The latest New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) Survey of Business Conditions, completed during June 2017, shows total sales in May 2017 decreased 2.34% (year on year export sales decreased by 5.68% with domestic sales increasing by 10.99%) on May 2016.
In the 3 months to May, export sales decreased an average of 14.4%, and domestic sales increased 7.1% on average.
The NZMEA survey sample this month covered NZ$251m in annualised sales, with an export content of 77%.
Net confidence fell to 25, down from 40 in April.
The current performance index (a combination of profitability and cash flow) is at 98.7, up from 97.7 last month, the change index (capacity utilisation, staff levels, orders and inventories) was at 100, up from 98 in the last survey, and the forecast index (investment, sales, profitability and staff) is at 104.2, down on the last result of 105.7. Anything over 100 indicates expansion.
Constraints reported were 60% markets and 40% skilled staff.
A net 10% reported productivity improvements in May.
Staff numbers decreased 2.28% year on year in May.
Supervisors, tradespersons and managers, reported a moderate shortage, while professional/scientists and operators/labourers showed a minor shortage.
“This month’s domestic sales improved on April’s results, showing growth of 10.8% on May 2017. Despite the negative result seen last month, domestic sales have experienced a largely positive growth trend in the last year. In the three months to May, there was an average monthly growth of 7.1% on the same months last year.” Said NZMEA Chief Executive Dieter Adam.
“Export sales, on the other hand, experienced another month of decline, -5.7% on May 2016, reinforcing the general negative trend felt over the last year. In the three months to May, average monthly sales decreased 14.4% on the same months last year.
“Export sales results were also reflected in the recent Overseas Merchandise Trade numbers from stats New Zealand. For example in May, both mechanical machinery and equipment and electrical machinery and equipment experienced decreases in export sales values on May 2016.
“Finding skilled staff has become a larger issue for manufacturers in May, with the skilled staff constraint having the highest value since February 2008, at 44%. It was commented by respondents that tradespeople are of particular need – a sentiment that was shared by a number of companies at a recent NZMEA event with the Prime Minister.
“Industry and Government need to work together to improve our education system and industry training to start to address these skill shortages that hold Kiwi manufacturers back. This can be done – there are a number of examples around the world of such skill shortages being address effectively, such as Germany.” Said Dieter.
For analysis tables and graphs, click here.
| An NZMEA release || July 13, 2017 |||
After a long tour of duty the National government again demonstrates erratic and quirky behaviour
Trans Tasman commentator Spiro Zavos observed that toward the end of one of their long periods of time in power that successive National governments become erratic, sometimes eccentrically so. They would, proclaimed the maven, succumb to a type of long distance fatigue and start to weave across their own political road. Here are a trio of notable and quite recent examples…..
Example 1. The John Key Knighthood.
Purpose of the ennoblement: To demonstrate that the National Party appreciated upon his retirement the shrewd and personable leader who had led them to their triumphs, and indirectly, remind its aspirational followers what he had done for them.
Where it went wrong: The K looked like part of Mr Key’s severance package. It was bestowed far too soon, almost immediately after his departure. Also the immediate bestowing looked as if Mr Key wanted it now, rather than waiting for just a few more months. But at which time the Party might not be in a position to give it to him because it was out of power and thus out of the patronage business.
What should have happened: The party should have leaked the notion that their former boss deserved the K. But in the event had turned it down. The leak would then have encompassed the very groups that the Nationals wish to draw into their fold. The leak should have let it be known that the former Premier believed that there were others who deserved the K much more, especially those in let us say education, health, climate, foreign aid, and race relations.
This omission was a major boner and the National marketing apparatus is still unaware that it was pulled in the first place.
Mr Key could then, a few months later, and having correctly foreseen the National win, and indirectly plugged some of the sectors it badly needs to win it, and after suitable expressions of the very, very deepest state of being humbled,, have safely collected his K in the New Year.
If the National spin apparatus has failed to see the contradictory nature of all this, it will, of course, have been identified by New Zealand First’s Winston Peters and sometime very soon will be used as a bargaining chip.
