Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Trade Minister Todd McClay have announced that New Zealand will participate in World Expo 2020, to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The announcement was made during Mr Bridges’ visit to Dubai.
“Through Budget 2017, the Government is committing $53.3 million to construct a New Zealand Pavilion that will allow Kiwi businesses to highlight their innovative products and services and open doors to new export markets,” says Mr Bridges.
“Showcasing New Zealand to the world is a crucial part of boosting economic growth. Expo 2020 will provide a springboard to promote us as an innovative, solution-focused economy to the 25 million visitors expected to attend from across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.
“It will also allow us to build on our strong economic and transport links to the UAE which acts as a global air and sea logistics hub, providing access for New Zealand exporters to a much wider region. We’re already well connected with five direct daily Emirates flights, contributing $700 million to the economy,” says Mr Bridges.
“It makes clear economic sense for New Zealand to participate in this global event,” says Mr Bridges.
The Expo will take place from October 2020 to April 2021 with Mr McClay saying it will attract high-value visitors from all corners of the world.
“Expo 2020 is a vital opportunity to increase New Zealand’s profile amongst new trading partners as well as grow our trade with existing partners,” says Mr McClay.
We have a strong trade and economic relationship with the UAE and $3.8 billion of two-way trade with the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),” says Mr McClay.
“The Gulf States also importantly provide an entry point into the wider region for many New Zealand companies and a base from which to better access the wider Middle East and beyond,” says Mr McClay.
New Zealand is close to completing a free trade agreement with the GCC, which comprises of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The UAE alone is New Zealand’s twelfth largest trading partner, with annual two-way trade exceeding $1.9 billion in 2016.
About Expo 2020
Expo 2020 has the theme of Connecting Minds, Creating the Future. The Expo site will be around 2sq/km in size and will contain three thematic areas: opportunity, sustainability and mobility.
These three pavilions will showcase ideas and innovations, and countries that attend will have their specific pavilions spread around the thematic areas. New Zealand has been invited to participate in the sustainability precinct.
The organisers expect around 180 nations to participate. New Zealand is among the first 20 to formally confirm attendance.
More information on the Expo see http://expo2020dubai.ae
New Zealand Pavilion
The Government is about to launch an RFP process within the creative sector of New Zealand to select the best team and ideas for the design and content.
| The Beehive || April 23, 2017 |||
Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges will travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tomorrow for meetings with Ministerial counterparts in Dubai.
“New Zealand’s relationship with the UAE continues to go from strength to strength. This visit will be an opportunity to progress discussions across a range of areas, including economic opportunities and collaboration in areas such as renewable energy and the New Zealand-Gulf Cooperation Council Free Trade Agreement,” Mr Bridges says.
The UAE is now New Zealand’s largest export market in the Middle East, and our 12th largest trading partner.
Alongside meetings with counterparts, the Minister will also meet with Dubai-based New Zealand manufacturing firms and Kiwi business representatives as well as the CEO of Emirates Airlines, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
“The UAE is often seen as the gateway to the wider Middle East and North Africa region and a number of New Zealand firms have a presence in market. It is also an increasingly important hub for tourists travelling to New Zealand. The five daily Emirates Airlines flights alone are estimated to be worth $700 million to the New Zealand economy,” Mr Bridges says.
“Like New Zealand, the UAE is investing significantly in innovation and given the complementarity of our respective markets, this presents real potential for greater cooperation. I look forward to discussing this opportunity on my visit.”
The Minister will also attend a Dawn Service to commemorate Anzac Day before returning to New Zealand.
| A Beehive release || April 21, 2017 |||
Ξ Invest South takes stack in Bison Group
Ξ Bridges to travel to the United Arab Emirates
Ξ Trump orders China steel investigation
Ξ NZ Super Fund writes off investment in US wind turbine copany Ogin
Ξ Australian media claims buyers are chasing Fletcher Building
Ξ Spark phone lines to be digital only
President of UK Football Foundation now takes Five Questions.....
Lord Pendry is familiar in New Zealand within sporting circles. He retains too a constant guardian-angel like role over the nation, most recently when in the House of Lords he challenged the Government over the need to control the validity of labelling for Manuka honey. He was for many years the Labour Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde. In 2000, he was appointed member of the Privy Council on the recommendation of Tony Blair. After the 2001 election he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Pendry of Stalybridge. An institution within the English speaking realm’s greatest institution, the Palace of Westminster, boxing buff Lord Pendry (above) has just seen published his autobiography, Taking It On The Chin (see below).
