SouthMACH Manufacturing and Electronics Exhibition

28 - 29 May 2025

Wednesday 28th 9am-6pm
Thursday 29th 9am-4pm

Wolfbrook Arena Christchurch

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MakeNZ
Christchurch NZ
NZ Manufacturer
University of Canterbury
Callaghan Innovation
Beca
EMA
Maintenance Engineering Societ
Engineering News
Canterbury Employers Chamber o
Canterbury Tech
MakeNZ
Christchurch NZ
NZ Manufacturer
University of Canterbury
Callaghan Innovation
Beca
EMA
Maintenance Engineering Societ
Engineering News
Canterbury Employers Chamber o
Canterbury Tech

The Emperor is using apps

By Craig Carlyle, certified machinery safety expert (TÜV Nord), HasTrak

I have run into a number of companies lately that have dealt with their health and safety responsibilities with app-based solutions. On the face of it, these plug and play solutions appear fantastic; all of your staff are now connected to the system and the opportunity to complete documentation on the fly is enabled.

Sounds like Nirvana.

However, when you scratch below the surface, disturbingly these same companies believe that the ‘app’ is their health and safety system.

The emperor is using an app. We need to talk.

Just like in maintenance management systems, the head over heels rush to view everything on our smart phones can distract us from the real task of managing our systems. It is all too easy for the inexperienced to get over-excited about their phone app while forgetting completely what we are trying to achieve. Under our health and safety statute and supporting regulations, we need a system to detail the hazards and risks in our operation, ensure our hazard controls are continuously managed, and capture our continuous learning to ensure mistakes are not repeated. These are the things that are measured and tested in Court if things go wrong.

When we get to the business end of those systems and processes, yes, connectivity, transparency and on the fly, reporting are fantastic enhancements to a system. But they do not replace the system. Plugging into a blunt app (often supported outside of the country) for your documents and actions is not a substitute for your health and safety system. Having a health and safety system that your app taps into for transactional entries is an enhancement to your system.

So, if you get it right, you will already have a health and safety system. It will describe your health and safety policy, how you manage health and safety including hazards, workers, specific actions, and detailed policies. Your system should be transparent and transportable across the company. In the modern world we can achieve this with Cloud based applications. Like any process, your health and safety system needs

  • A defined and agreed process.
  • A complete process (no bypasses).
  • A published process (how you do things).
  • Clear responsibilities.
  • Clear and timely performance measures.
  • Regular management reporting.

This is where the true management happens. From the system, supporting documents and forms become the transaction statements and the recorded results become the proof of your good management, vital in defending prosecutions.

Now you are ready to consider the distributed end of your process; safety inductions, training records, safety data sheets, safe work instructions, permits, hazard and incident reporting. If your workers are out in the field, yes, an app may be the answer. Not so good if they have no cell phone coverage, (particularly within sandwich panel factories), or if phones are banned in the working environment. Is the best solution a piece of paper, an app, or a tablet? Certainly, a digital solution should be superior to analogue methods. If you can find a solution to fit your situation, you should enjoy a more complete management solution. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking an app by itself is going to keep your workplace compliant and safe.

Craig Carlyle is director at Maintenance Transformations. His expertise lies in the practical application of maintenance and health and safety management systems in the workplace. He is also a life member of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ.

Exciting careers for more women in STEM, automation

Swisslog senior solution architect, Sally Renwick

Swisslog senior solution architect, Sally Renwick, is fascinated by “the side of industry many never see” – the high achieving world of automation that is opening up a broad range of satisfying careers for women entering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and automation fields.

The numbers may show that women are outnumbered by men in STEM industries, with the Australian Academy of Science reporting that “only 16% of Australia’s STEM-skilled workforce are women, whereas the broader Australian workforce has close to 50% female participation,” but Renwick says women shouldn’t be daunted when seeing these statistics.

“Despite what the numbers say, I see lots of high achieving women in warehouse automation, and the numbers are increasing every year. It’s an exciting field, so people who overcome their initial hesitation often find highly rewarding careers,” she says.

