Today we have learnt of the sale of Sistema Plastics to US multinational Newell Brands, in addition to the recent sale of Compac Sorting Equipment, another highly successful New Zealand manufacturing company, to Norwegian company TOMRA in October, say the New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA).
NZMEA Chief Executive Dieter Adam says, “These sales, alongside the recent announcement of the closure of the General Cable plant in Christchurch, may well leave some wondering what is happening to manufacturing in New Zealand. In reality, the situation is ‘steady as she goes’, with manufacturing continuing to be the second-largest contributor to GDP and showing moderate long-term growth rates with less of the huge swings in export revenue, for example, that characterises the commodities part of our economy.
“Within the manufacturing sector there is constant change, with companies closing down and new ones arising, and others growing their business. Most of our manufacturers are fully exposed to the rough winds of global competition, whether that’s in exporting, or in competing with importers in our domestic market, not to mention the effect of an overvalued currency hitting margins and competitiveness.
“Our manufacturers have made big changes, especially post-GFC, to get and stay fighting-fit in tough markets, and sometimes conditions change to an extent that makes it unsustainable to continue.
“While each story needs to be examined on its own merits, there are common elements between Compac and Sistema. Both have been built into large successful New Zealand manufacturing companies over the past three decades by owners who have put a lot of hard work and money into it. They now want to exit the company while ensuring the new owners will keep it on a steep growth path, and preserving jobs in New Zealand.
“One might have preferred for the business to ‘stay in New Zealand hands’, but the reality is that not only are our capital markets thin as we collectively prefer to invest in real estate rather than the productive parts of our economy, but the deals also make a lot of commercial sense, as the new owners in both cases provide access to their resources, including vast marketing, sales and distribution networks.
"As Brendan Lindsay says “Newell has the expertise and market access that will enable them to take the business to the next level and create new opportunities for the company, especially in North America.” Add to that a huge investment in a new production facility in Auckland and an employment guarantee for its 700 staff and you have a reasonable prospect of this deal working well for New Zealand, with the only possible downside being the common international business practice to minimise local tax obligations leading to a loss of tax revenue for New Zealand.
“It is vital that we keep building our manufacturing base and capability to produce more high-value products, especially when the manufacturing eco-system relies on a network of capable manufacturers making up each other’s supply chains and building the industry’s general ability to produce complex goods and skills. Our focus needs to be on building an environment where manufacturing can grow and prosper. The availability of suitable skilled staff, keeping up with changes in manufacturing technology, and a less punishing exchange rate especially with Australia, our main trading partner, will be critical for that.
“We hope to see quality discussion on how to make the most of our manufacturing base to grow exports and jobs going into the next election.” Says Dieter.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – December 12, 2016 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Race industry professionals from throughout the world gathered last week in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the three biggest business days in racing, also known as the 2016 Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show. Featuring thousands of manufacturers, new products and industry announcements, the annual trade event was a resounding success, as Showgoers left prepared and eager for more business heading into the 2017 racing season.
From the pre-Show seminars and special events, to the Grand Opening Breakfast with Rick Mears and Jeff Gordon, and the product debuts and unveilings on the Show floor, the race industry’s premier Trade Show was filled with education, networking and sales.
“This year’s show has been awesome,” said Bryce Mulvey of CP-Carillo in Irvine, California. CP-Carillo was among the more than 1,200 companies exhibiting at the 2016 PRI Show. “There’s been more foot traffic than ever,” said Mulvey. “It’s great to see all of our customers, and we look forward to the show every single year.”
Ashley Garrett of U.S. Legend Cars International in Harrisburg, North Carolina, agreed. “It’s been a great show. The attendance has been off the charts – even from last year, which was great. We had a lot of traffic and a lot of success. We had more domestic customers this year, while in the past it’s been more of the overseas market.”
Nonetheless, Garret noted, “We also had some of our foreign dealers from Japan, England and Ireland here that we don’t typically see during the year.”
