Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Jan 30, 2018 - Both exports and imports reached new highs in 2017, as New Zealand earned more from agricultural products and bought more cars and computers, Stats NZ said today.
Jan 30, 2018 - Exports of milk powder, butter, and cheese lifted total exports to a record $5.6 billion in December 2017, Stats NZ said today. Monthly exports were $1.1 billion higher than in December 2016.
Jan 30, 2018 - The latest investment offering for inspection industry disruptor Invert Robotics has closed after attracting considerable interest from a number of high net worth and institutional investors from across Australia and New Zealand.
Invert Robotics provides non-destructive inspection services using state of the art mobile climbing robots. Invert Robotics’ climbing robots enable precise and accurate remote inspection of non-ferromagnetic surfaces such as stainless steel, carbon fibre, aluminium and glass. Invert Robotics’s patented robots are installed with high definition cameras and sensor technology to allow for equipment to be assessed for maintenance and for preventative analysis on a remote basis. Inspectors are fed real-time video during the inspection that allows for immediate and highly accurate analysis.
The device is already being used by the major Australian and New Zealand dairy companies and co-operatives such as Fonterra, Synlait and Murray Goldburn, as well as a number of global food and beverage brands. It is also attracting interest across other sectors and throughout the food and beverage manufacturing industry in Europe and Asia such as FrieslandCampina and Heineken.
The Company has also captured the attention of those working in the lucrative aviation inspection market and is poised to make a European partnership announcement soon regarding its successful development of further advanced robot technology. The company is also looking at potential opportunities in the chemical industry, in addition to further work with energy, oil and gas companies.
Following an almost million dollar crowdfunding campaign through the Sydney-based platform Equitise, a further NZ$6.4 million has now been raised from a limited sophisticated private investor round. Shareholders now include the former CEO of Macquarie Group Ltd, Allan Moss, and Inception Fiduciary Pty Ltd.
These investments add to the considerable funding received from government and private venture capital sources soon after the company was founded by its now Chief Technical Officer, James Robertson.
Since 2015/2016, Invert Robotics has experienced exponential growth; for the 2018/19 Financial Year, its revenue is expected to further quadruple, with significant contributions from European operations.
“Unlike other inspection methods using dyes, drones and optical or laser devices, Invert Robotics’s technology provides 360-degree diagnostics and does so in up to half the time of traditional inspections”, said Invert Robotics’ Managing Director Neil Fletcher.
“The accuracy, efficiency and the value-adding environmental and safety benefits of robotic technology makes it an obvious choice as global consumer demand for product safety, brand integrity and transparency grows,” Fletcher said.
Given the company’s rapid growth, in addition to its Australasian base in Christchurch, Invert Robotics have opened an office in the Netherlands and is poised to open premises to operate in Germany and Denmark.
Source: invertRobotics || January 30, 2018 |||
Jan 30, 2018 -New Zealand must continue to seek to increase our access to protected pastoral markets, but international trade deals come at a cost, writes economist Brian Easton
Write nothing dangerous in the eyes of a third party
The email has turned out to be a most accessible form of communication competing in its way in visibility terms with the unsightly billboard hoarding on the motorway.
Jan 30, 2018 - The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Iain Lees-Galloway today announced the establishment of a Film Industry Working Group, facilitated by Linda Clark, to find a fit-for purpose way to restore workers’ rights in the screen industry.
“This Government is determined that all New Zealand workers get a fair go, including film workers,” says Mr Lees-Galloway.
“The 2010 ‘Hobbit law’ meant film production workers were treated as independent contractors, unless they are party to a written employment agreement that states they are employees. This effectively denied them rights enjoyed by other workers in New Zealand. Contractors do not have the right to bargain collectively under the Employment Relations Act.
“New Zealand must have a highly skilled and innovative economy that provides well-paid, decent jobs, and delivers on economic growth and productivity,” says Mr Lees-Galloway. “To achieve these outcomes, working people need a voice in their workplace through collective bargaining.
“The industry has agreed to work collaboratively to find a durable solution to restore collective bargaining rights for film production workers, without necessarily changing the status of those who wish to continue working as independent contractors.”
The Minister says the Working Group is made up of key industry players, as well as BusinessNZ and the Council of Trade Unions.
“I’ve been very impressed so far with the collegiality and progressive thinking across the sector as we seek a solution that is fit for the needs of the screen industry. The Working Group will examine how we can reach the right balance for workers and producers.
“I am also pleased to announce the appointment of Linda Clark as facilitator for the Working Group. I am confident Ms Clark will effectively support the Working Group to achieve its task.”
The group’s recommendations will help ensure the continued growth of New Zealand’s vibrant, strong and world-leading film industry.
The group will meet over the next six months, with its recommendations to the Minister expected by mid-2018.
