The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to Trade Me Limited’s (Trade Me) proposed acquisition of up to 100% of the shares in Limelight Software Limited, trading as Motorcentral. The statement outlines the main issues that the Commission considers important in deciding whether or not to grant clearance to the proposed merger. A copy can be found on the Commission’s Clearances Register. The Commission invites interested parties to provide comments on the likely competitive effects of Trade Me’s proposed acquisition of Motorcentral. Submissions can be sent by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the reference “Trade Me/Motorcentral” in…

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Murphy Development Company (MDC) has signed a lease with Mainfreight to occupy 24,050 square feet in its recently completed 121,970-square-foot speculative Building 18 at the 2.1 million-square-foot Siempre Viva Business Park (SVBP) in Otay Mesa. Lusardi Construction Company completed the building in late 2016. It was the first speculative building completed in Otay Mesa since 2006. Mainfreight signs lease for 24,050 sq. ft. at Siempre Viva Business Park on Otay Mesa from Murphy Development. The concrete tilt-up Building 18 is located at 2600 Melksee Street. The building features a 32-foot minimum clear height, 8,000 amps of 277/480 volt…

MIL OSI – Some of New Zealand’s largest businesses are lagging behind their international counterparts in their levels of corporate social responsibility (CSR) according to new data. The research which measured CSR performance across more than 17,000 businesses globally found New Zealand companies ranked just 33 out of 36 countries across the CSR criteria of community, employees, governance and environment. New Zealand general manager of GSK Anna Stove says Kiwi companies are potentially missing opportunities from a growing, ethically conscious market, and at the same time have an obligation to support social causes beyond their immediate interest in short-term profits.…

Science and Innovation Minister Paul Goldsmith today announced a new Regional Research Institute based in Greymouth that will use innovative research and manufacturing techniques to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s minerals resources. The New Zealand Institute for Minerals to Materials Research led by industry organisation Minerals West Coast Trust, is the third successful proposal under the Government’s initiative to establish new Regional Research Institutes. “Mining is and will continue to be an important part of the West Coast’s economy, its history, and its DNA,” Mr Goldsmith says. “The new institute’s strategic vision is to reposition this traditional sector using…

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)…

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…

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.…

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…

The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal that the number of New Zealanders paying the top marginal rate of income tax has grown to 659,000, equivalent to 18.1% of the working population. In 2010, when National last changed rates, there were only 377,000 people (11.2%) paying the top tax rate. Jordan Williams, Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, says, “Under Bill English, the number of people paying the highest tax rate has increased by 75%. The failure to adjust tax thresholds with inflation or average wage growth has meant that Kiwis are being asked to pay higher tax rates without any increase…

Some 50 staff are set to lose their jobs as forme supplier Hygrade Group enters voluntary administration. The 60-year old operation was one of the Australia’s leading forme suppliers, with locations in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as one on New Zealand. David Raj Vasudevan and Andrew Reginald Yeo from Pitcher Partners are handling the administration. Vasudevan says, “As the joint administrators, we have assumed control of Hygrade Group, Hygrade Management and Software, and Hygrade Cutting Formes. The affairs of all three are intermingled and intertwined. “Effectively, the companies had to cease trading. We have invited offers from interested parties…

Tradestaff is celebrating the success of the Canterbury Trade Pilot Initiative Programme.  Twenty-one graduates were recently awarded the certificate in New Zealand Level 4 Carpentry. As part of a PACER Plus initiative Tradestaff partnered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on the pilot scheme. PACER Plus is a trade and economic integration agreement between New Zealand and Pacific Island Governments that aims to create jobs, raise standards of living and encourage sustainable economic growth in the Pacific region. The pilot project was designed to provide an opportunity for…