International attendees, in fact, make up a significant group at the annual event. Attendees, who come from more than 70 countries, are often drawn to the world-renowned conferences that take place in conjunction with the Show.
Phil Pagen from Track Sport Engines in New Zealand, for example, attends PRI primarily for the two-day Advanced Engineering Technology Conference (AETC), which is held just prior to the PRI Show’s official opening day.
“We’re here (at AETC) just to get some ideas and hear what people have to say,” said Pagen. “The presentations are good, and there are a lot of interesting questions. There’s no place else for us to go and meet these types of people and make these contacts. This is another level for us.”
Pagen and the Track Sport Engines team stays for the PRI Show afterward, meeting with exhibitors and looking for new products. “It’s a big week for us,” he said.
In addition to brisk business on the Trade Show floor, the 2016 PRI Show featured:
RPM Update: The SEMA government affairs team updated attendees on the status of the Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports (RPM) Act. The bill was introduced in Congress in 2016 to clarify that it is legal under federal law to modify the emissions system of a street vehicle for exclusive racing purposes. While optimistic about working with the incoming administration and the new Congress, the SEMA team nonetheless urged racing professionals – especially business owners – to continue reaching out to lawmakers when the bill is reintroduced for consideration in 2017.Hot Rodders of Tomorrow (HROT) Engine Challenge: Showgoers watched in awe throughout the week as students from all over the country competed for the quickest time disassembling and reassembling a small block Chevy engine. As they twisted, turned and bolted, Team Comp Cams, led by instructor Chris Overfelt, bested the competition with the fastest average time of 17 minutes and 43.3 seconds. Also of note was Team Fragola, which placed third and received the fastest perfect engine run time.Seminars: Complimentary seminars featuring numerous industry experts took place throughout the Show. Many were technical in nature and touched on engines and performance, while others were more general and focused on digital marketing and eCommerce. Among the most popular sessions was Corey Perlman’s seminar titled “Social Media Overdrive.” Attendee Stephanie Leonard of Southsidemachine.com in Akron, Ohio, found several helpful pointers from the seminar that she planned to implement when she returns to her business. “As a small company trying to use social media to get our products out there, it’s really made sense to use social media to drive customers to our website instead of just showing new products or describing what we have going on, but go here to buy them,” she said.
Additional recaps from the 2016 PRI Show, including a photo gallery, can be found at www.performanceracing.com/tradeshow.
Showgoers and organizers are now looking ahead to the 2017 PRI Show, set for December 7–9 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
| Source: Performance Racing Industry |
The expression “balls to the wall” has far less to do with male anatomy and quite possibly far more to do with the mechanical engineering genius of the steam engine.
Of course, almost nobody would know an exact reason for why the expression came to be so commonplace. You can kind of deduce it means that you’re going all-out, or perhaps giving it all you’ve got. The expression and that meaning actually likely originated with the steam engine; specifically the centrifugal governor used to keep things from blowing up.
Of course these origins are always contested, but his one seems pretty good. Oddly enough, I found what is the most likely explanation . . . .
| Continue to full article and video | Dec 13, 2016 |
Gaia Engineers Ltd, based in Auckland, New Zealand, has acquired Maptek I-Site Studio and Maptek Eureka for their civil engineering practice.
Gaia saw the need for smart automated tools to help interpret geological and geotechnical features from large photogrammetry and laser scan point cloud datasets, which are available in I-Site Studio. Incorporating drilling data to model geology for analysis of structures and failures is streamlined in Eureka.
Eureka provides an interactive 3D environment for visualisation and modelling of drilling, geophysical surveys, maps, imagery and GIS data.
‘The Maptek workflows played a critical part in the purchasing decision,’ said Technical Director – Engineering Geology at Gaia, Simon Nelis.
‘In particular, we needed a workflow which allowed us to rapidly produce accurate geological models which represent major structures (such as faults and folds) for assessment of global highwall stability,’ added Nelis. ‘By combining large point clouds derived from different platforms, we can produce up-to-date geological models for geotechnical analysis.’
