Now it's time for your feedback!

The Government recently released its plan for the export sector, including a stretch goal of increasing exports to 40% of GDP by 2025.

It's great to see the Government pull all of its plans together into one document – it's what manufacturing exporters have been wanting to see for some time now, as we have been advocating on your behalf. 

Now it's time for you to tell us what you think of the Government's plan – you can read it here. 

Catherine Beard
027 463 3212 or cbeard@businessnz.org.nz

Since it's lost 100,000 jobs from manufacturing since 2008, Australia needs to pull some serious punches to turn this around!

At the Australian Industry Group conference in Canberra recently, I learnt about how the Australian Government's Manufacturing Taskforce plans to do this. More...

C Beard

Collaboration within industry is a key way for New Zealand’s manufacturers to successfully compete in a global market. And this was the motivation for a Lean Learning Hub which saw nearly 50 people from 21 companies including DB, Griffins and Fonterra, gather together last month to swap and share experiences. More...

If you're a manufacturer of building materials, make sure you're informed about this. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Government Procurement Solutions Group is providing procurement assistance to EQC for the sourcing of building materials. Government Procurement Solutions has analysed EQC business needs and identified paint and plasterboard as priority procurement categories.

An open market tender for five million litres of paint closed on the 23 July 2012, and procurement planning is now underway for 4.5 million square metres of plasterboard. More...

Two upgraded tools designed to assist New Zealand businesses in their search for offshore talent have been launched in Wellington.

The New Zealand Now website and SkillFinder tool are two ways that Immigration New Zealand is helping prospective skilled migrants to make the move to New Zealand and local businesses to get the skills they need to grow. More...

The Science + Innovation Group at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are now welcoming applications for the 2012 Technology Development Grant investment round. This Grant supports R&D-intensive businesses and $45 million of funding over three years is available. Eligibility criteria have changed so check them out and read further details here.

“If we want to sustain the future of engineering in New Zealand, we need to train people,” says Barry Robinson, GM of S.A.F.E Ltd, or South Auckland Forging Engineering – the only forging and heat treatment plant of its type in New Zealand.

What’s also unique about this company is that all nine staff are either fully qualified or training to become qualified, with five tradespeople, two degree-qualified, and two apprentices. More...

Our ManufacturingNZ website now has a growing directory of contract manufacturers. The aim of this directory is to allow businesses to find contract manufacturers who may be able to assist them with a particular project.

You may also be a manufacturer interested in being listed in our directory. More...

Commercial refrigeration cabinet maker Skope Industries has pushed through the $100 million annual revenue mark for the first time and is reshaping for the future. Earthquake damage at its Princess St, Addington premises means the manufacturer will look to spend many millions on reconfiguring and rebuilding parts of the factory site. More...

Research shows about 4 in 10 New Zealand working age adults have difficulties with reading, writing, maths and communication.

This costs businesses hugely through accidents and injuries, mistakes, wastage, missed deadlines and low productivity and profitability. The recently revamped Skills Highway website promotes workplace literacy training to employers, and offers free resources and advice. More...

If you’ve got staff with money worries, chances are they’ll be stressed in the workplace too. Right now the Commission for Financial Literacy & Retirement Income is running a Sorted campaign encouraging New Zealanders to shrink their ‘dumb debt’. More...

Why do Pacific people have consistently had higher injury reporting rates in the manufacturing industry in New Zealand? The Department of Labour has released a report on research undertaken to examine injury reporting by Pacific workers in the manufacturing industry in Manukau. You can read a summary of the key findings here.

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