That was the provocative title of my Keynote at MAD2018: A Collaborative Future for NZ Manufacturing and Design. It’s a question that is well worth considering. Though, I’m not sure the answer is one that we all want to hear. Manufacturing BERD looks great. GERD not so much. According to Statistics NZ R&D Survey…
The recent series of “Welding Standards Update” seminars held in Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Christchurch and Queenstown were a great success with more than 140 professionals attending the seminar series. Covering issues around welding and fabrication standards AS/NZS 1554.1:2014 Structural steel welding – Welding of steel structures and AS/NZS 5131:2016 Structural steelwork -…
Like many organisations, we want to ensure that our team gets home safely after their day’s work. Raising health and safety awareness is a fundamental step in ensuring that happens. The heavy engineering metal-based sector is full of hazards in workshops that must be managed and controlled, but driving is an unsuspecting one that often…
April’s health and safety focus for HERA is innovation in safety culture. More specifically – the need to find new ways to rally our staff toward common safety values, attitudes, and goals within our workplace as part of our commitment to health and safety. I know. It sounds a heavy and perhaps ‘waste of time’…
Get innovating within your organisation by attending the Innovation Course starting June 2018! Asking yourself ‘why?’ Well, quite simply because innovation links to success! That’s because successful businesses not only respond to their current customer or organisational needs, but also anticipate future trends to develop ideas, products, services or tools to meet future demand rapidly…
As part of our commitment to deliver value to our membership our lead team has come together to develop a seminar addressing a call for more clarity around the ‘cost of quality’. Whether a SME or a large company – it’s become clear that the adoption of quality management systems into our members operations are…
The New Zealand Stainless Steel Development Association (NZSSDA) recognises that to provide sustainable infrastructure for the long term, we must look to the future. That’s why they’re committed to helping the metals industry understand what that will look like and the role stainless steel will play in this process. Running a technical seminar here at…
Stop wasting time. Get products to market faster. Maximise success. These are the key outcomes from implementing The Lean startup methodology. Lean startup is transforming the way that businesses develop and launch new products. The handbook behind it is “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries and it is a must read for any Innovation Manager.…
During March we’ve been focused on the idea of the ‘environment’ and its effects on our metals-based industry. So far we’ve touched on our innovation, workplace & policy environment. And today… it’s all about the actual ‘environment’! Our Executive Member, Auckland University of Technology Professor Emeritus Thomas Neitzert, has let us know about the ability…
Attend the Internet of Manufacturing Conference in Chicago and see first-hand how US companies are moving towards the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Through our relationship with Callaghan Innovation, we’ve been given the opportunity to let our membership know of the unique chance to gain co-funding to attend their ‘Internet of Manufacturing Trek 2018’ from…
The government has made it more affordable for employers to train people on-the-job with two years fees-free industry training through Competenz from 1 January 2018. This means the costs usually paid by employers and apprentices in the first two years will be now be free for some people. Apprentices can check their eligibility at www.feesfree.govt.nz…
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day – so what better time to share the inspiring thoughts of female engineer Eva Hakansson, than today! University of Auckland Department of Mechanical Engineering Lecturer Eva Hakansson recently met our CEO Troy Coyle. Sharing her experiences as not only the world’s fastest female motorcycle rider, but also role model to…