‘Maptek software is the most efficient at handling these large datasets for geological modelling. Its ability to provide digital as-built records of geological conditions during excavation is critical for managing geotechnical risk and for geological and geotechnical input into the BIM model.’
Maptek’s advanced visualisation platforms promote efficiency and agility for modelling geology, analysing structures and surfaces, identifying dominant structures and trends and assessing the impact on engineering projects.
‘In the 16 years since Maptek began developing unique spatial modelling software for working directly on 3D point cloud scan data, we have maintained an ‘over the horizon’ view of industry needs,’ said Maptek Global Manager for I-Site laser imaging, Jason Richards.
‘With I-Site Studio, Maptek has developed the simplest and smartest software for generating valuable deliverables from laser scan data in wide-ranging application areas. Whether creating 3D CAD objects onscreen or performing advanced geotechnical analysis, engineers can access all of the tools they need in this one package.’
Built-in workflows respect standard routines, dramatically reducing the time for tasks and allowing more time for analysis and applying results.
‘Smart algorithms take the pain out of processing. Users can work seamlessly with large 3D datasets onscreen, converting complex 3D point clouds into dynamic 3D models,’ added Richards. ‘Everyone benefits from polished field-to-finish workflows. Consultants get more done and can take on more projects. Customers receive results fast and can effectively communicate with their project stakeholders.’
About Gaia EngineersGaia Engineers are a specialist engineering consultancy offering robust geotechnical and engineering geological solutions to challenging geotechnical projects. Current projects include the design of a 150-metre highwall in highly faulted and fractured greywacke material and a 70-metre deep cut slope for Huntly Bypass. The consulting engineers shared a New Zealand Engineering Excellence Award in 2014 for Whangarei’s Te Matau ā Pohe Bridge.
About MaptekFounded 35 years ago, Maptek™ is a leading provider of innovative software, hardware and services for global mining. Maptek solutions are used at more than 1800 sites in 75 countries, with applications across the mining cycle. Maptek develops industry-leading software Vulcan™, Eureka™, Evolution and BlastLogic™ for mine evaluation, planning, design, scheduling, operation and rehabilitation. I-Site™ is integrated hardware and software for 3D laser scanning, surveying and imaging. The spatial data collected can be used for geotechnical analysis, stockpile measurement, design conformance and movement tracking supported by software systems I-Site Studio, Drive, PerfectDig™ and Sentry.
| A Maptek release | Dec 13, 2016 |
Total manufacturing sales rose in the September 2016 quarter, led by a rise in petroleum and coal product manufacturing, Statistics New Zealand said today.
After adjusting for seasonal effects and removing price changes, the volume of total manufacturing sales rose 2.1 percent in the September 2016 quarter, following a similar rise in the June 2016 quarter.
"This quarter's rise in petroleum and coal manufacturing sales followed a sizeable fall in the June 2016 quarter," business indicators manager Neil Kelly said. "This industry often has quite large quarterly movements and is not adjusted for seasonal effects."
Ten of the 13 manufacturing industries had sales increases in the September 2016 quarter. The largest increases were in:
petroleum and coal product manufacturing – up 8.1 percentmeat and dairy product manufacturing – up 1.6 percent, following a large rise in the June quarterchemical, polymer, and rubber product manufacturing – up 5.5 percent.
The trend for total manufacturing sales volume, which gives a longer-term picture of movements, is rising.
The actual volume of total manufacturing sales was up 4.8 percent on the September 2015 quarter. When price changes are included, the value of manufacturing sales was $23.3 billion in the September 2016 quarter, down $332 million (1.4 percent) from the September 2015 quarter.
