Beefed-up China trade deal hoped to benefit dairy farmers

Silver Fern sale to complete ahead of schedule

Changing dynamics in household behaviour help explain low inflation

Trump to withdraw from TPP on day-one of Presidency

New online health and safety tool to help SMEs manage risks

Ford Deal Would Have Changed Face of New Zealand Economy

NZ dollar gains with other commodity currencies as greenback slips from 16-year high

Trend continues for higher-level qualifications in STEM subjects

Shipping up in the world cheaper than ever

Blis posts $428,000 surplus

NZManufacturer November Edition out today

Launch of negotiations to upgrade China FTA announced

November 17, 2016 EditionClick here or on the image to view the latest issue

After a career in the energy sector and nearly 10 years leading the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, you'd think I'd be able to fix a few things before retiring.

Unfortunately, there's still the small matter of international climate change - the most important energy-related issue facing us today.

In fact, the symptoms have become steadily worse with 2016 set to be the hottest year on record. Around the world a concerted and serious effort is needed to tackle climate change and New Zealand has a role to play. I am excited about the opportunities in front of us.

For most of my career, the energy-related issue we worried about most was whether we had enough supply to meet our growing needs.

By 'energy' we generally meant electricity, which has always come mostly from renewable sources. We rested happily on those laurels; meanwhile our industry and transport sectors ran on coal and oil.

Two things happened at around the time I joined EECA as Chief Executive in 2007. The volatility of oil became painfully apparent when petrol prices shot past the $2/litre mark; and evidence linking climate change with the burning of fossil fuels became more widely accepted.

EECA, with its mandate to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, has a role to play in both these issues.

Making more of our abundant renewable electricity will not only reduce our dependence on imported oil, it will also help us transition to a low emissions economy.

It seems like a big mountain to climb - but so was making New Zealanders realise their homes didn't have to be cold, damp and drafty.

Continue to read full article

Industrial robotics have brought automation a long way toward meeting these goals.

This technology has also created new possibilities and opportunities in part production, assembly and quality inspection for industries including aerospace, automotive, medical and more.

However, industrial robotics can’t solve every issue, and sometimes it can even create new problems.  That’s where the collaborative robot or “cobot,” comes in.

This e-book covers the top five cobots available in the market today. We’ll look over technical summaries for each cobot, what applications they are best suited for, what accessories they can use, and what kind of ROI can be expected after integration.

To learn about the history of collaborative robots and where they came from, check out A History of Collaborative Robots: From Intelligent Lift Assists to Cobots.

Continue to Engineering.com to download your free EBbook

Steel & Tube Holdings boss Dave Taylor says a "dramatic upswing" in coking coal prices and higher iron ore prices meant there needs to be a hike in domestic steel prices in New Zealand next year.

Taylor made the comments in a presentation at the company's annual meeting in Wellington. The price of premium hard coking coal reached US$307.20 a ton last week from US$85 a ton at the start of June, according to Reuters. Iron ore futures have also climbed to reach about US$70 a metric ton.

Higher coal costs add about US$140 (NZ$200) to a tonne of steel and the rise in iron ore amounted to another $40 increase per tonne of steel, he said. "Already steel prices have shown an upward trend, with steel mills no longer able to absorb this cost increase. These key cost contributors all point to a substantial price increase across all steel products that we expect will impact domestic steel prices in New Zealand very early in calendar year 2017".  Continue to full article

Cerebos Gregg's yesterday celebrated the completion of a $20 million investment in its Dunedin plant in Forth St writes David Loughrey in today's Otago Dai;y Times.

The investment over the past two and a-half years has paid for manufacturing upgrades including new production lines, a warehouse extension, improvements to environmental compliance, a new staff car park, staff facilities and an open plan main office.

Continue to read full article here

Were the modern earthquake-prone Wellington buildings due to relaxed Standards post- MOW?

MSCNewsWire articles published prior to 14 Nov earthquake#4 | 2 Nov 16 |   Ministry of Works Dissolution started Leaky Buildings & Earthquake Vulnerability #3 | 26 Oct 16 | Ministry of Works Wellington Motorway Swathe Sowed Anti Big Engineering Project Whirlwind#2 | 24 Oct 16 | Ministry of Works had clear cut lines of Civil Engineering Responsibility#1 | 21 Oct 16 | Department was Repository of Exceptional Engineering Technical Ability & Management

Introduce quake star ratings for buildings - engineer

Structural engineers working hard to assess and analyse damage

CentrePort owes Wellington answers about the risk of its buildings

Wellington building likely to be 'deconstructed' after earthquake damage

Freight costs tipped to rise following quakes

While you were sleeping: Wall Street weakens

Samoa's chocolate pioneers back in business

Düsseldorf, Germany – Terex Port Solutions (TPS), the pioneer and technological pacesetter in terminal automation, starts a new chapter for operators of container terminals with Terex® diesel-electric straddle carriers. For the first time, TPS is automating a straddle carrier fleet for Ports of Auckland Ltd. (POAL) from New Zealand. By mid-2019, TPS will supply a total of 27 new, fully automated N SC 644 E (1-over-3) machines to work in the container stackyard and to serve trucks. At the same time, 21 existing manual straddle carriers are being upgraded so that they can work hand in hand with the 27 fully automated machines. In addition to the supply and upgrade of the vehicles, the order also includes all sub-systems and software systems required for operation. Before POAL placed the order, TPS verified the feasibility and safety of the concept in a detailed study. POAL is pursuing a double strategy: improved stacking capacity and high productivity

