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Enphase Now Shipping AC Batteries to Customers in Australia and New Zealand

PETALUMA, CA--(Marketwired - August 30, 2016) - Enphase has volume projections for 70,000 AC Battery units Installers cite ease of installation, simplicity as reasons for strong demand Enphase the only provider with an integrated offering that manages solar + storage together Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company, announced today that it is now shipping AC batteries to its customers in Australia and New Zealand. Demand for Enphase AC batteries continues to exceed expectations, with the company having revised production plans up based on volume projections provided by distributors totalling 70,000 batteries in Australia and New Zealand…

E tū accepts new collective agreement for manufacturing industry

One of New Zealand’s leading unions confirmed today that it has ratified a new collective agreement for workers in the metal and manufacturing industry. E tū members accepted the two-year Metal and Manufacturing Industries Collective Agreement – also known as ‘Metals’ – following talks in June and July. Anita Rosentreter – E tū’s industry co-ordinator for manufacturing – said says there is no loss of conditions and a number of minor improvements have been made, including amendments to health and safety. The agreement – which has long set the pace for other pay deals in manufacturing, and for other industries…

Spark increases broadband data quotas, and prices

Spark will increase the data quotas for the majority of its home and many of its business broadband customers by 50 percent writes Stuart Corner for Computerworld New Zealand. Spark will increase the data quotas for the majority of its home and many of its business broadband customers by 50 percent. New home customers for fibre and wireless broadband plans will also be hit by a price rise of $5 per month and business customers of $3 per month. These price rises will not be applied to existing home customers until September 2017 and to business customers until September 2018.…

Further investment in new Defence capabilities

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee today welcomed the signing of a contract to upgrade the Royal New Zealand Air Force Underwater, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance capability on our six Orion aircraft with Boeing for a total of $36 million. Mr Brownlee says having an underwater surveillance capability deters interference with the sea lines of communication that New Zealand and many of its friends rely on for trade purposes. “Knowing what is happening underwater is integral to monitoring submarine activity,” Mr Brownlee says. “This is particularly important in the Asia-Pacific region which is home to two-thirds of the world’s submarines. “The current…

Automated construction sites are coming, but that raises some big questions about safety

The mining giant Rio Tinto is using 69 driverless 400-ton trucks in Australia. They operate 24 hours a day, year-round. Komatsu last month unveiled the D85PXi-18 dozer, which uses satellites to automatically control the machine’s blade. When Fady Masoud was pursuing his degree in civil engineering, he didn't envision the technological changes in construction that would eventually guide his career in a new direction. Masoud, vice president of Tapestry Partners of Auburn, these days divides his time between working in the Northwest and frequent trips to Hawaii, where Tapestry consults with local contractors on software and hardware for semi-autonomous machinery…

Better Towbars From Best Bars Factory Upgrades

Leading Australasian automotive accessory company, Best Bars Ltd, has introduced a series of upgrades at its high-tech factory in New Zealand which have resulted in improved efficiencies and better quality towbars being produced. Best Bars only moved into its state-of-the-art facility at Wiri in South Auckland three years ago, but has already implemented changes that are designed to maintain its position as a world-class manufacturer. The latest include improvements to the welding process, new plasma steel cutting equipment and a more comprehensive powder coating system. These investments follow on from the installation of a brand new paint shop at the…

Another year of growth and strong results for Auckland Airport

Auckland Airport has today announced its financial results for the 12 months to 30 June 2016. Auckland Airport Chair, Sir Henry van der Heyden, says, “The company has had an excellent 12 months and delivered strong results for its community and city, its country and investors.” “It has been another year of growth right across our business. We have seen a significant lift in the number of international airlines and capacity servicing Auckland. We have added new retailers and passenger products and we have also completed several large property developments this financial year. To support this growth, we have commenced…

Prime Minister's Scholarships for Latin America

The new scholarship programme announced by the New Zealand government puts Latin America in a prominent position, promoting educational cooperation with the region. Latin American educational institutions will welcome Kiwi students starting next year. As of September 1 New Zealand students can apply to the first round of the "Prime Minister's Scholarships for Latin America" programme, open to those interested in studying in the region. This initiative was created by the Government of New Zealand in 2013 to support studies in Asia, but after a visit to Santiago, Chile, by the Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce in…

Regulatory changes proposed to support space rocket launches

New regulations are being proposed to better enable space rocket launches from New Zealand by simplifying the process for dealing with jettisoned material deposited on the seabed in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today. “We need to update the environmental regulations in the EEZ to better accommodate the space industry. The existing regulations make provisions for activities like minerals exploration and seismic surveying but did not contemplate a space industry in New Zealand when they were written. The key change in the proposals announced today is that jettisoned material from space launch vehicles will…

Ports of Auckland Announces Strong Result

Highlights1. Financials • Net Profit After Tax was $84m, up $21m on last year.• Underlying profit before tax was $70.6m up $1m on last year.• Declared dividend of $54.3 million for the 2015/16 financial year. This compares with last year’s dividend of $41.7 million.• Revenue was $211.1 million, down $7.2m and underlying expenses were $105.7m, down $12.7m.• Investment property valuation increase of $12.2m primarily reflects value created by improvements to Ports of Auckland’s Wiri Freight Hub. 2. Volumes• Container volumes down 6.7% to 907,099 TEU.• Car and light commercial vehicle volumes up 1.7% to 248,065 units.• Breakbulk and bulk volumes…

Monetary policy faces challenges in turbulent times

Monetary policy challenges extend well beyond the normal parameters and stresses envisaged when policy frameworks were designed and inflation goals were first specified, Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler said today. In a speech written for the Otago Chamber of Commerce, Mr Wheeler said the scope and influence of monetary policy, particularly in small, open economies, is heavily constrained by economic and financial developments outside their borders. As a result, expectations of what monetary policy can achieve often run ahead of reality. “Nearly 10 years on from the Global Financial Crisis, economies face a difficult global economic and financial climate, with…

OCS sells Envirocomp composting business

New Zealand facilities services company, OCS has announced it is selling its New Zealand Envirocomp composting operation to Frontier Group Partners Ltd, a consortium which includes original Envirocomp founder, Karen Ashby. Envirocomp collects and processes residential and commercial sanitary, incontinence and nappy waste at two facilities in Canterbury and Wellington. Each site has the capacity to process 60,000 items per day, reducing an estimated 7200 tonne of waste from entering landfill in each region. OCS purchased the business from its start-up owners in 2011, and OCS New Zealand Managing Director Gareth Marriott says it's timely for someone else to bring…