IMAGE CREDIT: KOREN ALLPRESS
Ξ Timaru stone to form part of commemorative garden in Belgium
Ξ Strike action still looming at Lyttelton Port, talks to continue Friday
Ξ 5000 NZ dairy cows heading to China on Saudi businessman's ship
Ξ While you were sleeping: Wall St mixed
Ξ Tony Alexander's Weekly BNZ Overview
Ξ Government accounts ahead of forecast
Ξ Underpinning Mr Thiel’s right to New Zealand citizenship is his passion for Tolkien.
Ξ Phitek sold to NYSE-listed Amphenol in $60M deal
Ξ Callaghan appoints panel to help firms leverage their IP
Ξ NZ budget deficit smaller than forecast in first 5 months as GST, corporate tax beat estimates
Organisers believe a reconfigured Millbrook Resort will provide an exciting finish to the upcoming ISPS Handa New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
Millbrook Resort, which comprises three nine-hole configurations, is the tournament co-host for the 93rd ISPS Handa New Zealand Open on 9-12 March.
Two signature holes from the Coronet Nine and the Arrow Nine have been combined as the finishing holes, to maximise the atmosphere created by the amphitheatre surrounding the Millhouse Restaurant.
“The new layout will create a superb finish and ensure a spectacular spectator experience,” said Millbrook Resort’s Brian Spicer.
The tournament organisers have turned the current final hole of the Coronet Nine to the 17th hole, to be followed by the finishing 18th hole which is the current 9th hole on the Arrow Course.
“We will finish with a reachable par-5 over water as the 17th and a par-3 which is virtually surrounded by water as the 18th, which should add drama to the conclusion,” said Mr Spicer.
“The 18th hole is a relatively straight-forward par-3 but in a tournament like this, you never can tell. It all came down to the last few holes at The Hills last year, proving anything can happen at the close of a tournament.
“It has the potential to be an eagle-3 and birdie-2 finish or dependant on conditions and the situation, it can just as easily be a bogey-6 and double bogey-5. The nerves could tell.”
The first two days of the tournament will be played on both Millbrook Resort and The Hills, with the final two rounds at Millbrook Resort.
Tournament Director Michael Glading is delighted with the course layout plans for the 93rd ISPS Handa New Zealand Open.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to have two great courses to showcase our National Open, and look forward to an exciting event,” he said.
“The configuration of the final two holes at Millbrook Resort will bring new drama to the event.
“The 18th hole at The Hills has been pivotal to the final showdown in previous years, and we’re confident that by creating two climatic holes we’ll add a real sense of theatre this year.”
Two New Zealand Open champions, who won the Brodie Breeze Trophy six times between them, were master-minds of Millbrook Resort’s layout. The original 18-hole course was designed in 1993 by golfing legend Sir Bob Charles, a four-time New Zealand Open winner.
Local Queenstown former professional Greg Turner, the 1989 and 1997 Open champion, designed the Coronet Nine in 2009 and remodelled the existing 18-hole course.
| An ISPS Handa New Zealand Open release | January 26, 2017 ||
The Farming Robots Market Projected to Reach $5.7 Billion by 2024 Brandon Marshall has a look at this market on machinery.com. He writes, Transparency Market Research (TMR), has released a report, “Agriculture Robots Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 – 2024,” predicting a sizeable increase in demand for agriculture robots within the decade.
The report estimates that the agricultural robotics industry has generated USD $1.01 billion in revenue globally as of 2016. Going forward, TMR suggest that revenue for this industry will rise to approximately $5.7 billion by the end of 2024. This estimate is based upon a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.1 percent over the forecast period.
What's Driving Demand for Farming Robots?
According to one TMR analyst, the migration of populations away from traditionally rural areas toward densely populated cities and suburbs has increased the demand for food in these regions. In addition, the population drain from farming communities–combined with the repurposing of former farmland for industry and residences–is driving the need for precision farming. That’s where robots come in.
Opportunities for Innovation in Agriculture
Beginning with the debut of the Rotolactor (a large, rotating, milking machine) at the 1939 World’s Fair and continuing today, the majority of agriculture robots have been designed to perform one specific task. TMR’s research report categorizes robotic farming systems accordingly:
The installation and operational costs of these non-integrated, task-specific systems has, unfortunately, slowed the adoption of automated processes on many farms. Additionally, legal and regulatory concerns continue to pose a challenge for agriculture innovators.
According to TMR analyst, innovations in agriculture technology are likely to take place in the area of wireless telemetry; including sensors used to monitor crop health or the status of machines operating out of view.
