Computer services and machinery manufacturing firms led the way in an almost 30 percent lift in business spending on research and development (R&D) in 2016, Stats NZ said today. Businesses spent $1.6 billion on R&D in 2016, up $356 million (29 percent) from 2014.
The computer services sector had the biggest dollar-value increase in R&D within the business sector, up $125 million (40 percent) to $436 million in 2016. Computer services firms include New Zealand businesses providing services such as producing and distributing software, and web design.
The second-largest increase in business-related R&D spending was for machinery and equipment manufacturing, up $105 million (37 percent) to $392 million in 2016. These firms include high-tech manufacturing firms developing new products and services for sale in New Zealand or overseas.
Total spending on R&D by businesses, government, and higher education was $3.2 billion in 2016, up $531 million (20 percent) from 2014. R&D in the higher education (university) sector lifted and government R&D had a modest rise, but the bulk of the overall increase was from business spending.
“R&D spending is about investing in New Zealand’s future. It paves the way for new and better products or more efficient ways of doing things, although the process can take years,” business performance senior manager Daria Kwon said.
“While higher R&D spending is a key driver of economic growth according to some studies, it is not a guarantee that a business will be more creative or profitable.”
All services sector groups spent more on R&D in 2016 than in 2014, with an overall $203 million (32 percent) increase to $835 million. In the higher education sector, universities' R&D spending was up $143 million (18 percent) from 2014 to $960 million in 2016.
Graph, Research and development expenditure, by sector, 2008 to 2016.
Data and analysis
Research and Development Survey: 2016 – for more data and analysis
| A STATSNZ release | March 29,2017 |||
With a new year comes an inevitable update of your CAD package, and that always begs the question, should I keep my license or upgrade? Well, with Autodesk Inventor and the company’s new subscription-based plan, that decision has likely been made for you, and now it’s time to reap the benefits.
Inventor 2018 has been on the market since last week, and for those looking for the latest features in their CAD tools, here’s what you can expect from the latest version of Autodesk’s flagship mechanic design package.
MBE Tools Demanded, MBE Tools Delivered
Demand and model-based engineering (MBE) as a standard CAD paradigm is increasing throughout the design world. Not only are big-time movers and shakers like the DoD insisting that fluency with MBE be a prerequisite for any contractor, the ever-tightening integration between design, prototyping and manufacturing is making MBE coin of the realm.
To give users the tools they’ll need to meet this new design focus, Inventor comes equipped for model-based design (MBD) tools that make it easy to annotate models with tolerance information, critical dimensions and manufacturing notes so that a project can move from modeling to CMM and CAM in a flash. In addition, Inventor users can output 3D PDF files so that design information can be effectively communicated to manufacturers off-site.
Interoperability Expanded
Designers today have to deal with a number of variables when building a product. One of the most consistent of those variables is that a team will likely be interacting with a number of third-party vendors and, most likely, a few different CAD file formats.
In the past, having to juggle multiple file formats made collaboration with third-party products awkward and time consuming, but in Inventor 2018, the software supports a number of different file flavors and formats, making it easy to leverage the design work that’s already been done by others so that workflows are streamlined.
Customer-Driven Enhancements Round out 2018
Aside from MBD and interoperability enhancements, the Inventor engineering team has tapped its deep user base to implement over 50 Inventor Idea requests into 2018. Whether it’s improvements to such essential features as “Chamfer,” “Extrude” or “Hole” commands, Inventor’s refinement is reaching a level that’s difficult to match by other CAD programs. But modeling features aren’t the only aspects of the software that have seen improvements thanks to user input. In Inventor 2018, the “Measure” tool has been simplified and improved to make it easier to use, and bill of materials (BOM) and parts list sort orders have been made easier to organize based on user input commands.
For more information about Inventor 2018, visit CADPROSystems
| An engineering.com release - visit site for images & videos | March 28, 2017 |||
To many in New Zealand, the Oceanian state looks like an isolated outpost with economic powerhouses far, far away in another hemisphere. [Special coverage]
It's at the end of a trail that snakes through Southeast Asia before a three-hour flight from Australia lands you in one of its handful of international airports.
Small wonder that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, a massive economic and trade project for common development and prosperity in countries along its routes in Europe, Africa and Asia, is little talked about here.
However, New Zealanders are now starting to realize that while their country might be a terminal on the Initiative's 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, it won't be left out, surely after signing on Tuesday an agreement on the Initiative with China.
CLEAR OPPORTUNITY
The initiation of a business network by important figures including president of the ruling National Party Peter Goodfellow and National legislator, China-born scholar turned politician Yang Jian, coincided with an official visit here by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang starting Sunday.
The Oceania Silk Road Network (OSRN) is being forged by New Zealand business interests, headed by William Zhao, director and CEO of the China-owned Yashili New Zealand Dairy Company.
"There's a group of us exploring setting up this mechanism and it's in an environment where there's a growing interest among organizations focused on China to explore ways that New Zealand can engage more in China's very important initiative," said Martin Thomson, head of New Zealand-China Trade Association and one of the four OSRN initiators.
The OSRN will be in link with China's think tanks and industrial alliances to seek opportunities for Belt and Road Initiative projects.