Renwick believes the exciting side of working in automation may not be obvious from the outside, and encourages more women to look deeper as they explore STEM career options.

“This industry is changing all the time – just look at what happened with e-commerce in response to the pandemic. There’s never a dull day, and you’re learning new things all the time,” she says.

“From the outside, it might look like you are just writing code – which some people enjoy – but when you look at what that code achieves, or the problem solving involved in designing solutions, it becomes a much more fascinating job.”

To nurture and grow your career, Renwick’s advice is to speak up and be clear about the direction you’d like to move into.

“It’s important to ask for help and guidance to achieve your career aspirations. Swisslog has been very supportive in this way, and any company with a healthy culture will want to see its employees grow and develop. If you’re new, it’s a great idea to find a mentor who you can learn from as you develop into your role,” she adds.

The 2024 theme for International Women’s Day is “inspire inclusion” which Renwick says in a work context, is all about making workplaces safer and more welcoming spaces for women to thrive.

Renwick started with intralogistics leader, Swisslog, in 1997 as a software engineer, where her first site visit was to a Jaguar automotive facility where automation was storing and retrieving painted car bodies ready for the production line.

“I was intrigued by this side of the industry that you never see. You can extend this to things like supermarkets too. We all add products to our trolleys, but the journey it took to get there – and the technology that enabled it – is remarkable,” she adds.

As a solution architect with Swisslog, Renwick now sits between sales and realisation, and is responsible for translating customer requirements into technical solutions that the software development team can implement.

As automation evolves, solutions are becoming more complex, with greater numbers of different configurations possible for each technology. This provides greater benefits to the customer, but also creates additional challenges for a solution architect like Renwick.

“One challenge I faced recently was a customer site that had two different Swisslog warehouse automation systems in place, of different ages, and running different software systems. Initially we wanted to migrate the whole site to run as one system, but there were complex factors that made the customer reluctant to take that option,” she explains.

“It was such a large and customised site that I could see the customer’s concerns in migrating to a unified system, and instead worked on a solution that would optimise replenishment, while still having the two systems operating separately. I designed a high-level solution to keep the systems operating separately, but with Swisslog’s latest SynQ software still replenishing the older system, to gain the benefits of the newer software.”

“It was a powerful, cost-effective solution that the customer was happy with, and that was a very satisfying moment in my career.”

And while Renwick is especially proud of achievements like this one, she adds that the satisfaction of writing software code and watching a pallet move in a warehouse was equally satisfying in the beginning of her career.

“Right from the start, knowing that my input made that technology move – I knew I was in the right industry to build my career.”

Industry benefits with NZ’s first fluid power engineering certification

Mohammed Farook, left, has become the first person in New Zealand to undertake the new Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3).

For the first time, New Zealand has a dedicated certification for fluid power engineering, providing new training and career path options to those in the hydraulics and pneumatics industries.

The Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is the result of sustained effort by several key people in the industry and of a newly formed New Zealand Fluid Power Association.

The treasurer and former chairperson of this association is Natasja Paulson, owner and director of Gisborne Hydraulics and Hydraulink distributor. Gisborne Hydraulics specialises purely in fluid power, which includes oil and compressed air. The company services machinery for a broad range of industries, including agriculture, horticulture, roading, earthmoving, marine, aviation support vehicles, viticulture, process factories, and more.

“After more than 20 years with Gisborne Hydraulics, I took over as owner in 2017 and found that it was difficult to attract the right staff because there was no formally recognised fluid power training,” say Paulson.

Paulson and a number of like-minded people from the fluid power industry worked alongside the Workplace Development Council to develop a certification that was “for the industry by the industry.”

By the end of 2022, NZQA had officially accepted the certification, and much of 2023 was spent developing the technical elements of what the new course would look like.

Apprentice Training New Zealand took the lead in running the new certification programme. By the end of 2023, everything came together, and the new certification programme was ready for 2024.