Unintended impression: That Mr Key is uncertain that his party will win the imminent general election
Example 2. The Southland Clutha candidate affair
Purpose of the selection: To demonstrate an uncompromising faith in youth, in this case in their early 20s.
Where it went wrong: The candidate selected had little real life experience especially in the matter of handling local committees and their procedures, particularly important in an electorate so remote from Wellington headquarters
What should have happened: There were plenty of seasoned candidates to choose from in this ultra safe seat who would have contributed to National’s enduring appeal which is centred on experience.
Unintended impression: Revealed an obvious and as it turned out foolish grab at the youth look. Also that the National Party’s once vaunted control over its rural electorates is slipping
Example 3. Premier John Key’s Campaign to change the New Zealand flag.
Purpose of the campaign: To demonstrate that the National Party was sensitive and caring about nationhood and renewal and thus sought a country-wide sharing consensus in devising a new emblem to express this caring, sharing etc…
Where it went wrong: The change-the-flag campaign ran parallel with the commemoration of the centenary of Gallipoli and the Anzac era.
What should have happened: The National government having re-scheduled the flag changing referendum play until before or ideally after the Gallipoli and Anzac centenary should have stated a practical and coherent reason behind what still appears a bizarre event that did not conform to any of its stated policies.
In practical terms it remains a mystery why nobody stressed the mooted change being a solution to the problem many have in telling the difference between the New Zealand flag and the Australian version which at a glance look identical.
Unintended impression: That the National government was prepared to ride roughshod over its backbone patriot support in order to pander to the ephemeral whims of the anti-monarchist, middle class guilt transfer crowd.
| From the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. || Thursday 13 July 2017 |||
Today The Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston released their latest Digital Evolution Index which, again, puts New Zealand as a standout nation. The report identifies New Zealand as among the digital elites characterised by high levels of digital development and a fast rate of digital evolution.
"I am delighted to see that New Zealand is, for the second time, at the top of the world when it comes to the outstanding progress we have achieved in providing government services to our citizens via digital platforms.
“The Digital Evolution Index reflects the hard work we’ve been doing over the past few years on government’s digital transformation, and in creating an enabling environment that fosters innovation and active collaboration between agencies and the private sector to provide better public and private services for New Zealanders.
“Our appetite for innovation has resulted in digital solutions that benefit people from all walks of life. It raises the bar for providing New Zealanders with services – both from government and the private sector – that are available digitally and on demand," says Minister for Internal Affairs Peter Dunne.
The report also reinforces New Zealand’s position as a digital leader. Along with other D5 nations the United Kingdom, Estonia and Israel, New Zealand has been named in the report’s “digital entrepôt” standout group.
This group is described as ‘among the best positioned to compete by establishing a self-reinforcing ecosystem, fostering smart societies of the future, attracting global investments and talent, creating a demonstration effect for the rest of the world as to what the future might look like, and exporting their digital innovations around the world’.
“It’s great to know that our efforts to deliver better public services through digital transformation are being acknowledged as among the best in the world by esteemed international bodies and researchers.
“We’ve made great progress in our digital journey by making it easier for New Zealanders to access services when and where they need it, but we must not rest on our laurels.
“We must continue to innovate and harness the power of digital solutions to build on our gains and deliver even better services to New Zealanders," Mr Dunne said.
The Fletcher School at Tufts University latest Digital Evolution Index report can be found here: https://sites.tufts.edu/digitalplanet/files/2017/05/Digital_Planet_2017_FINAL.pdf
Peter Dunne -Internal Affairs
| A Beehive release || July 13, 2017 |||
New chocolate factory in Waikato
HydroWorks Provides 5 Mini Hydro Turbines For Melbourne Water
New West Coast Research Institute announced
Prospecting company uncovers high grade gold deposit
Skilled staff constraint highest since 2008 say NZMEA
New Zealand again ‘a standout nation’ in digital evolution rankings
The worlds first sideways elevator by Thyssen Krupp
ROTA tanks, manufactured locally by Rotomould (Solomons) Ltd, are the first and only water tanks in the Solomon Islands to be certified to international quality standards – the ISO Type 5: AS/NZS 4766 standards.
