President-elect Donald Trump's threat to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese goods is a worry for firms that trade with the country in the US Midwest, a decisive region in the Republican's election triumph.
Strong support across America's "Rust Belt," and frustration at lost industrial jobs blamed on globalization, carried Trump to victory last month in key battleground states, including Michigan and Ohio.
But some companies in the region that benefit from global trade are worried about early signs the president-elect plans to take a hardline stance with China.
"We export a lot of products to China," said David Shogren, president of US International Foods. "My fear is whatever changes Trump makes ... that China will retaliate in some ways."
The St. Louis company depends on China as a key export market for peanut butter, mustard, nuts, cereals and other items. About 50 percent of its revenues are tied to China, compared with just five percent to its home market.
"Our customers may switch from US products to other countries: Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Japan, or other exporting countries," Shogren said.
Shogren said his company is trying to build markets in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore.
Trump during the campaign threatened to impose 45 percent tariffs on China, saying the world's second biggest economy has stiffed the US with currency manipulation and illegal subsidies.
"China will take a tit-for-tat approach," said an editorial in Global Times, a Chinese newspaper that is close to the government.
"A batch of Boeing orders will be replaced by Airbus. US auto and iPhone sales in China will suffer a setback, and US soybean and maize imports will be halted," it warned. "China can also limit the number of Chinese students studying in the US."
China also responded sharply to Trump's decision to accept a phone call from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and to suggestions he is rethinking the decades-old US "One China policy."
The One China policy is the "political bedrock" of relations with the US, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
If it is "compromised or disrupted" cooperation in major fields would be "out of the question," Geng added.
- Writing to Trump -Ohio-based Progressive Molding Technologies imports tooling from China that enables it to compete with Chinese rivals.
"My fear is we will lose access to China's cheap tools," said president Laird Daubenspeck. "At that point, I will anticipate the our customers will start to slow down new product launches and we will see less growth."
Daubenspeck has written twice to Trump, once after he was elected and a second time after the Taiwan phone call.
"My biggest fear is he doesn't understand the impact his words have."
Among big manufacturers, Boeing is especially vulnerable. About one out of three Boeing 737 planes delivered in 2015 was destined for China. The company just announced Monday that it will reduce production of its 777 starting in August, which will have an impact on employment.
General Motors also could see its business disrupted in a trade war. China is GM's biggest market for cars, with 2.38 million vehicles sold in the first eight months of 2016, compared with 1.96 million in the US. GM also manufactures the Buick Envision in China, which is exported to the US and could suffer under US tariffs.
A GM spokesman said it was too early to comment on any potential shifts in trade policy, but noted that GM chief executive Mary Barra agreed to participate in Trump's strategic and policy forum, along with other top chief executives.
The century-old National Foreign Trade Council on Monday said it will work with the new administration but will fight protectionism.
"And we're prepared to argue against the use of trade restrictions as a way of achieving greater economic growth -- history has shown that really isn't an effective way of doing that," Rufus Yerxa, head of the 300-company NFTC, whose members export about $3 trillion a year.
1-Stop Connections (1-Stop) is the chosen IT solutions provider for the joint venture between Ports of Auckland (POAL) and Port of Napier (PON). 1-Stop is also the provider of choice for container terminals in Australia and the Philippines.
“Ports of Auckland and Napier Port are the gateways to two of the largest North Island provincial economies with significant growth and demands on infrastructure,” says Ports of Auckland Chief Executive, Tony Gibson.
The partnership will allow Auckland and Napier to work together to find ways to optimise services for freight customers and achieve further scale and efficiencies in the supply chain. It will prompt even greater competitive contestability and resilience in New Zealand’s supply chain to help lower costs to exporters and importers.
“There is a natural fit between Ports of Auckland and Napier Port. We share a similar way of working, common customers and supply chain opportunities and have similar ownership structures so that’s a great base to work from,” he added.
POAL’s commitment to improvement led to the launch of 1-Stop’s VBS in 2007. The VBS introduction was achieved because of widespread industry collaboration, which included representatives from border security, shipping lines, trucking companies and freight-forwarders. Initially presented in a trial format at the Axis Fergusson terminal, the early results of the VBS quickly proved it was creating a more efficient platform for trucks to operate within.
The VBS has consistently improved POAL’s truck turn times, year on year. In 2016, the average turn time was 19.65 mins with 86-90% of those turn around under 30 mins.
PON implemented 1-Stop’s VBS in 2015, to allow road carriers to book timeslots for the pick-up or delivery of containers. The VBS is instrumental in catering for increased truck volumes while simultaneously reducing turnaround times.
