Paul Radisich "I believe that in this day and age, backing New Zealand companies that manufacture and produce on home on home soil – whatever sector of industry that might be from – is vital,” he explained."

Two time world touring car champion and New Zealand icon Paul Radisich has been appointed as the new national and international ambassador for the Buy New Zealand Made Campaign.

Appropriately, Radisich’s first appearance in his new role will be at the Speedshow two day event at the ASB Showgrounds in July, where the domestic motorsport and performance parts industry is showcased every year.

Since his retirement from active motorsport, Radisich has focussed his attention on Aegis Oil, a family business which is unique in being the only company in the lubricants sector in New Zealand blending and making its own lubricants for the domestic and international markets.

“I believe that in this day and age, backing New Zealand companies that manufacture and produce on home soil – whatever sector of industry that might be from – is vital,” he explained.

“The Buy NZ Made campaign is all about raising awareness that we are producing a huge and diverse range of products blended here in NZ and that we are actually exceptionally good at it. That is something we can control and nurture and it keeps money and jobs inside New Zealand, both now and in the future. At a very simple level that has to be good for the next generation of Kiwis who manufacture domestically, but I believe is also key to us forging our place in the commercial world in the future. We have to be manufacturers to compete and survive – whatever it is we manufacture.”

Despite volatile international markets in some sectors, total New Zealand manufacturing rose by 1.3 per cent in the final quarter of 2015 according to Statistics New Zealand, with a small increase in sales despite the well-documented reductions in production value in the dairy industry.

“What a lot of people won’t know is that the Buy NZ Made campaign is still a very active one which offers support services and networking opportunities to other NZ manufacturing businesses and that collective strength will become increasingly useful and important in a global marketplace.

“As an owner and operator of a domestic manufacturing business I recognise the benefits of an NZ Made collective all of the time and I have been a very strong supporter of all things New Zealand made. It’s a privilege to be asked to be the campaign’s ambassador and I hope very much to add to the campaign as it will inevitably come into sharper focus in the years to come.”

Owned and run by Business NZ, the Buy NZ Made Campaign began in 1988. Its mission is to keep our country working by promoting and supporting the manufacturing, exporting and retailing of New Zealand made goods.

A Buy New Zealand Made press release