In a statement on Tuesday Rotomould Group of Companies Managing Director, Prakash Chand said the company has always been absolutely committed to providing high quality products for customers.
“Receiving this international certification and quality mark is a formal recognition of the high quality standards we adhere to,” Mr Chand said.
AS/NZS 4766 is an Australian and New Zealand Standard for polyethylene water tanks, to ensure tanks have been properly designed and manufactured to last the length of their warranty life.
Certification to AS/NZS4766 provides independent assurance of a manufacturer's claim that their products comply with this standard.
Leisa Donlan, CEO of the Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia (ARMA) said that it is important to note that not every manufacturer chooses to certify their products.
“The commitment being shown by Rotomould (Solomons) Ltd to meeting this standard exhibits global leadership in ensuring high quality products are available, made locally and meeting the most stringent requirements in the world,” he said.
For a polyethylene tank manufacturer to receive certification for AS/NZS 4766, tanks are put through a rigid set of tests to ensure that they comply.
As a finite resource, water has to be valued more significantly.
The government spends a considerable amount of money on accessing water supplies and the installation of water storage systems to help supply clean drinking water to the population.
Mr Chand said the Solomon Islands government has financed these projects because water is the single most precious building block to development.
“We cannot sustain life without it; we cannot sustain communities without it. But when communities have ample water, they thrive.
“Their health, their farming, their economy all can steadily improve when water is readily available,” he said.
Rotomould (Solomons) Ltd (RSL) is a local company which manufactures polyethylene water tanks under the brand name of Rota Tanks in sizes ranging from 500 liters to 10,200 liters capacities using rotational moulding technology.
This is the latest technology in the water tank manufacturing process widely used in the developed nations of the world.
Established in 2005, RSL was one of the first companies to introduce rotational moulding technology in the Pacific through its subsidiary companies in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, and Vanuatu.
| A Solomon Star release || July 12, 2017 |||
Climate scientists will be able to more accurately study Earth’s temperature changes, thanks to a global database compiled with the help of a Victoria University of Wellington and GNS Science researcher.
The database has been released today in the Nature Scientific Data journal by a large international team of scientists, including Associate Professor Nancy Bertler. Associate Professor Bertler says the database—which expands on a version released in 2013—provides a rigorously assessed compilation of temperature reconstructions for the past 2,000 years. “The database gathers information on past temperature based on evidence from a number of sources including tree rings, corals, glacier ice, and marine and lake sediments. “It’s the most comprehensive collection of information on global temperature change ever, and has taken over three years to pull together.” This database is important because it provides much-needed information on regional temperature patterns and trends, says Associate Professor Bertler. “It enables us to critically assess and improve earth system models used to provide future projections. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s analysis of future change will include investigating the past 2,000 years, before looking into the future. How well they capture those past trends provides a tool to assess how realistic a model is, and helps to identify where improvements are necessary. This is the only tool to independently test and verify climate models beyond the past forty years.” The database gathers close to 700 records from 648 locations, compiled by 98 regional experts from 22 countries. It was coordinated by the Past Global Changes (PAGES) network of international paleoclimate scientists. Data for the Antarctic region was contributed by Associate Professor Bertler. “We contributed three ice core records from the Ross Sea region, a particularly climate-sensitive area of the Antarctic. We collected those ice cores over the past decade,” says Associate Professor Bertler. “Our reconstructions provided a detailed view of the region during the past 100 to 1,000 years, including ocean and air temperature, sea ice extent, atmospheric circulation pattern and ocean productivity. A particular focus of our work is to understand when and how quickly West Antarctica could collapse, leading to rapid increase in global sea level.” Associate Professor Bertler is an ice core scientist jointly appointed by Victoria’s Antarctic Research Centre and GNS Science. She manages the National Ice Core Research Facility at GNS Science—one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the world—and leads Antarctic field deployments for ice core research. PAGES has released the database as an open resource, allowing anyone to download and use the data.
