Tool 4.0” innovation projectAt the JIMTOF in Tokyo, Schaeffler and DMG MORI presented the “Machine Tool 4.0” innovation project jointly with other partners. The project links existing technology with new digitalized components from sensors to the cloud. Two prototypes were set up based on the fourth-generation DMC 80 FD duoBLOCK® universal milling and turning machining center. Additional sensors for measuring vibrations, forces, temperatures and pressure have been integrated in nearly all bearing positions relevant for the machining process in the prototypes of the innovation project in order to obtain optimum information about the machine condition.
In 1966, construction of the ŠKODA TREKKA lightweight off-road vehicle began in New Zealand› The chassis, based on the ŠKODA OCTAVIA, came from Mladá Boleslav along with the rigid central tubular frame and independent suspension.› Many bodywork variants, good off-road capability, low running costs
Mladá Boleslav, 2 December 2016 – The ancestor of the ŠKODA SUV models is celebrating a major birthday: exactly 50 years ago, on 2 December 1966, production of the TREKKA model began in the town of Otahuhu, New Zealand. By 1972, almost three thousand of the lightweight off-road cars had been manufactured.
“ŠKODA has always striven for solutions that are tailored for individual markets,” said Andrea Frydlová, Manager of the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav. “The all-terrain TREKKA, which was produced in collaboration with the New Zealand importer and local businesses, is a prime example of this philosophy.”
The vehicle manufacturer from Mladá Boleslav had developed the New Zealand market early on: over 100 years ago, Laurin & Klement cars were already being exported to New Zealand.
The ŠKODA cars delivered from Czechoslovakia in a disassembled state (CKD – completely knocked down) for customs and tax reasons were imported by the company Motor Industries International based in Otahuhu since 1956. The ŠKODA TREKKA was developed in a collaboration between several dozen local businesses and representatives of the plant in Mladá Boleslav to be a robust, compact, everyday car for the local farmers, tradespeople and merchants.
In 1965 and 1966, several designs and prototypes were created, which bore the hallmarks of Josef Velebný, ŠKODA’s former Head of Bodywork Development, and New Zealand designer George Taylor. The chassis, which was based on the ŠKODA OCTAVIA, came from Mladá Boleslav along with the rigid central tubular frame and independent suspension. Its special features were the wheelbase, which was shortened from 2,389 mm to 2,165 mm, and the axle ratio, which was changed from 4.78 to 5.25. Tyres with dimensions of 5.90 x 15” contributed to the 190-mm ground clearance; there was also an optional differential lock that improved the off-road capability of the rear-wheel-drive TREKKA.
The front, longitudinally mounted OHV four-cylinder engine with a cylinder capacity of 1,221 cm3 achieved 34 kW (47 PS) at 4,500 rpm and its torque reached 87 Nm at 3,000 rpm. With its synchronised four-speed gearbox, the ŠKODA TREKKA had a top speed of 105 to 110 km/h. Its consumption of approximately 11 l per 100 km formed the basis of its relatively low running cost.
Customers could choose from several variants: a three-door pickup with between two and eight seats, a canvas soft-top, a fixed plastic hardtop, an estate model (STW) and a beach variant. The TREKKA was 3,590 mm long, 1,600 mm wide and between 1,785 and 2,040 mm high. It weighed between 920 and 980 kg, and could carry loads of up to 450-500 kg.
From 1966 to 1972, nearly 3,000 TREKKAs were made, probably the first car designed and built in New Zealand. Export markets included Australia, Fiji, Samoa and Vietnam. ŠKODA also applied a similar concept in Pakistan, where production of the SKOPAK (ŠKODA Pakistan) lightweight off-road car commenced in May 1970. The Czech car manufacturer still successfully sells its models in New Zealand today, just as in Australia and over 100 other international markets.
Tehran, Dec 4, IRNA – New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said on Sunday that Wellington government is willing to draw up a roadmap for economic cooperation with Iran and set up a joint committee to promote trade ties.He made the proposal in a meeting with Iran's Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh in Tehran.
He called for cooperation on research, development and innovation.
Stressing the need for compiling a roadmap for strengthening industrial and trade relations, he said that New Zealand banking and insurance experts are currently on a visit to Iran to help resolve problems facing these sectors.
McClay voiced Wellington's interest to boost ties with Iran, saying that New Zealand boasts of suitable capacities in the refining and dairy industries.
Ne'matzadeh, for his part, said that Iran-New Zealand ties have always been excellent, noting that however proper plans should be made to help raise level of exchanges.
Stressing the need for removal of banking obstacles and strengthening ties between the two countries' banks, he said that bilateral and multilateral talks between the Iranian and New Zealand banks would be useful to regulate the banking and commercial relations.
Nematzadeh said that Iran possesses remarkable capabilities in the oil and petrochemical, agricultural products, communications, plastic and tool manufacturing sectors, and is ready for promoting ties with New Zealand in the spheres.
He declared Iran's willingness for joint investment ventures on implementing projects and transfer of technology know-how, saying that Iran's situation in the region has prepared a suitable ground for using neighboring states' markets of 400-million.
That's for the same reason most of the countries favor boosting ties with Iran, Nematzadeh said.
McClay arrived in Tehran on December 2 at the head of high-ranking trade delegation comprising representatives of 18 companies.
Upon arrival in Tehran, he described Iran as a traditional partner of New Zealand, saying that the two countries' commercial exchanges are projected to reach 708.8 million dollars a year.