Michael Bouari, CEO, 1-Stop assures that the focus will be on working together with the two ports to achieve a common goal. “We will continue to work collaboratively with both terminals to ensure that 1-Stop’s products can seamlessly manage any increases in volume due to both terminals expanding dock side and inter-modally over the coming years,” says Bouari.
Since 1-Stop introduced the Vehicle Booking System, port communities have benefited through:
· Reduction in queue times: 2 to 4-hour queue times to mostly no queues at the terminals.
· Decreased TTT: Truck Turn Times at some terminals were reduced from 91 minutes to 37 minutes (and in some cases as low as 15 minutes’ averages)
· Decrease in dwell times: By 30% in the first 2 weeks of operation
· Increased throughput: Increased Terminals in South East Asia experienced a 20% increase in truck servicing
· Increased utilisation: Trucking companies are experiencing up to 5 times more utilisation per truck
| Source: Ports of Auckland | Dec 12,2016 |
Rocket Lab today announced the flight qualification and acceptance of the first stage booster of the Electron launch vehicle.
All primary components of the stage – including engines, vehicle structures, avionics and software systems - were designed, developed and tested in-house at Rocket Lab.
“Rocket Lab has had a hugely successful year with qualification of all major vehicle systems, completion of Launch Complex 1 and considerable growth of our team and customer base,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab CEO.
“We will continue to test the vehicle extensively in the lead-up to commercial operations and are looking forward to beginning the test flight program. Our focus with the Electron has been to develop a reliable launch vehicle that can be manufactured in high volumes – our ultimate goal is to make space accessible by providing an unprecedented frequency of launch opportunities.”
Rocket Lab plans to begin full vehicle testing in early 2017 once international launch licensing is complete. The tests will occur from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, located on the Mahia Peninsula of New Zealand.
| A Rocket Lab release | Dec 13, 2016 |
Sistema, the iconic New Zealand-based manufacturer, marketer and distributor of plastic kitchen storage containers, today announced that it will be acquired by U.S.-based Newell Brands for $NZD660 million. The sale of Sistema to Newell Brands, a company with a market capitalisation of $USD22 billion based in Hoboken, New Jersey, signifies an exciting new era for the company and the continued employment of its more than 700 employees in New Zealand and overseas.
Established 34 years ago by founder and Managing Director Brendan Lindsay, the company has seen its brand grow into a world recognised leader in innovation with a strong heritage and global distributor network.
“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,” he says.
“The growth Sistema has experienced in recent years can be attributed in a large part to the hard work and dedication of our New Zealand and overseas employees. That is why I am absolutely thrilled that Newell has agreed to keep manufacturing in New Zealand for the next 20 years at our recently opened 52,000sqm manufacturing facility at a green fields site near Auckland airport.”
Mark Tarchetti, President of Newell Brands, says Sistema has been on the company’s radar for a number of years as they watched its remarkable rise into a world leading brand.
“It is an excellent business and an extraordinary success story,” he says.
“We have previously made approaches to the company and are delighted that we have been able to reach an agreement to purchase the business. We believe there are some very exciting opportunities for the company and we plan to leverage our position as a Fortune 500 company to provide the platform for further growth for Sistema.
“The new world class manufacturing facility is a tribute the fantastic efforts and talents of Brendan and his team. The plant's level of sophisticated automation will ensure its products remain internationally competitive and will help to significantly scale the business.
For Brendan Lindsay who will step down from his position as Managing Director, the sale is the culmination of 34 years work that started in a garage in Cambridge.
“It has been an incredibly exciting, and at times challenging, journey that is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of a lot of people who work and have worked for the company. We had a vision for the company but I don’t think even we imagined we would be selling our products in more than 90 countries around the world. I look forward to watching the continued growth of the business.”
About Sistema
Sistema is a New Zealand based manufacturing company that sells a range of plastic storage containers in over 90 countries. It has offices in Australia, UK, France, Scandinavia, and USA along with an extensive worldwide distribution network. It recently opened a world class 52,000 sqm manufacturing plant in Auckland and has over 700 employees.
About Newell Brands
Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate®, Sharpie®, Dymo®, EXPO®, Parker®, Abu Garcia®, Berkley®, Shakespeare®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Marmot®, Sunbeam®, Rubbermaid Commercial Products®, Baby Jogger®, NUK®, Rubbermaid®, Contigo and Yankee Candle®. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play.