Data and analysis
Economic Survey of Manufacturing: September 2016 quarter – for more data and analysis
Melbourne, Australia, Dec 13, 2016 - (ABN Newswire) - Aconex Limited (ASX:ACX), provider of the #1 platform connecting teams on the world's largest construction and engineering projects, today announced a three-year enterprise agreement with Fletcher Building Limited (NZE:FBU) (ASX:FBU), one of the largest tier-one main contractors in New Zealand. Under the agreement, Fletcher will standardise on Aconex solutions across all construction business divisions, which includes Fletcher Building and Interiors, Fletcher Construction, Fletcher Infrastructure, and Fletcher Living. Aconex will also be the preferred solution for Fletcher South Pacific and Higgins Contracting. The enterprise-wide engagement with Fletcher Building expands a prior agreement between Aconex and Fletcher Construction for all of that division's building projects. One of the better known Fletcher projects supported by Aconex was the US$1.9-billion Canterbury Earthquake Recovery programme, which involved the repair of more than 180,000 properties damaged in the 2010 disaster - http://www.aconex.com/projects/canterbury-earthquake-recovery. Under the new agreement, Aconex will also help Fletcher Infrastructure manage project information and processes for government and infrastructure developments. "We have helped Fletcher Construction deliver a number of commercial and residential projects over the last several years, and our enterprise agreement with the parent company builds on this successful partnership," said Leigh Jasper, Aconex CEO. "We now look forward to working with all divisions of Fletcher Building to continue strengthening their position as a leading force in the New Zealand construction market." About Fletcher Building Fletcher Building is an integrated manufacturer and distributor of infrastructure and building products, and a construction company. From the smallest grain of sand to projects of great scale, we make, deliver and build to improve infrastructure, build communities and strengthen economies. We have 20,000 people working in 35 business groups in 45 countries. For more, visit http://www.fbu.com. About Aconex Ltd: Aconex Limited (ASX:ACX) provides a leading cloud and mobile collaboration platform for the global construction industry. The platform connects owners, contractors and their project teams in the construction, infrastructure, and energy and resources sectors, providing project-wide visibility and control between the many different organisations collaborating across their projects. With more than 70,000 user organisations and over $1 trillion of project value delivered in more than 70 countries, Aconex is the industry's most widely adopted and trusted platform. Founded in 2000, Aconex has 47 offices in 23 countries around the world, including headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and San Francisco, California. The company's ordinary shares are traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the ticker code ACX and are included in the S&P / ASX 200 Index.
The growing economic, cultural, diplomatic, sporting, and tourism links between India and New Zealand were the highlight of the end-of-year celebration between the two countries organized by India Trade Alliance in Auckland on Monday.
The keynote address was delivered by the New Zealand High Commissioner designate to India, Joanna Kempkers. Speaking at her first public event to delighted ITA members, Ms. Kempkers said, The High Commissioner designate, using the analogy of an Acorn, told the audience that ‘Just like an acorn being the symbol of NZ India relationship, I would like to nurture it, feed it and see it grow like an oak tree during my tenure in Delhi’.
Earlier welcoming over 100 ITA members and stakeholders, ITA General Secretary said, “It is time for New Zealand businesses to take the Indian market seriously. While our common connections of Commonwealth, food, film and cricket are good connectors, we need to put more emphasis on the people to people connections and the doors they can open.”
New Zealand First Member of Parliament Mahesh Bindra also congratulated ITA on a very successful year and encouraged the members to stay focused and think of India as a long-term partner where results will come to those who are tenacious.
Thanking the attendees, the Co-Deputy Chairman of ITA, Dr Don Brash, said that ITA was particularly pleased that Ms Kempkers had made a gathering of ITA members and supporters her first official engagement since her appointment.
The event was hosted by PwC and attendees included the CEO of EMA and industry partner of ITA Kim Campbell, senior representatives from ANZ, BNZ, ASB, Westpac banks, government agencies including NZTE and MFAT, education institutions, arts and culture sector, exporters and importers.
Earlier in November, ITA members conveyed their confidence in the board by electing the existing board with the addition of Chandan Ohri, Managing Partner – IBM Global Business Services for New Zealand, as the Treasurer.
| A India Trade alliance rrelease | Dec 13, 2016 |
SEATTLE (AP) - A New Zealand man charged with trying to buy devices used on airplanes, spacecraft and missiles in the U.S. so he could sell them to China faces a federal trial.