You began your career as an engineer. How important is a manufacturing-production base for a developed economy such as Britain’s or New Zealand’s for that matter?Although the service industries are increasingly the norm in Britain, manufacturing continues apace; the UK is currently the world's ninth largest industrial nation. I think it is important that the Government does more to support UK manufacturing industries despite fierce competition from other countries. The recent crisis with steel production in South Wales is a case in point.
As a British Member of Parliament you knew the Blair family, from Tony’s father-in-law, who lived in your constituency, and you were widely credited with opening the path to Westminster for Tony. His legacy?Yes, I introduced Tony Blair into mainstream parliamentary politics in 1982 when, following my introduction, he unsuccessfully fought a by-election before gaining a safe seat in the North East constituency of Sedgefield. In my view, Tony was an outstanding Prime Minister who achieved much, especially bringing peace to Northern Ireland, but many other good measures also—regretfully he will be remembered by many for his support of the Iraq invasion.
Your constant advocacy for sport is well-known. How important in the age of video games is organised sport for school age boys and girls?Sport within society is of great importance to both the health and morale of its people but also in its importance to the economy of countries like the UK and New Zealand. Sport is also a great leveller in terms of gender, religion and race, bringing together the best in humankind. In order to address the negative effects of children playing video games, it is important that sport facilities are provided and participation in sport is encouraged. A good example of an organisation in the UK which invests in local sport facilities is the Football Foundation, of which I am President; with funding from the Government, the FA and the Premier League, the foundation funds multiple projects across the UK which provide new and refurbished grassroots sports facilities, improving the quality and experience of playing sport at the grassroots level. Formed in 2000 they have supported projects worth more than £1.3 billion.
One sport you most definitely do not approve of is fox-hunting?Certainly I do not approve not only of fox hunting but of cruelty to animals per se. Fox hunting is now illegal in the UK but there is evidence to suggest that hunts continue to take place. The argument that fox hunting is about curbing the number of foxes in the wild—a form of pest control—does not stand up because there is strong evidence to show that foxes have been captured and bred by hunters purely to be used in hunts.
You have on several occasions registered your disapproval of hereditary ascendancy to your own House of Lords?I do not believe that because a person achieved greatness in his lifetime that should also necessarily be reflected in the shape of a family member years later, who may not be worthy of the honour himself. We have in the House of Lords many examples of such people not worthy of the honour which had been bestowed upon their ancestor. Fortunately some do make a notable contribution to the workings of Parliament. In truth, now the number of hereditary peers is limited to 92 so some progress has been made in the right direction.
Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse today announced a package of changes designed to better manage immigration and improve the long-term labour market contribution of temporary and permanent migration.
“The Government is committed to ensuring inward migration best supports the economy and the labour market,” Mr Woodhouse says.
“It’s important that our immigration settings are attracting the right people, with the right skills, to help fill genuine skill shortages and contribute to our growing economy.
“That is why we are making a number of changes to our permanent and temporary immigration settings aimed at managing the number and improving the quality of migrants coming to New Zealand.”
Changes to permanent immigration settings include introducing two remuneration thresholds for applicants applying for residence under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), which will complement the current qualifications and occupation framework.
“One remuneration threshold will be set at the New Zealand median income of $48,859 a year for jobs that are currently considered skilled. The other threshold will be set at 1.5 times the New Zealand median income of $73,299 a year for jobs that are not currently considered skilled but are well paid,” Mr Woodhouse says.
“The SMC points table, under which individuals claim points towards their residence application, will also be realigned to put more emphasis on characteristics associated with better outcomes for migrants.
“Collectively these changes will improve the skill composition of the SMC and ensure we are attracting migrants who bring the most economic benefits to New Zealand.”
The Government is also proposing a number of changes to temporary migration settings to manage the number and settlement expectations of new migrants coming to New Zealand on Essential Skills work visas.
The changes include:
“I want to make it clear that where there are genuine labour or skills shortages, employers will be able to continue to use migrant labour to fill those jobs,” Mr Woodhouse says.
“However, the Government has a Kiwis first approach to immigration and these changes are designed to strike the right balance between reinforcing the temporary nature of Essential Skills work visas and encouraging employers to take on more Kiwis and invest in the training to upskill them.