“It was an exciting time and the result of the hard work of so many individuals. Naturally, I wanted Gisborne Hydraulics to be the first to participate in the programme, and two of our employees, Mohammed Farook and workshop manager Blake Thornton eagerly signed up right away,” says Paulson.

The New Zealand Certificate in Fluid Power Engineering Fundamentals (Level 3) is now available and provides the fundamentals of fluid power and helps participants secure good jobs and build their careers.

“The next steps are to consider adding a Level 4 and possibly a Level 5 qualification to further upskill people that want to take their qualifications to the next level,” explains Paulson.

Shaking up standards: ROBUST’s innovative leap in earthquake-safe construction

By Dr Troy Coyle, CEO, HERA

After pandemic delays we can finally provide an update on the progress of the ROBUST building systems (RObust BUilding SysTems) project, a landmark international collaboration that aims to significantly elevate earthquake resilience in building design. In a major stride forward for our industry, testing recently commenced on these innovative systems at the International Laboratory for Earthquake Engineering in Shanghai.

The test program, which has already gained international attention and delivered results, promotes synergy between HERA, the HERA Foundation, and nine other sponsors and partners in Aotearoa New Zealand and China.

The project’s foundation lies in the rigorous research and development of friction-based structural connections, an area where New Zealand has historically been at the forefront. Building on Professor Charles Clifton’s pioneering work in Aotearoa, the latest testing examines the performance of nine different building configurations, each utilising unique friction connection types – the results of which have important implications for the future of structural engineering in New Zealand and beyond.

The three-storey test structures, each nine metres tall, have been tested on large multidirectional shaking tables at the Jiading Campus of Tongji University in Shanghai to understand their responsiveness in seismic events. The first five seismic resisting configurations have already performed well when subject to earthquake shaking more than 25% greater than the Wellington ultimate limit state design earthquake intensity.

These structures incorporate various frictional connections, such as the Resilient Slip Friction Joint (RSFJ) and asymmetric friction connections, which have proved their efficacy, hinting at their potential for standard use in earthquake-prone areas.

The ROBUST project is a prime example of collaborative innovation, supported by EQC Toka Tū Ake and various research entities across New Zealand, including the University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, Auckland University of Technology, QuakeCoRe, and the Building Innovation Partnership.

The project has validated the sliding hinge connections, a feat made possible due to access to one of the world’s largest shake tables at Tongji University. Their initial performance is a testament to the diligent work of New Zealand’s engineering community, including the valuable contributions from Dr Shahab Ramhormozian and Professor Greg MacRae.

The ROBUST project is proof of the quality of New Zealand engineering and the power of international collaboration to drive us toward solutions with global applicability and impact.  

As we anticipate the imminent conclusion of this testing phase, we expect to share preliminary results on behalf of the research team in the coming weeks. These initial findings will undoubtedly play an integral role in shaping the future of earthquake-safe construction.

Until then, I would like to again congratulate Greg MacRae, Liang-Jiu JIA (Chinese PI, Tongji University) and the full team including Charles Clifton (UoA), Rajesh Dhakal (UoC), Shahab Ramhormozian (AUT), Geoff Rodgers (UoC), Pierre Quenneville (UoA), and Ping Xiang (Tongji University), Zhenduo Yan (Project Manager, AUT), and many students and other collaborators for their work so far.

To find out more about the project visit our website, http://www.hera.org.nz, or get in touch with the team.

ABOUT AUTHOR: Dr Troy Coyle brings more than 20 years’ experience in innovation management across a range of industries including materials science, medical radiation physics, biotechnology, sustainable building products, renewable energy and steel. She is a scientist with a PhD (University of NSW) with training in journalism and communications.

Touch of class…

Ramage Sheetmetals presses ‘go’ on new business arm

A longstanding Hawkes Bay sheetmetal firm is continuing its evolution with the addition of a range of high-end residential products that it says add not only value to the business, but a touch of elegance and class to clients’ properties.