The New Zealand minister said in a meeting with Governor of Central Bank of Iran Valliollah Seif that his country has the most commercial exchanges with Iran in the Middle East.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand education institutions stand to benefit following the signing of an education cooperation agreement in Iran today.
Mr McClay is leading New Zealand's first Trade Mission to Iran in more than a decade, and believes the visit has strengthened the New Zealand-Iran relationship following bilateral talks in Tehran.
“Under this arrangement, we aim to strengthen, promote, and develop education cooperation and collaboration between our two countries including academic exchanges and research programmes,” says Mr McClay.
New Zealand is increasingly chosen as a destination for students looking for a world-class education, with eighty per cent of Iranian students in New Zealand studying towards PhD qualification.
“I also welcomed the reclassification of New Zealand universities into the top tier of international rankings for Iranian students looking to study overseas, further cementing New Zealand’s position as a destination for students wanting a world-class education,” says Mr McClay.
“I expect this will lead to more PhD students choosing to study in New Zealand.”
Whilst in Tehran, Mr McClay addressed the Iranian Chamber of Commerce and held bi-lateral talks with the Iran Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, Mohamad Reza Nematzadeh. He also met with the Governor of Iran's Central Bank to further discuss opportunities to develop stronger trade links between the two countries.
“This visit marked an opportunity to renew acquaintances, build new ties, and celebrate the growing trade relationship,” says Mr McClay.
The business delegation accompanying Mr McClay included: NIG Nutritionals, Tait Communications, Enatel Limited, Sealord, Silver Fern Farms, Westland Milk Products, Fonterra, FrameCAD, Flight Coffee, University of Canterbury, ANZCO, Auckland University of Technology, Pacific Helmets, Pelco NZ, and Pultron Composites.
Transport Minister Simon Bridges has officially opened Coda’s new Intermodal Freight Hub in Otahuhu, one of the largest of its type in New Zealand.
The new facility will take containers of Fonterra products from plants in Whareroa and Pahiatua, and in return, send general freight from the Auckland region to Palmerston North.
“This new hub will help manage import, export and domestic freight in an efficient, safe and sustainable way,” Mr Bridges says.
“The new south-bound rail service from this facility will also provide freight owners with a more economic and environmentally friendly option for transporting their goods.
“As an exporting nation, efficient freight corridors are vital to our economy. Intermodal freight hubs allow goods to be transferred between road and rail services, allowing these two transport modes to work together effectively.
“Freight hubs also have a valuable role in helping our transport system adjust to the increasing size of cargo ships. Larger ships are potentially transformative for exporters, but mean road, rail and coastal shipping need to work together to deliver freight to and from a smaller number of ports.
“Hubs such as this one help ensure we are ready and able to effectively deliver freight to where it is needed,” Mr Bridges says.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh suggested Vietnam and New Zealand strengthen their economic and trade ties in order to reach the bilateral trade target of US$1.7 billion in 2020 set by their senior leaders.vietnam new zealand look to stronger economic tiesDeputy PM Pham Binh Minh (left) meets with Speaker of New Zealand’s House of Representatives David Carter (Photo: VNA)
The official made the proposal during his meetings with Speaker of New Zealand’s House of Representatives David Carter and Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister Bill English in Wellington on December 1.
He called on the two countries to increase connectivity and cooperation between their businesses while seeking collaboration in new areas like banking, services and renewable energy, especially wind power which is a field where New Zealand is strong.
Minh spoke highly of New Zealand’s economic achievements, which, he said, have helped the country to become one of the ten economies in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the fastest and most stable economic growth rate.
At the meetings, the two sides noted with pleasure the strong development of the Vietnam–New Zealand relationship, especially since the two countries established a comprehensive partnership in 2009 and issued a joint statement in March 2015, under which they agreed to enhance the comprehensive partnership to make it a strategic partnership.
The regular exchange of high-ranking delegations, particularly in 2015, which marked the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1975-1945), has helped to intensify mutual understanding between Vietnam and New Zealand, they said.
Two-way trade expanded by 20% annually over the past five years and exceeded US$800 million in 2015, the officials stressed, commenting on the effective and pragmatic bilateral collaboration in national defence and security, agriculture, labour, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
The New Zealand side promised to join hands with Vietnam in speeding up the assessment of risks to Vietnamese agricultural products, thereby facilitating their penetration into the New Zealand market.
Talking about the latest developments relating to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, to which Vietnam and New Zealand are signatories, they described free trade and integration as an irreversible trend.
The two sides pledged to continue their coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums of which they are members, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
The New Zealand side affirmed its backing for Vietnam as the host of the APEC Year in 2017.
Carter said Vietnam was one a priority partner with which New Zealand established a comprehensive partnership early on.
While expressing his delight at the thriving legislative ties and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, the speaker said the two sides should maintain the direct air route between Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and the city of Auckland in New Zealand in a bid to boost trade, tourism and delegation exchanges.
For his part, Bill English noted that he highly valued Vietnam’s encouraging achievements in economic restructuring and growth model reform, saying New Zealand wants to cooperate with Vietnam in economics, finance, banking and State-owned enterprise restructuring.
New Zealand will continue to support Vietnam’s development by providing official development assistance (ODA) to the country, he said.
Later the same day, Deputy PM and FM Minh visited the Vietnamese Embassy in New Zealand.
Deputy PM Pham Binh Minh (left) meets with Speaker of New Zealand’s House of Representatives David Carter (Photo: VNA)
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