“We have always said that we constantly review our immigration policies to ensure they are fit for purpose and today’s announcement is another example of this Government’s responsible, pragmatic approach to managing immigration.”
Public consultation on the changes to temporary migration settings closes on 21 May, with implementation planned for later this year.
For more information visit:
www.immigration.govt.nz/about-us/media-centre/news-notifications/skilled-migrant-category-changes
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) has launched a new service designed to help early-stage exporters learn the fundamentals of becoming a successful export business.
NZTE’s new service, Export Essentials, consists of two parts. There are ten online guides that cover the basics of exporting that businesses can work through in their own time and pace. There is also a hands-on, collaborative two-day workshop, where participants will learn proven methods for successful exporting and leave with practical tools that they can apply directly to their business.
“We’re really excited to add Export Essentials to our range of services. I believe this answers a real gap in the market for exporters to learn practical tools to create a go to market plan, alongside fellow exporters’” said Suzie Marsden, NZTE General Manager for Services.
“New Zealand has approximately 12,000 exporting companies but about 11,000 of these earn less than $5 million a year in international revenue, so there’s a real opportunity to help some of these companies be more successful internationally,” she said.
“Export Essentials is designed to help companies who are in the early stages of exporting build their export awareness, readiness and capability. The online guides walk companies through everything from market validation and research to pricing, and the workshops will help participants to develop an export plan and learn proven approaches for global growth.”
“Building an international business from New Zealand is tough and we see a lot of Kiwi companies turning up in-market without being as prepared as they could be. We created Export Essentials with the aim that in time more companies will arrive in-market better prepared, better equipped and more likely to succeed in competitive international markets,” she added.
“We’ve worked closely with our industry partners who also support exporting companies to make sure the services we offer are complementary and not a duplication of what’s already available.”
“We also undertook a lot of testing with some of our current customers to develop the right content for these guides and workshops so I’m confident that Export Essentials will make a tangible difference to some early-stage exporters who are unsure of where to go for help or information,” said Ms Marsden.
The Export Essentials online tools and resources are free to access, and are part of a wider range of refreshed information, tools and resources on NZTE’s website. The workshops are co-funded by NZTE, with a contribution of $1,000+GST per attendee for the two days and follow-up session with the course provider. Export Essentials workshops for 2017/18 will be in five centres around New Zealand: Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch.
For more information about Export Essentials, to register for a workshop, or to find out more about the benefits of becoming an NZTE customer, visit www.nzte.govt.nz/events/export-essentials-workshops
| An NZTE release || April 19, 2017 |||
Graffiti littering never ceases to be a problem with managers of buildings and public spaces constantly on the look-out for cost effective solutions. Solar Gard who are specialists in this field offer a variety of graffiti protection solutions to suit a wide range of applications:
GraffitigardActs As a Sacrificial BarrierGraffitigard protective film is a durable, optically clear and removable product that acts as a sacrificial barrier between vandals and the surfaces they deface. It is easily applied to interior and exterior glass windows and mirrors, as well as other non-porous surfaces like stainless steel and marble.Protects from: paint, key scratches, marking and even acid-etching.Download Graffitigard flyer here
GraffitiTidyProtects Surfaces, Allowing Speedy and Efficient Clean-UpGraffitiTidy is a durable, clear film with a non-stick outer surface suitable for applying to smooth surfaces to protect against graffiti damage from marker pen and spray paint. Once pen and paint graffiti littering has been applied, clean-up is where GraffitiTidy saves valuable time, expense and effort with easy graffiti removal.Download GraffitiTidy flyer here
Metal ShieldA metal-finish film renewing defaced metal surfacesMetal Shield is a grain-finish stainless-steel look film which provides a perfect 'veneer' to renew damaged stainless steel surfaces - or to give other flat surfaces a sleek stainless steel look. No need to repair prior scratched surfaces, Metal Shield can be installed over scratches bringing the surface back to as-new.
Mirror ShieldA mirror-finish film renewing defaced mirror surfacesMirror Shield is a reflective full mirror film which can effectively renew defaced mirrored surfaces - or upgrade other flat surfaces to have a mirror finish.No need to repair prior scratched mirrors, Mirror Shield can be installed over scratched glass to bring the surface back to as-new.Download Metal and Mirror Shield flyer here
For more information please contact ross EathorneThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.Ph: 09 441 0040
Whether it’s apples from New Zealand or bananas from Ecuador, produce often travels great distances to get to the consumer and loss due to spoilage or other problems along the supply chain is costly and wasteful. But Swiss scientists have come up with a new sensor that could help solve this issue.