(STARTS)Post-cyclone Hawkes Bay is still recovering but for Ramage Sheetmetals, it was time for a bit of a “push” on a key new arm of the business, according to general manager Daniel Lincoln.

While the business wasn’t affected, many staff were and the business has been in demand as the region rebuilds, so the purchase of high-end decorative metal products brand Incision hadn’t been well publicised, despite being completed last year.

Lincoln says Incision was “a really good fit for the company”. A modern sheetmetal facility with top-of-the-line plant including three Trumpf lasers, the opportunity to maximise the business’ existing capacity, plus diversify its services by purchasing the brand, just made sense.

Incision produces high-quality, not mass produced, items like decorative screens, gates, outdoor furniture and fireplaces, sculpture and signage. It’s bespoke, which is why the company’s suite of lasers is so important – their investment in precision Trumpf equipment guarantees a perfect result for demanding customers.

While sales have focused mainly on residential, with many high-end homes in Auckland, Wanaka and Queenstown boasting Incision products, Lincoln says enquiries from commercial customers are increasing. The company currently has a large job for Auckland airport in production for a loyal existing client.  There is strong interest in Incision’s potential for large format, cost-effective, but still unique commercial spaces with many architects being familiar with the brand and specifying Incision as their preferred supplier.

The demographic of homeowners who started spending on their properties when closed borders stifled their travels hasn’t gone away – and they want a unique look.

Based in the Hawke’s Bay since the 1940s, Lincoln says the secret to the firm’s continued survival and growth isn’t really a secret at all.  With around 15 staff at any one time, they focus on ensuring their skill base is maintained, with several highly skilled tradies and a steady flow of apprentices that mean locals can obtain well-paid skilled careers without having to leave home. 

Added to that, the focus on investment in the high end plant means the ability to pivot and upscale without delays – always a Ramage strength, says Lincoln. With customers nationwide he says they have always had a nimble and responsive business, ensuring no frustrating long waits for customers.

Customers looking for environmentally sound products are reassured by the ability to either re-powder coat or recycle.

It’s a recipe for both a sustainable product, and business. A value add for Ramage that adds value to purchasers’ homes, while showcasing a still-recovering Hawke’s Bay as a home for skilled and responsive businesses.

BESPOKE SOLUTIONS…

NEW HAMILTON FACTORY A ‘GAME CHANGER’

What do the Waterview Tunnel, City Rail Link, Auckland Harbour Bridge and the Christchurch Convention Centre all have in common? Their building service supports are constructed and seismically braced using what is described as the “world’s most flexible, all-purpose metal framing system”.

The manufacturer, Atkore Unistrut, opened a new state-of-the-art factory and distribution centre in Hamilton recently which will increase production capability and enable the design and manufacture of bespoke engineered solutions.

The opening also coincides with the company’s 100-year anniversary.

David Hardy, New Zealand general manager, says the double milestone highlights the huge success the modular framing system has had in the construction industry over the last 100 years.

“Atkore Unistrut’s strut system eliminates the need for welding and drilling. It is easily adjustable and reusable and is the industry standard to support heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, cable containment, pipework and create seismic bracing systems,” says Hardy. “There’s a little bit of Unistrut in every industrial and commercial building in New Zealand.”

“The new manufacturing and distribution facility will increase our capacity to serve the construction market across New Zealand allowing us to undertake larger and more complex projects within quicker time frames. This includes our ability not just to supply but to install our product as well. We have a dedicated construction team that supports contractors nationwide.”

The new $20 million, 6000 square metre site at Horotiu, 13 kilometres north of Hamilton city centre, joins existing sales offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

As well as the increased floor space to house additional machinery, including a $400,000 laser cutter, the new facility allows for the provision of prefab support frames and modular assembly for building services. With an in-house mechanical engineer, Atkore Unistrut can also offer a portfolio of services, especially with seismic engineering.

“Even though Unistrut products are fundamentally used in industrial applications, in recent years, the trend for retail and cafes to have an industrial look with exposed services, Unistrut has played into that, providing not just a functional solution but offering an architectural style,” says Hardy.