William Ali is accused of attempting to violate the Arms Export Control Act. The device, called an accelerometer, is designed to help with aircraft navigation.
Ali was arrested at a Seattle hotel in April after he met with an undercover Homeland Security agent to purchase the devices before taking them to China. Ali’s lawyer says this is a case of entrapment. He says the federal agent induced Ali to come to the U.S. to commit a crime.
Opening statements were scheduled for Monday afternoon after a jury is selected. His trial is in U.S. District Court is expected to run three days.
| Washington Times |
Media-encouraged hysteria feeds false hopes.
The first priority of the National government’s new dream team is to confront a nightmare. A real one. It is the moral issue of the Pike River aftermath and which takes the form of reopening the mine in order to seek for the mortal remains of the 29 brave miners who perished there.
It is a fevered issue which must now be cauterised in the national interest and in the interest of the bereaved. .
The new prime minister Bill English is the authority figure to do it. He must now state quite definitely that the mine cannot be reopened because it is too dangerous to do so.
The reason that Mr English must be quite definite that the mine cannot be reopened is because of the spiralling hysteria about the Pike River coal mine disaster and its aftermath.
Much of this is based on a generalised ignorance, and in some instances a feigned ignorance, about the specific dangers of coal mining in these latitudes. Also the way in which coal mining differs from, civil engineering tunnelling in transport or in hydro electric projects.
Coal mining in New Zealand is much more dangerous than coal mining is in most countries.
The reason is that the mining is carried out in the midst of relatively recent rock formations. This means that the drives are constantly passing through only recently formed rock through which permeates the gas of the decaying vegetation from which the coal is derived.
This gas known as firedamp-–damp is German for vapour– and it is the inflammable component.
The extent of this inflammable gas will have multiplied since the Pike River coal mine has been sealed off.
In the absence of ventilation the mine will have become one vast bottle of compressed gas.
Flushing out the firedamp from the mine in itself will be fraught.
The reason is that it will require pressure ventilation.
Where there is ventilation installed there is air handling equipment and in coal mines such equipment, notably fans, can emit sparks which can ignite this highly volatile gas.
The entire history of the short-lived mine demonstrates the dangers of what happens when moral and ideological desiderata conflict with the practical objectives of human safety.
In the case of the Pike River coal mine the conflict was embedded from the outset.
It was known that the area contained high value coal deposits.
Yet it was declared a National Park.
What followed was a moral trade-off as the demands of safety were set against the requirement of the preservation of flora and fauna and vistas.
Mr English must now use his authority to bring this lethal saga to a close. Decisively and firmly. He must say that the mine will stay sealed. He must state the reason which is Safety First .
Few will doubt his sincerity. His words though will appear harsh, most of all to Mr English himself.
He can temper the severity of his announcement by declaring that there will be a state-funded memorial to the victims of the explosion at the mine.
There are a number of such memorials on the West Coast. Among them is one to those who perished in the Strongman mine disaster of 1967. There is the memorial to those killed in the Brunner disaster of 1896.
A road has been donated to give easy access to the Pike River mine. It will provide access to the constructors of the memorial and to those who wish to pay their respects to those who perished in it.
An underground coal mine is always dangerous. Especially a disused underground coal mine .
Mr English must be blunt. He must avoid the temptation to be ambiguous.
It is never nice down there.
| From the MSCNewsWire reporters desk | Tuesday 13 December 2016 |
USA giant Newell Brands buys Sistema Plastics and commits to manufacturing in NZ for twenty years
Third party trademark agency receives warning from ComCom
Manufacturing sales continue to rise
Ultra low fares for ultra long route - $1259 to London on Qatar Airways
Rocket Lab Completes Major Technical Milestone Ahead of Test Launches
While you were sleeping: Oil rallies
Southern real estate sells at fastest rate in country
General Cable confirms closure, 170 to lose jobs
Manawatu milk equipment shop to close after three generations
Ex-factory workers take trip down memory lane
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