An international construction conference being held in Auckland early next year will showcase leading edge technology, construction innovation, practices and methods that have the potential to transform the sector and improve our built environment.
The ‘Constructing our World - People, Performance, Purpose’ conference will take place from 22-24 March 2017 and is being hosted by the New Zealand Institute of Building (NZIOB) in collaboration with the Australian Institute of Building (AIB) and the Singapore Institute of Building (SIBL). Subsequent international construction conferences will occur in Australia in 2019 and Singapore in 2021.
NZIOB chief executive Malcolm Fleming said, “There is a global groundswell underway that is rapidly changing the construction industry. Across the supply chain, construction is becoming increasingly technology rich and innovation focused. The ‘Constructing our World’ conference will bring speakers who are at the forefront of these changes to New Zealand to share how the next wave of construction ‘best practice’ could transform the sector and our built environment.
“Like the NZIOB, the AIB and SIBL uniquely represent the entire construction sector in their home countries. This conference is therefore an exciting opportunity for the NZIOB and our Asia Pacific partners to showcase global construction trends across the supply chain.”
‘Constructing our World’ will feature speakers from Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden, the UK, Singapore, South Africa and the USA, in addition to leading New Zealand industry representatives.
One of the conference’s keynote speakers is David Philp, an early adopter of practical change and purposeful collaboration. David is Global Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Information Management Consultancy Director for AECOM, the international engineering design and services firm.
He will discuss international best practice and the lessons learned from the UK BIM mandate. The UK’s Government Construction Strategy has made BIM mandatory for all Government projects since April 2016. This has resulted in a marked uptake of BIM so that the UK now ranks alongside Singapore, USA and Scandinavia (in particular Finland) in terms of BIM usage. BIM enables all those who are involved in the Design, Documentation, and Delivery of construction projects to optimize their actions, resulting in a greater whole life value for the asset.
Helena Lidelow, Associate Professor at the Lulea University of Technology in Sweden, is another confirmed keynote speaker. She will present on ‘Industrialised construction in Sweden - from single-family homes to multi-family buildings’.
Helena is the Platform Manager at Lindbacks, Sweden’s leader in the industrialised construction of apartment buildings. Helena believes that a “systems builder must manage technology, the building process, and the business situation simultaneously. The balance between the three is more important to master than optimising each of them separately.”
She has a PhD from Lulea University of Technology on timber structures and has been teaching part-time at Lulea as an Associate Professor since 2009.
Dr George Quezada from Australia is an innovation scientist with CSIRO I Data61. His keynote presentation is titled ‘Scenarios for the future of construction’. George will present findings from a recent scenario planning study on the future of Queensland’s construction industry, the Farsight Report. This project, undertaken in partnership with Construction Skills Queensland, engaged 80 leading experts across the state.
The Farsight Report asked what the industry could look like in 20 years’ time, and how might job profiles and skills requirements change? To explore answers to these questions, four scenarios were developed: the digital evolution; smart collaboration; globally challenged; and the rise of the robots. The future of the construction landscape under these scenarios is barely recognisable from today. This presentation will discuss important implications and strategies for navigating this digital age.
NZIOB acknowledge the support of platinum conference sponsors GIB® and AECOM.
Malcolm Fleming said, “Constructing our World’ is an exciting opportunity for the NZIOB and our Asia Pacific partners. We are aiming to provide access to global construction trends that will enable our members to innovate and build ‘better, faster, cheaper’ and so deliver an affordable, sustainable and quality built environment for New Zealand.”
Release dated Dec 12, 2016
New Zealand golf Association - New Local Rule Eliminates Penalty for a Player Who Accidentally Causes a Ball to Move on the Putting Green
9 December 2016, St Andrews, Scotland and Far Hills, NJ, USA:
The R&A and the USGA today announced the introduction of a new Local Rule that eliminates the penalty when a ball is accidentally moved on the putting green.
The Local Rule will be available for any committee in charge of a competition to use starting 1 January 2017. It will be adopted by The R&A and the USGA in all of their championships, qualifying competitions and international matches.
David Rickman, Executive Director - Governance at The R&A, said,'For the past several years, as part of The R&A and USGA's Rules Modernisation initiative, we have considered the penalty for a ball that is accidentally moved on the putting green. Both Rules Committees agreed that it needed to be changed and decided that in this particular case it was important to act now, through a Local Rule, rather than wait for the next overall set of revisions to the Rules of Golf.'
| Continue to full article on NZ Golf Association website |
Leading Japanese manufacturer, Oji Holdings Corporation (Oji Holdings), through its New Zealand subsidiary, Oji Fibre Solutions (OjiFS), is investing A$72 million in a new corrugated box manufacturing facility in Queensland. The investment is a boost to the region and will create an initial 55 jobs in the Gold Coast suburb of Yatala.