"It's a recognition among those interested in China that collectively we need to learn a bit more about how we can engage in relation to it," Thomson told Xinhua by phone.
"There's clearly opportunity for us to do that and the starting point is for people to engage and start thinking about how" he said.
Thomson also sees the Initiative as facilitating infrastructure development in New Zealand, while serving markets in the region.
"New Zealand's a trading country. We sell a lot of products offshore and the opportunity to open up markets with greater infrastructure in regions that we don't currently sell a lot to is a great opportunity," he said.
Others are keen to interpret signals Li gave in regard to New Zealand's inclusion in the Belt and Road Initiative during his visit this week.
"There's a range of ways in which New Zealand companies could participate," said Stephen Jacobi, acting executive director of New Zealand-China Council.
"For example, we could supply goods or services into construction projects into Eurasia, the countries around China that they're targeting for infrastructure development," Jacobi told Xinhua by phone.
Another sector to tap potential would be how goods and services move along the Initiative's routes.
"This is an area where New Zealand has an expertise around trade facilitation, around supply chain integrity and optimization," he said.
BRAINSTORMING NEEDED
Meanwhile, China-born legislator Raymond Huo believed the Belt and Road Initiative can help solve the problem of infrastructure development facing many developed nations.
"There is a dilemma. New Zealand, Australia and other developed countries including the U.S. and Canada are all facing the same problem," Huo told Xinhua.
"We haven't done much upgrading, so we need money, we need capital, and we need the construction capacity. China has both," he said.
Huo said he first realized the potential of Belt and Road Initiative when he attended two high-level conferences in China, and he believed New Zealand should seize the opportunities it offers.
Along with other experts on China and leading business people, he has established a think tank and foundation on the Initiative.
The think tank aims to tackle issues including a possibly prevailing protectionist trend around the world, and public perceptions of and attitudes towards global trade, among others.
The foundation is expected to focus on financing, joining in efforts by such institutions as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Silk Road Fund to work for infrastructure projects.
"We need a think tank to get involved in brainstorming to find a way to benefit the New Zealand economy," including an infrastructure upgrade, Huo, the think tank's co-chair, said in a telephone interview.
Huo believed the think tank will also help New Zealanders to better understand the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Chinese people and culture.
It has already established links with China's National Development and Reform Commission, construction companies and private equity firms to seek opportunities.
In addition, it plans to convene a high-level conference on New Zealand-based Initiative projects after the New Zealand general elections to be held in September.
"We will bring together and coordinate a network of business leaders and organizations across the board to develop effective, efficient and environmentally sustainable economy while maintaining peace and harmony in our region," said Huo.
Simon Draper, executive director of Asia-New Zealand Foundation, described the Belt and Road Initiative as "organic".
"It's going to develop over time," he said. "It seems to me that it's potentially a train coming down the track and we have to understand it better."
Trade Minister Todd McClay said the Initiative itself is to endure the test of time while stressing that New Zealand saw itself as a partner of China in its implementation.
"You could almost suggest that the road starts in New Zealand, but we'll be looking for ways to enhance our relationship through this substantial and worthwhile initiative," McClay said.
"It's an ongoing conversation we're having and I don't think it's about just what we might think today. The Initiative itself is to endure the test of time and it's about enhancing opportunities for citizens of those countries through growth and a stronger economy," he said.
| A release from Out of The Silk Road | March 28, 2017 |||
Energetic, enthusiastic, motivating, thought provoking, enjoyable – who’d have thought all these were comments from delegates attending a building-industry conference!
PrefabNZ is a hub for innovative construction. Whether you are looking to build a home, are working within the industry or are just interested in the latest building solutions – this is the place to be.
PrefabNZ CoLab 2017 – held at AUT on March 21st was sold out quickly, and it was not hard to see why. This year’s keynote speakers from around the globe delivered a spectacular array of knowledge and relevant content that held the audience of 170 delegates captive from start to finish. I didn’t see a single yawn.
Helena Lidelow (University of Lulea / Lindbäcks, Sweden) delivered the keynote and quickly gained the attention of her audience by delivering some stark industry facts regarding waste operations on building projects. Just 20% of the time is considered “Direct Work” compared with 35% “Pure Waste” and 45% “Indirect Work”. Talking with some delegates after the keynote, these facts had clearly done their work and the “off-site manufacture” message had firmly taken root! Helena’s presentation went on to compare prefab to the automotive industry and how different the two industries are – but to learn these lessons and understand the industry more, you’ll need to get yourself along to the next events. (http://www.prefabnz.com/Events)
This year, CADPRO Systems provided a 15-minute talk on how people see the world in different ways. Not everyone can read a drawing and yet we still present incredibly technical diagrams to clients and expect them to engage with a project. During the short talk, we introduced virtual reality (VR) and how it brings the only “full scale” immersive experience to potential clients and stakeholders – regardless of their technical ability. Our VR rig in the exhibition area was in constant use by delegates and exhibitors throughout the day. As usual, it was fascinating to see people become so quickly and emotionally connected to a simple model, and their understanding of the potential uses for the technology was inspiring.
| A CADPRO Systems release | Wednesday 22 March 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