Industry Leaders in Farming Robots
The research report found North America currently leading the industry in terms of market share, though strong growth within Asia is likely to continue. Some prominent players within North America include: PrecisionHawk, Inc., Clearpath Robotics, and Harvest Automations, Inc.
SenseFly SA and Naio Technologies dominate in Europe, while Shibuya Seiki is a leading player within the Asia-Pacific region.
TMR has also suggested that competition in the farming robots market will increase around the globe as start-ups continue to push innovation.
The full report is available from Transparency Market Research.
| Originally published on Machinery.com | January 20, 2017 ||
Ed's Note:No mention of technology out of New Zealand. Updates in this arera welcomed.
Higher than forecast tax revenues are the primary reason the Government accounts for the first five months of the financial year are ahead of forecast, Finance Minister Steven Joyce says.
The Government’s financial accounts to 30 November 2016 were released today, and they show that the Crown’s Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) was a deficit of $768 million, which was $936 million better than the Treasury projected at the Half Year Fiscal Update (HYEFU).
"Stronger economic growth is flowing through to the Government's tax take'" Mr Joyce says. "Tax revenue for the five months to November is $460 million ahead of forecast in the Half-Year Update, and $1.4 billion ahead of Budget 2016 forecasts."
Mr Joyce says that it is appropriate to remain very cautious in terms of what the increased tax receipts might mean for the full-year financial result.
“Treasury's Half-Year Update forecast a $473 million surplus for the whole 2016/17 year,” Mr Joyce says. “It is far too early to say whether that surplus will be able to be achieved.
"These accounts include the first tranche of the Government's expenses related to the Kaikōura earthquake, with just under $700 million of EQC estimated costs being included. It will still be some time before the full cost of the recovery is known."
"The Earthquake again demonstrates the importance of the National-led Government’s prudent financial management. Getting back to surplus and repaying debt in the good times means we are in a position to support communities at times like this when they're in need.
“More generally these accounts underline the importance of strong fiscal discipline as we continue to build up our financial resilience in a relatively uncertain world. We need to remember that Budget 2016 forecast only a small surplus for the full financial year.”
| A Beehive release | January 26, 2017 ||
Fuss about citizenship reminiscent of Takaro Lodge Flap.
Midas Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel backed Facebook, Paypal, and Xero. But his founding of crime and insurgency systems developer Palantir currently valued at $20 billion can be considered less than helpful to floundering New Zealand law-and-order systems producer Wynyard Group.
On Wednesday, 02 November 2016 in:- Wynyard Class Action Must Identify Litigation TargetsMSC Newswire reported: “Wynyard for example walked into this kind of Silicon Valley deep-pocket storm when it found itself confronted with sometime New Zealand resident and Tolkien buff Peter Thiel’s Palantir crime product.”
Underpinning Mr Thiel’s right to New Zealand citizenship is his passion for Tolkien.
The name Palantir comes from the Lord of the Rings in which the Palantir was a magical seeing stone that let you see what was happening in lands far off.
Mr Thiel’s skill has been to see what is about to happen in the rather closer internet era once described by Bill Gates as representing the epoch of “disintermediation” in which people dealt directly with the people and services they required.
Mr Thiel’s strong and highly visible support for the election of President Donald Trump can itself be seen now quite clearly.It was based on an understanding that the new President could communicate directly with voters rather than having to deal with them via the intermediary of the established media.
Mr Thiel’s activist support for President Trump can also be viewed as triggering pique from New Zealand’s Labour Party Opposition to the bestowing upon him of New Zealand citizenship.
Otherwise Mr Thiel is a photofit personified of all New Zealand’s activist yearnings.
He supports openly all major societal alternative and libertarian thrusts, notably the right for people to live on man-made islands beyond legal jurisdictions in a concept known as “seasteading.”
He is an ardent proponent of peoples’ right to privacy and put the pervasive celebrity tittle-tattle internet site Gawker out of business by financing the legal action against the site on grounds of intrusion by showman Hulk Hogan.
He is the leader of the second generation of California innovators who sprang up in the footsteps of Bill Gates and Steven Jobs.
This set is sometimes described as the Paypal Mafia, the network of former employees and co-founders that includes SpaceX’s Eion Musk and LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman.
Mr Thiel now stands identified as the jewel in the crown of the New Zealand government’s campaign to see installed here information technology disruptive-scale investors to seed development in the home-grown industry.
One of the reasons that the government is evasive about this whole daring strategy is that it also encompassed Kim Dotcom.
Like Mr Thiel who emigrated with his parents to the United States, Kim Dotcom was also born in Germany.
It is likely that the government will now informally approach Mr Thiel with a view to his outlining investments other than Xero that can be said to be in the national interest.