OjiFS will manage the new automated facility, and will manufacture a range of quality packaging products to meet increasing needs for use with fruit, meat and consumer goods in Queensland, New South Wales and Northern Territory.
In a press release, OjiFS Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jon Ryder, says the investment confirms the company’s commitment to growth in Australia.
‘We believe there is opportunity to take advantage of the increasing demand for corrugated packaging in Queensland and the Yatala project fits our strategy to increase vertical integration across our pulp, paper and packaging businesses.’
OjiFS plans to operate the Yatala facility with a 5/6 Green Star environmental rating, with lower water and electricity consumption and increased construction materials recycling.
The commitment from OjiFS has received support from the Queensland Government as part of the Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund. The company expects to create ongoing supply chain opportunities for local businesses, and aims to increase facility jobs to around 77 in the future.
Based in Tokyo, Oji Holdings is the fifth largest pulp and paper company in the world, with 158 consolidated subsidiaries located in 17 countries worldwide.
|A Foreign Affairs release | Nov 29, 2016
After questions were raised about six buildings in Masterton by one of our members, IPENZ alerted the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). This resulted in initial seismic assessments of these six buildings, followed by more detailed assessments, which raised questions about the engineering of the buildings.. There have also been assessments of a number of other buildings.
IPENZ is commencing an own-motion inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the engineering design and construction of these six buildings in Masterton. IPENZ cares deeply about public trust and confidence in our engineers and we need to get to the bottom of what has happened here. The best way to do this is to investigate what has happened.
Own-motion inquiries are best reserved for matters with broader systemic implications. They are different from own-motion complaints. They allow us to look into the circumstances before determining whether any action needs to be taken in relation to individual engineers.
Our responsibility is to investigate matters as they relate to individual engineers. But engineers are part of a system. Everything happens within a context and it is important that we understand context at an individual, systemic and sector-wide level. This will form part of the Inquiry.
The Inquiry will look at what happened, why and what we can learn. This could include the adequacy of oversight, supervision, and quality assurance processes; and broader issues involved in the engineering review of those designs and construction monitoring.
The first step of the process is to gather facts and identify issues to determine whether any individual engineers need to be investigated further. It’s also to consider whether there are any systemic or contextual factors that may require a response from IPENZ.
The Inquiry will take a neutral, deliberate approach and is likely to take some months.
| An IPENZ release | Dec 01,206 |
IPENZ | Our finalists for the Young Engineer of the Year 2017 have been chosen from an incredibly high-calibre group of candidates! Congratulations to Lachlan Matchett, Oliver Whalley and Virginie Lacrosse on becoming our finalists.
Our entrants are judged in six areas:
They will give a ten minute presentation to support their application at an event hosted by the IPENZ Auckland branch in February.
| Continue to full article | IPENZ | Dec 08, 2016 |
How do you clean efficiently and cost effectively when water pressure is low or clean water supplies are limited? This is a dilemma many businesses face. But there is a solution – a Hose Gun that combines low pressure water with compressed air.
Air Water Gun1 260x300 Use 50% less water every time you cleanTecpro Australia’s Air/Water Cleaning Gun allows you to run 2 supply hoses into it – one for air and one for water. The air propels the water inside the Gun so when you pull the trigger a more powerful jet of water is released.
This has the effect of increasing the impact force of the water stream so your cleaning teams can work more efficiently. At the same time, it decreases the amount of water required. In fact tests have found the Air/Water Cleaning Gun uses 50% less water than a water only hose gun when used in the same cleaning applications.
The Tecpro Air/Water Cleaning Gun also has the power to save you money as air is cheaper than water in most locations. Plus lower water usage contributes to greater worker safety with reduced water pooling and floors drying faster resulting in fewer potential slip hazards.
The Air/Water Cleaning Gun is made from heavy duty aluminium with a heat and chemical resistant EPDM cover. The Cleaning Gun is suitable for hot water usage up to 50°C, and the air and water inlets both handle a maximum inlet pressure of 5 Bar (or 72psi).
Tecpro’s Air/Water Cleaning Gun is perfect for heavy duty cleaning applications when both air and water supplies are available. It is a popular choice for food manufacturers, abattoirs and for cleaning greasy engines and equipment.
| A Tecpro release |
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