The temperature sensing device created by Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology looks and acts like a piece of fruit, down to its shape, size, surface texture, color, and internal composition. The self-powered wireless electronic sensor is surrounded by a solid shell made of polystyrene (a type of plastic), water, and carbohydrates that simulate the fruit’s flesh, according to Thijs Defraeye, a scientist at Empa who is leading the project. Traditional sensors used for this application usually only measure the air temperature in the freight container. To accurately gauge how produce is holding up, though, you need to know the fruit’s core temperature, as a warm inner can lead to spoilage.
The device can be tailor-made for the particular type of fruit, even down to a specific cultivar, like a Braeburn apple or a Kent mango, and it can be packed directly with the fresh produce while in storage or during shipping, says Defraeye. Once the shipment arrives at its destination, the data—things like what the fruits’ core temperature was over time—can be quickly analyzed to determine if there were any problems during the trip.
A fruit spy among mangoes. Empa
In the U.S., an average of 12 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables are lost before making it to the consumer. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, globally about 1.4 billion tons of food—a value of more than $1 trillion—are lost or wasted each year, about 30 percent of which happens post-harvest (that includes storage and shipping).
Defraeye believes there are a variety of different applications for the sensor all along the supply chain—from greenhouses and orchards, to cold storage and ripening facilities, to the transportation sector—by exporters, importers, wholesalers, and retailers alike.
“They will be able to better pinpoint the location and reason for unexpected quality loss, which is essential for quality claims,” Defraeye tells Modern Farmer in an email.
Initial field tests on the sensors are under way and the researchers are now looking for potential industrial partners to manufacture the devices, which they believe would cost less than $50 per unit.
| A ModernFarmer release || April 18, 2017 |||
Taby, Sweden – Successfully solving the problems of using vacuum technology to convey the delicacies of the food industry, such as nuts, seeds, beans, candy, as well as nutraceutical tablets and capsules, Piab’s piFLOW®t conveyor is dedicated to the gentle handling of delicate ingredients and products. Promising to revolutionize the automated handling of fragile goods, the piFLOW®t features innovative and groundbreaking new technology (patent pending).
“A controlled low speed, guided entry into the conveyor, and the elimination of all sharp edges are the keys to our success, ensuring that products are handled with great care in our conveyors. There will be no more chipped candy in plants using piFLOW®t,” states Jarno Tahvanainen, Vice President of Piab’s Material Handling division.
Suitable for transporting up to four million items per hour, the piFLOW®t conveyor can be used to transport any fragile goods within a processing plant. For the food industry this enables the safe handling of, for instance, coated sweets, candy, roasted coffee beans, whole nuts, and nutraceutical tablets.
Eliminating the use of inadequate standard equipment and alternative, often back-breaking, manual procedures, piFLOW®t will safely transfer ingredients and products between the various processing units, such as tablet presses, coating drums, and packaging lines, avoiding all risks of damage.
At the core of piFLOW®t is the proprietary piGENTLE™ an innovative technology (patent pending) that maintains a gentle flow by regulating the feed pressure of the pump, ensuring that fragile ingredients or products are handled as delicately as possible. piFLOW®t is an extension to Piab’s popular and high quality range of piFLOW® conveyors for powder and bulk materials, and is specially developed to meet the stringent demands regarding operational safety and hygiene within the food (piFLOW®f), pharmaceutical (piFLOW®p), and chemical (piFLOW®i) industries.
About Piab
Established in 1951, Piab designs innovative vacuum solutions that improve the energy-efficiency, productivity, and working environments of vacuum users around the world. As a reliable partner to many of the world's largest manufacturers, Piab develops and manufactures a complete line of vacuum pumps, vacuum accessories, vacuum conveyors and suction cups for a variety of automated material handling and factory automation processes. Piab utilizes COAX®, a completely new dimension in vacuum technology, in many of its original products and solutions. COAX® cartridges are smaller, more energy efficient and more reliable than conventional ejectors, and can be integrated directly into machinery. This allows for the design of a flexible, modular vacuum system. In 2016, Piab completed two strategically important acquisitions, Kenos and Vaculex. Piab is a worldwide organization with subsidiaries and distributors in almost 70 countries. Its headquarters are in Sweden.
| An Ins release for Piab who are represented in New Zealand \\ April 19, 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