Mr Thiel, for example, is said to be actively engaged in life sciences, notably in the field of postponing or even eliminating death.
In some ways the fuss about Mr Thiel’s New Zealand citizenship resonates with the campaign in the 1970s against United States oilman Stockton Rush.
Mr Rush and his family moved to New Zealand to create Takaro Lodge, a hunting and fishing retreat with an emphasis on conservation and located coincidentally in the same Wanaka lakes region favoured by Mr Thiel.
However and all those years ago it became known that Takaro Lodge had been fitted in whole or part with gold plated plumbing fitments.
These gold taps now became a class warfare icon.
Bill Rowling was the first New Zealand Labour Party prime minister from a privileged background.
Newly installed he was determined to publicly demonstrate his working class credentials which now took the form of a campaign against Mr Rush and his lodge and of course his taps.
Meanwhile, out-of-pocket and patriotic New Zealand investors in the until quite recently NZX listed Wynyard Group will find themselves cherishing a singular and not unreasonable hope.
It is that Mr Thiel can be persuaded to put his shoulder to the wheel in restoring their forensic systems producer to solvency.
Mr Thiel is considered the major holder of Palantir.
Wynyard Group had its beginnings in Christchurch with the Jade organisation which in the 1970s invented one of the world’s first programming compilers, i.e. a programme that generated other programmes.
The Wynyard Group investor class action group is currently evaluating its options in regard to the now insolvent onetime NZX main board company.
On their agenda at their forthcoming meeting might now be a motion calling for a formal approach to their newly revealed fellow citizen, Peter Thiel.
| From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk | Thursday 26 January 2017 ||
More reading: Wynyard Class Action Must Identify Litigation Targets
Prime Minister Bill English and Communications Minister Simon Bridges today announced Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) will be extended to more than 151 additional towns, providing up to 85 per cent of New Zealanders with access to fibre by the end of 2024.
The second, $300 million phase of the Government’s UFB programme was launched in Amberley, north Canterbury, this morning.
Following intensive commercial negotiations, the Amberley event marked the awarding of contracts between Crown Fibre Holdings and four partner companies: Northpower, Ultrafast Fibre, Chorus and Enable.
“Phase two of the UFB build will see fibre rolled out across all mainland regions, to 151 more towns plus 43 suburban fringe areas around the larger centres which were covered by the first phase of the programme,” Mr Bridges says.
“This will provide around 423,000 additional New Zealanders in both rural and urban areas, from Ruatoria to Reefton, with access to world-class broadband.”
All towns identified in the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the UFB extension will receive access to fibre, plus additional areas that weren’t included in the RFP.
“Regional connectivity is critical to our economy and to New Zealand’s future,” Mr Bridges says.
“Rolling out faster, more reliable internet is a vital part of our plan in developing a productive and competitive economy, improving health and educational outcomes and creating more jobs for Kiwis and their families.
“By the end of 2024, approximately 85 per cent of New Zealanders will have access to fibre, far exceeding our original target of 80 per cent by 2022. This will put New Zealand among the leaders in the OECD for access to fibre.
The first phase of the Government’s UFB programme is ahead of schedule in delivering fibre to the premises of 75 per cent of New Zealanders by 2019.
The second phase of UFB installations will start in 2017 and be completed between 2018 and 2024. Phase two of the build will see each build area be completed within a 12 month period in order to provide as little disruption as possible.
Further information is available at www.broadband.govt.nz.
| A Beehive release | January 26, 2017 |
Suppliers to the automotive industry are facing the same challenges world-wide, how to supply their products fast, economically and flexible while considering the individual demands of their customers at the same time. In order to increase the quality of their products and reduce costs at the same time, the Canadian supplier Deco Automotive replaces three existing older bending machines with three state-of-the-art automatic CNC 100 E TB MR VA pipe bending lines by Schwarze-Robitec. The company will profit from the integrated high-performance control system NxG by increasing its output and optimizing cycle times.
"Based on their own constant optimizing processes, our customers demand high requirements from their pre-products and with that, as supplier our requirements are also increased. In order to provide the customer with products in different versions and large quantities at a consistently high quality, we continuously invest in the further development of our production processes", says Ray Metzner, Manufacturing Engineer at Deco Automotive. The company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, belongs to the global Magna Group and manufactures various automotive components including vehicle frames and structures, and engine cradles. Among the customers of the automotive supplier are international original equipment manufacturers. Deco uses a total of four production lines and manufactures more than 1,750,000 products per year.