| A Victoria University release || July 12, 2017 |||
Air New Zealand has teamed up with American actors Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr. for its latest safety video A Fantastical Journey. The video is an Alice in Wonderland inspired adventure featuring a number of iconic locations throughout New Zealand including the Southern Alps, Otago – including Dunedin and the Moeraki Boulders, the Conway River in Canterbury, Wellington, Mt Taranaki, Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel, Tolaga Bay north of Gisborne, White Island and the Auckland Harbour Bridge. New Zealand singer and songwriter Gin Wigmore has also recorded her own unique version of the song ‘My Little Corner of the World’ as the backing track for A Fantastical Journey. Katie Holmes says it’s been fun working alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. and the Air New Zealand crew to produce A Fantastical Journey. “I was really excited to be a part of this project – the safety video is creative, magical and funny. The scenery is also beautiful and makes me want to get down to New Zealand!” Cuba Gooding Jr. says he wanted to get involved in Air New Zealand’s latest safety video as he does a lot of travelling and loves the fun and different approach. “They make you laugh, smile and pay a little bit more attention. I’ve also enjoyed working with Katie Holmes and Kiwi artist Gin Wigmore – her voice is enchanting and soothing, exactly what you need for safety video!” Air New Zealand General Manager of Global Brand and Content Marketing Jodi Williams says A Fantastical Journey will put all eyes on New Zealand by showcasing some of the best the country has to offer. “With the help of Hollywood stars Katie Holmes and Cuba Gooding Jr. our latest safety video takes viewers on a journey taking in New Zealand’s stunning beauty, incredible culture, friendly people and amazing flora and fauna, while also sharing the airline’s key safety messages. “We’ve taken a different approach creatively with our latest safety video, working closely with our creative agency True, and Auckland-based production company Assembly throughout the process on the special effects to help take people on a magical tour of the country.” Gin Wigmore says she’s loved teaming up with Air New Zealand again after first working with the company on its first creative safety video the ‘Bare Essentials’ in 2009 which featured the hit ‘Under My Skin’ from her first album and then again more recently to record a version of the track ‘Tomorrow’ from the movie Annie for the airline’s Where To Next? campaign. “I feel privileged to record my own version of ‘My Little Corner of the World’ as it’s always a good challenge to re-produce a song, especially when it’s already so great. It’s also fantastic to see this track feature amongst some stunning New Zealand scenery, including my little corner of the world – the Coromandel.” Air New Zealand’s safety videos have collectively generated more than 108 million views online to date along with significant international media exposure including the likes of CNN, BBC and the Daily Mail. A Fantastical Journey will be rolled out across the airline’s fleet from today and can be viewed online here.
The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Trade Me Limited (Trade Me) to acquire up to 100% of the shares in Limelight Software Limited, trading as Motorcentral.
Trade Me is an online marketplace and classified advertising platform, based in New Zealand. Relevant to the acquisition, Trade Me operates the "Trade Me Motors" business division, which includes: Trade Me Motors' provision of online vehicle classified advertising; AutoBase (an online vehicle classified advertising website); DealerBase (aggregator software for motor vehicle dealers); and MotorWeb (a provider of motor vehicle information and reports).
Motorcentral supplies software and websites to motor vehicle dealers. Motorcentral's primary business is the provision of dealer management system software
A public version of the clearance application will be available shortly on the Commission’s Clearances Register.
| A Commerce Commision release || July 12, 2017 |||
Engineering, IT and sales are just three of the skills sought by the 48% of employers in New Zealand who say they’ll increase permanent staff levels in the year ahead.
According to recruiting experts Hays, vacancy activity will also be evident in operational management, construction, marketing, human resources and office support.
“Improved market conditions across New Zealand are leading to increasing vacancy activity,” says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand. “The industrial and construction sectors are major drivers thanks to large infrastructure projects, while general business confidence and a strong economic trading environment are seeing market growth and associated job creation.
“As a result, candidates with skills in demand are now in short supply. While candidates are available, it is highly skilled and experienced professionals who are needed.
“With increased vacancy activity, natural attrition has risen. We’re also seeing more new roles created as headcounts grow.”
These findings were revealed in the recruiter’s annual Hays Salary Guide, and are supported by its latest Hays Quarterly Report, covering the July to September 2017 quarter and released today, which shows demand for a wide range of skills. These include:
For more on the skills in demand, please see the Hays Quarterly Report at www.hays.net.nz/report
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