POAL currently operates a fleet of Terex N SC 634 E (1-over-2) diesel-electric straddle carriers and is pursuing a two-part strategy that includes the automation initiative and a step towards higher stacking capability which will deliver a medium-term increase in capacity from today’s 900,000 TEU to 1.6 to 1.7 million TEU. Tony Gibson, CEO Ports of Auckland Ltd.: “Due to community concerns, we cannot increase capacity at our container terminal through reclamation, so the only way is up. In future, we will use 1-over-3 straddle carriers in the container stackyard to

increase capacity. Automated straddle carriers also offer a number of other benefits: They are inherently safer, as there is no human on board; they deliver a positive environmental impact as they will consume up to 10% less fuel and produce lower emissions; they will be quieter and need less light on the terminal, reducing both noise and light pollution. Overall, automation offers us safety, environmental, community and capacity benefits.” In future, POAL will only use the existing 1-over-2 machines for horizontal container transport between ship-to-shore cranes and the storage area, which will help POAL maintain its currently high levels of productivity.

Comprehensive: all sub-systems and software systems also from TPS

Steve Filipov, President Terex Cranes and Material Handling & Port Solutions, is delighted to achieve another milestone in automation: “Automation will enable increased capacity and safe, efficient operations for terminals that organize container transport and storage with straddle carriers. We are pleased that this comprehensive project gives us the opportunity to help an ambitious terminal operator such as POAL with its long-term development objectives.” As a supplier of integrated systems, TPS is also responsible for all sub-systems required to operate the partly modified, partly newly assembled fleet. In addition to the TEAMS fleet management system, these sub-systems include the Navimatic® navigation system based on a terrestrial system and its corresponding antennae to determine the position of the vehicles. TEAMS and Navimatic, successfully implemented on several occasions by TPS in major terminals for automated operations in the past, have now been adapted to the specific requirements of straddle carriers to control the automated operations in Auckland. TPS will supply the interchange and fence control system, safety-relevant vehicle control systems and various sensor systems that will enable smooth interplay between the automated vehicles and manual straddle carriers, as well as other functions operated by staff in the terminal.

TPS well-equipped thanks to extensive test program

With its latest innovation, TPS is fulfilling the wish of many terminal operators to automate straddle carrier terminals. In addition, many terminals that currently use manual 1-over-1 sprinter carriers between ship-to-shore cranes and container stackyards would like to convert to automated machines in the future. Klaus Peter Hoffmann, Vice President & Managing Director TPS: “Against the backdrop of increasing demand, several years ago we started a comprehensive research and development program, in the course of which we created automation technology for both Terex straddle carriers and Terex sprinter carriers. We tested this over many months on prototypes at our testing grounds near the TPS competence center for straddle carriers in Würzburg, Germany, where we looked at design and operating principles, the control system, and the features of the positioning system. Our technology is now ready for market and has impressed POAL.”

Pioneer in automation: cutting edge with an integrated approach

TPS has been at the cutting edge of automation technology for port handling for a quarter of a century, and gradually expanded its range of products and services after the introduction of the first Terex® Gottwald automated guided vehicles (AGV), which were ready for series production in 1992. Initially the software required for operating AGV’s was supplied by the terminal operator or by third parties. Thanks to its growing experience in this area, TPS was able to take over development of navigation and management software. In addition to several AGV product lines, today’s TPS portfolio includes automated stacking cranes (ASC) for the container stackyard including the required software.

Thanks to the simultaneous delivery of the sub-systems required for automated transport and automated storage of containers, TPS is now a supplier of complete systems who can draw on a wealth of experience. And long before the first cut of the spade, TPS also provides support for its customers with the consultation services of its software brands, which include the simulation and emulation of terminal processes. Hoffmann: “Our wealth of experience, in addition to our unique range of automation products, makes us the natural partner for innovative solutions, as has now been demonstrated by the first order for fully automated straddle carriers from New Zealand. With this reference installation, we believe that we are perfectly positioned to convert more existing manual terminals into semi or fully automated terminals and to equip green field port facilities.”

Another interesting new product out of the Saint Gobain/Solar Gard stable is the Mirror Shield product.

Now this application can replace the traditional mirrored surface thus eliminating the “breakage” possibilityand resulting inconvenience. Add to this that advertising can be printed on this surface all of a sudden the spacetaken up by thetraditional mirror turns into a “mirrored promotional space” that can be changed out as requiredand economically.

You can link here to the specs sheet and local supplier details or for a product sample call Ross Eathorne on09 441 0040 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Tuesday 15 November 2016