Project requirementsDue to the continuously high demand and a high annual output, Deco Automotive is dependent on reliable and intelligent pipe bending machines, which provide excellent results in terms of degree of automation, precision, speed, and bending processes. Before being accepted by automobile manufacturers, steel pipes run through the fully automatic cold bending process at the production facility in Toronto. Subsequent manufacturing steps include hydroforming, laser cutting and welding. The number of bending processes performed at Deco reaches 12 million per year. Up until now, the automotive supplier reached this volume by using a total of nine bending machines spread over four production lines. Seven of the machines come from Schwarze-Robitec, whereby three pipe bending machines were already in use for more than 20 years. The reason for the replacement of the old equipment with three new CNC 100 E TB MR VA made by Schwarze-Robitec was for Deco, that the bending and handling process is ensured to continue reliably and efficiently. "In 20 years, we have purchased a total of 13 pipe bending machines from Schwarze-Robitec and we have come to appreciate the very high quality and durability of the machines. We value the high technical expertise of the employees and the comprehensive services, such as remote maintenance, and decided at the end of 2015 to continue the partnership", says Mr. Metzner.
Automatic pipe bending lineFollowing an extensive consultation and planning phase in cooperation with Deco Automotive in Canada, Schwarze-Robitec produced three pipe bending lines tailored to the requirements of the automotive supplier. "We expect the new bending cells to provide significantly improved production and anticipate to reach our production targets even faster", says Mr. Metzner. Of the three CNC 100 E TB MR VA machines two machines are right- and one is left-bending. In addition, the multi-stack bending machines are equipped with a pipe magazine, a weld seam finding device, an automatic loading and a removal device. The electrically operated systems process round and oval tubes that are 2.8 m long and have a diameter of up to 76.2 mm including a wall thickness from 1.2 to 3 mm. The process is fully automated: The pipes to be processed are taken randomly from the tube magazine and fed to the integrated weld seam finding device. This device aligns the pipes in accordance with their weld seam position. Following the alignment, the pipe is passed on to the pipe bending machine. To do this, a mandrel is used which supports the tube on tight radii from the inside. A fully automatic loading arm then removes the finished bent tube from the machine and places it on a conveyor belt. From there, the tube continues to the hydroforming equipment. Another feature of the solution are the integrated raised, vertical travel routes. This allows pre-loading the pipe bending machine, while parallel to this function a finished bent tube is removed at another location.
(Photo caption to the right – CNC 100 E TB MR VA The electrically operated systems process round and oval tubes that are 2.8 m long and have a diameter of up to 76.2 mm.|
NxG high performance control systemCompared to the pipe bending line, which had been in operation at Deco until today, the new machines are equipped with the high-performance control system NxG. An advantage of the new control system are the significantly reduced non-productive times, as individual steps of the bending process were arranged synchronously. "With the NxG control system, it is possible to prepare the next step simultaneously to executing a machining operation. For example, while a pipe is supplied to the tool, the clamping functions close almost completely”, explains Bert Zorn, Managing Director at Schwarze-Robitec GmbH. “When the tube then reaches its target position, the tool is immediately ready for the next bending step – this allows users to shorten the cycle times and production objectives are reached more quickly". In addition, a diagnostic and maintenance tool integrated into the control system minimizes downtimes. The intuitive operability, the high performance control system also contributes to an ergonomic and efficient way of working. "The pipe bending machines made by Schwarze-Robitec produce reliable, accurate, and high-quality products and yet the machines are easy to use for our staff", says Mr. Metzner.
Conclusion: Short cycle times and no downtimesDue to the new automatic bending cells made by Schwarze-Robitec, the automotive supplier was able to optimize the cycle times and increase the production output of higher complex shapes and materials. “With the new pipe bending machines and the bending programs of the control system NxG, we have reduced cycle times significantly," says Mr. Metzner. With this, the accuracy that the company produces and the repeatability of its equipment in the production process is outstanding. "The predecessors of our existing machines have been operating in multi-shift operation flawlessly for almost 20 years. In addition, we received continuous services from Schwarze-Robitec, from their engineers in Cologne, and the employees of the US subsidiary – for us, this is a win-win situation."
| A Schwarze-Robitec release | January 25, 2017 ||
Schwarze-Robitec GmbH – the companyThe company, founded in 1903, is one of the leading international experts in the sector of tube bending machines. At its headquarters in Cologne, the specialist for cold bending machines currently employs 130 staff. The company is represented worldwide via long-term partner enterprises. Since 2015 Schwarze-Robitec has opened its own subsidiary in USA for customers in North America. The bending specialist already manufactured the world‘s first CNC-controlled tube bending machine back in 1977. To date, more than 2,700 machines have been sold – some of them have been used in production unrestrictedly for far more than 35 years. The Schwarze-Robitec product range includes, in addition to tube bending machines and bending tools, tube perforating machines, measuring stations, as well as solutions in the area of special machinery construction. The reference list of the tube bending expert includes, without exception, all renowned leading manufacturers from the automotive industry, energy sector as well as shipbuilding. Above and beyond that, the company solutions are employed in the aerospace sector as well as many other industries. Detailed information about Schwarze-Robitec can be found in the Internet at www.schwarze-robitec.com.
