People risks, such as the loss of a key person and talent attraction and retention, are top of mind for directors in the fourth Directors’ Risk Survey Report by Marsh and the Institute of Directors.

National and Labour governments appeasement of Green ideology diverted resources from pastoral pathogen menace

|| Dulux has launched a brand new $165 million facility in Melbourne’s north as part of its centenary celebrations. The paint company has also created 67 new full time jobs onsite in Merrifield.

|| Exhibitors from 19 regions will meet with buyers from eight countries when New Zealand’s biggest business events industry showcase, CINZ MEETINGS 2018 starts in host city Auckland tomorrow.

A self-cleaning surface that burns up bacteria and viruses holds plenty of commercial interest.  The revolutionary anti-microbial coating being developed at Canterbury University causes microbes to sizzle up on contact with surfaces like buttons, knobs, handles and rails.

Airlines are frustrated at the quality of service at Auckland Airport. Justin Tighe-Umbers, executive director of the Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand (BARNZ) says his members expect their passengers to have a high-quality experience at the airport, yet it is increasingly clear to the travelling public that they are getting a substandard service.

Emirates opens up another German gateway, Hamburg, for New Zealand travellers. Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will introduce the first scheduled commercial Airbus A380 service to Hamburg, starting from October 29.

Synlait Milk (NZX: SML; ASX: SM1) is pleased with the progress made on the building of its advanced liquid dairy packaging facility by Tetra Pak.  The two companies have worked together for over ten years, beginning with the building of Synlait’s anhydrous milkfat (AMF) plant in 2007.

The new facility will produce fresh milk and cream for Foodstuffs South Island's private label brands from early 2019, and will be a platform for Synlait to pursue a range of dairy-based products for export markets.

Tetra Pak is a subsidiary of the Tetra Laval Group, which is a multinational food packaging and liquid food processing company focusing on milk. It is considered a world leader in sterile packaging plants that can offer a range of packaging formats.

“Synlait and Tetra Pak are working closely to ensure the new facility includes as many new technology advances as possible, and that we make the most of any new product offerings,” says Neil Betteridge, Director Operations.

“The $125 million facility will be highly automated and include milk track and trace systems, and the latest PET inline sterile bottle blowing technology. We will also have cool store automated packing and order-picking gantries,” says Mr Betteridge.

“All of these capabilities combine to create a smart, modern and efficient facility that can produce both domestic products for the South Island market and export products to the highest food safety standards,” he says.

The facility will be one of the most sophisticated fresh milk and cream processing facilities in New Zealand, and will produce up to 24,000 bottles per hour.

Construction of the facility began in February and preliminary work such as foundations and site services were completed in May. The focus has now shifted to completing exterior walls and making the facility watertight, in order to begin the internal construction of processing equipment and facilities.

Synlait’s advanced liquid dairy packaging facility is expected to be commissioned in early 2019.

“We are excited about this new chapter in our history and we will be looking to hire talented operations staff to operate the new facility in late 2018,” says Mr Betteridge.

|| A back gate that opens up an environmental vista for the Andersons who having lived on the fringe of Napier over the past 10 years  have taken the time and the interest to observe the number of native and introduced birds living in the immediate area of their back gate.

|| Depopulation not a nice word really  . . . The Labour Government from the outset were determined to make their mark. To long under National’s shadow their time had come, albeit with a strong green twinge and another colour mixed in, they are now well on the way to meeting their goal; with Kiwibuild, the energy sector strangulation, very soon the students before the teachers and right now Depopulation.