Members of the Film Industry Working Group
Linda Clark, Facilitator. Ms Clark is a special counsel at law firm Kensington Swan. Prior to her legal career, Ms Clark was a leading political journalist. Melissa Ansell-Bridges, Equity New Zealand Michael Brook, Regional Film Offices New Zealand Craig Dunn, Stunt Guild Richard Fletcher, Screen Production and Development Association Brendan Keys, Weta Digital Alex Lee, Film Auckland Sioux Macdonald, Screen Industry Guild Paul Mackay, BusinessNZ Barrie Osborne, Producer Tui Ruwhiu, Directors and Editors Guild Alice Shearman, New Zealand Writers Guild Erina Tamepo, Ngā Aho Whakaari Richard Wagstaff, New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
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| A beehive release || january 29, 2018 |||
Jan 30, 2018 - The new Lord Mayor of London Charles Bowman will be among key speakers at the major Digital Nations 2030 summit in Auckland on February 19 and 20. The 690th London lord mayor and a long-time partner of PWC, Bowman will sit on a panel at the summit with Frances Valintine, founder of Tech Futures Lab; Ian Taylor, chief executive of Animation Research; Leigh Flounders, board member of NZTech; Vic Crone, chief executive of Callaghan Innovation and Carolyn Tremain, chief executive of the Ministry of Business‚ Innovation and Employment. They will discuss the digital economy, increasing productivity and economic benefits of digital transformation, skills for the future and digital leadership for a new wave of thinking, process and opportunity. The event, Digital Nations 2030, is an international meeting coinciding with the visiting ministerial and business delegations from the world’s leading Digital Nations and the D5 meeting in Wellington next month. The D5 is a network of the world’s most advanced digital nations. Other speakers include Tomas Izo who leads a Google team of engineers and scientists researching digital issues which contribute to a wide range of products across Google and Alphabet, such as video understanding for YouTube and Cloud Platform APIs. Sandra Ng, group vice president Asia Pacific, IDC in Singapore, will deliver one of the opening keynote addresses. She will be talking about digital transformation. “2017 was the dawn of the DX (digital transformation) economy. By DX economy, we mean digital transformation will attain macroeconomic scale and impact,” Ng says. “It will become the core of what industry leaders do and how they operate. 2018 is when the ticking clock starts. Nations and organisations slow to adopt a digital-native operating model will compete for a smaller and smaller piece of the global economy.” Weta Digital’s visual effects supervisor Anders Langlands will showcase digital and creative industry excellence in the key address on the second day. From humble beginnings, Weta Digital has become a cornerstone of Wellington’s thriving film industry. Widely regarded as one of the best in the business, their creativity and commitment to developing innovative technology has set them apart as industry leaders. Langlands will present Weta Digital’s recent work on the Oscar nominated film War for the Planet of the Apes, and the evolution of the technology and artistry behind their films. NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says the summit is the biggest and most important international tech conference ever to be staged in New Zealand and will help pave way for faster advances in the Kiwi economy. “Changes and tech developments are happening globally at a phenomenal and unprecedented rate. Last year we saw the launch of a self-driving vehicle firm in New Zealand, face-detecting systems to authorise payments, the creation of new solar devices that could create cheap and continuous power and the relentless push to add connectivity to home gadgets,” Muller says. The Digital Nations conference is expected to attract more than 500 people including D5 Ministers and their delegations, invited international experts and New Zealand digital leaders and influencers representing all sectors.
| A Make Lemonade release || January 30, 2018 |||
Jan 29, 2018 - Heading a list of innovations unveiled by 3D Systems for 2018 is the industry’s first scalable, fully integrated production platform for plastic and metal parts, providing manufacturers true factory solutions for durable, repeatable end-use parts.
The company’s new Figure 4 modular, scalable platform produces small, plastic parts with up to 15x throughput improvements versus competitive offerings, and up to 20% lower part cost than current manufacturing processes.
3D Systems also unveiled a next-generation additive metal platform for high productivity factory production of metal parts, including seamless large parts and the largest diameter parts available in the industry.
The new DMP 8500 Factory Solution features integrated powder management and a closed-loop system to ensure uniform, repeatable part quality, providing customers with a lower total cost of operation.
Similar to Figure 4, the new DMP 8500 Factory Solution has a modular design that reduces required capital equipment and maximises utilisation.
3D Systems has also bolstered its current line of leading SLS production systems with the ProX SLS 6100, as well as introduced three new nylon materials
New production SLS materials include DuraForm FR1200 fire retardant nylon, DuraForm EX BLK nylon 11 and DuraForm AF+ aluminum-filled nylon.
Thus this offering is quickly presenting itself as one of the quickest and most efficient means of production.
| An ITBrief NZ release || jnuary 29, 2018 |||
Jan 29, 2018 - Membership of ‘Tropical Fruit Growers of New Zealand’ is soaring since a Northern Advocate report last year wrote about the potential for profit in growing bananas, pineapples and other tropical plants in Northland and other warmer parts of New Zealand.
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
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