(PR.co.nz) NZ’s largest Trade Show organiser, XPO Exhibitions (XPO), is working hard to continue the growth of SouthMACH at a time when there’s a positive vibe in the manufacturing and engineering industry. On the back of a great event in 2015 (the first under XPO’s new ownership) and a fantastic EMEX 2016 (both of which experienced significant increases in exhibitor & visitor attendance), SouthMACH 2017 will be held at the Horncastle Arena, Addington, Christchurch from 24-25 May. Showcasing the very latest innovations, equipment, technology, services and products to industry professionals, the event again will feature a comprehensive educational and professional development seminar series with keynote speakers and workshops.
This year’s event includes a number of soon to be announced special features showcasing amazing product innovations from the South Island’s leading Design and Manufacturing Companies. These companies are leading the world in technology advancement and innovation as well as providing an example of great collaboration between industrial designers and manufacturing industries.
SouthMACH 2017 is well on track to deliver a record number of exhibitors showcasing products and services that reach across the current themes within the technology sector such as Robotics and Automation, 3D Printing, Energy Efficiency and Industry 4.0. A full seminar program over the two days will touch on these themes and provide a forum for education, discussion and the sharing of knowledge and expertise, critical in the sustainability and growth of the industry.
Another important issue and a focus for SouthMACH 2017 is the shortage of skilled staff within the manufacturing industry in New Zealand and therefore business continuity and efficiency. We’re also excited to announce that Competenz (in collaboration with NZMEA) will be running Apprenticeship ‘best practice’ workshops on both days for employers to de-mystify the process of employing an apprentice. Also: school leavers will appreciate an increased awareness of this alternative pathway by participating in the speed interview sessions that will be part of the workshops.
SouthMACH 2017 is supported by more industry associations and professional bodies than ever. The New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Maintenance Engineers Society of New Zealand and Canterbury University are now also joined by Callaghan Innovation. They all will bring their specific expertise to SouthMACH and are there to support the industry through sharing their knowledge and expertise.
If your customers are manufacturing or processing goods or services, using General Engineering, Machine and Metalworking Technology, Plant Automation & Maintenance, Engineering Software & Computerisation, Welding, Cutting & Plastics Engineering, Fluid Engineering or measurement, Control & Instrumentation, SouthMACH 2017 offers opportunities you can’t afford to miss.
SouthMACH 17 will provide an effective, engaging and dynamic forum allowing those in the industry to connect and grow, and in doing so, foster the growth and development of many of the South Islands and New Zealand’s manufacturing, engineering and technology associated businesses.
Prime locations are limited so enquire today at www.southmach.co.nz or call or email Exhibition Sales Manager, Aad van der Poel on 09 976 8350 / 021 314 199 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ξ Brexit White Paper – what is it?
Ξ Callaghan appoints panel to help firms leverage their IP
Ξ NZ budget deficit smaller than forecast in first 5 months as GST, corporate tax beat estimates
Ξ Ultra-Fast Broadband extended to 151 towns
Ξ New Zealand's trade minister reacts to US TPP pull-out - Listen
Ξ While you were sleeping: Dow climbs above 20,000
Ξ Household Labour Force Survey Estimated Working-age Population: December 2016 quarter
Ξ 'Exceptional circumstances' behind Peter Thiel citizenship - a productive input maybe?
Ξ Veritas deadline looms as shares plummet
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse is pleased to announce the appointment of Jenni-Maree Trotman as a new Member of the Employment Relations Authority (the Authority).
The Authority performs a very important role in New Zealand’s employment relations system, investigating and working to resolve employment relationship problems.
“Ms Trotman is an experienced employment lawyer who will join the Auckland office for a term of three years,” says Mr Woodhouse.
“The breadth of Ms Trotman’s work and particular strength in commercial law will be a real asset to the Authority.
“I have no doubt that her skills will complement those of the current members and I wish her all the best in her new role.”
Background information on appointee:
Jenni-Maree Trotman has been a Barrister Sole since October 2005 and in legal practice for nearly 18 years. As a barrister, she specialises in employment law, litigation and building disputes. She holds an LLB and a BA from the University of Auckland.
| A Beehive release | January 25, 2017 ||
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