“As the market leader in cable containment we manage the entire product lifecycle, from product design to manufacture and installation.”

With the company’s heritage founded in the United States, architect, Charles Attwood, came up with the ingenious concept, in the 1920s. He created a channel support system with curved pyramid edges followed by a spring nut with serrated slots. This resulted in a complete box section support that could be built into a frame support. The tightening up of these nuts would then allow more framing to be added to the original support, with the absolute certainty that the strut could not lose its shape.

From this original idea, it could be calculated what weight each section could support and if further support was required. No drilling was required, just the addition of more spring nuts and further lengths of Unistrut channel supports. This has proven to be an game changer for the construction industry, says the company.

“Having contributed to many of the country’s largest construction and infrastructure jobs, Atkore Unistrut is looking forward to its latest project – providing cabling containment and infrastructure components for the long-awaited Te Kaha Christchurch sports stadium.”

Product for the stadium and the new Dunedin Hospital will be among the first to be manufactured at the new Hamilton site.

THE RAZER EDGE…

VEKTA AUTOMATION AND SMC SHARPEN UP THE PARTNERSHIP

Best described as a customer centric business, Western Australian manufacturing company, Vekta Automation has grown to become what is described as one of the most trusted automated machine suppliers for the timber frame and truss industry – both locally and beyond Australian borders.

In 2007, mechatronics engineer (and Vekta Automation managing director), Ed Serrano spotted an opportunity in the Razer – a linear saw developed for the timber construction industry. After securing the rights to purchase the Razer and its IP, Serrano set up Vekta Automation from an unpowered shed on his Beckenham property. He worked to improve the functionality and performance of the Razer and to reduce the costs associated with its operation.

“We were taking on a failed product with a terrible reputation. Every time one of these machines was built, it was done so at a loss. This was a major challenge for us – to spin that around and change the reputation of our core product, but we did it and it has been a hugely challenging and satisfying process” he says.

In addition to the constant innovation of products, Vekta Automation prioritises developments that promote safety. “This is one of our core values – ensuring that everything we do creates safety for the user.”

Today, this family-owned business manufactures a range of automated equipment for the building industry and has over 100 employees around the globe. In addition, the company’s flagship machine, the Razer, “enjoys majority market share” in Australia and New Zealand.

“We are continuously innovating and developing the Razer, improving the software, and developing the machine’s efficiency and reliability. Our competitors have not been able to replicate this,” says Serrano.

RESOLVING INDUSTRY CHALLENGES WITH THE RAZER

The Razer enables automated, accurate and rapid cutting of timber for roofing and walling, “For our customers who supply prefabricated timber roofs and walls, this machine improves safety and enhances operations, making it possible to deliver ready-made timber products to construction sites, faster.”

Chief among the industry challenges that Vekta Automation and the Razer address, is the current labour shortage, and the growing demand for fast turnaround times.

“One of the key issues facing our customers is access to labour. There are fewer people willing to work in the manual labour-intensive construction industry,” explains Ed. This is where the Razer (and Vekta product line) come in, carrying out the material handling jobs that might otherwise require the work of many human hands.

“Another challenge for the industry is material shortages. Timber is becoming harder and harder to get, so being able to optimise the available materials and reduce waste, is a major driving factor for our customers,” says Serrano.

INNOVATION AS A CORE VALUE

Serrano‘s background as a robotics engineer set the foundation for Vekta Automation’s approach to innovation.

“We approach industry challenges as an engineering problem, and we set about solving those issues. This is what really keeps bringing our customers back. We’re not stagnant and we’re not replicating what others have done. We invest in R&D and innovation, developing solutions for very specific problems and needs within our industry,” he says.

He is very proud of the company culture, pointing out it’s a ‘family-first company’, and has built strong relationships with employees as well as suppliers and customers. In spite of the company’s rapid growth, Serrano and his team are committed to maintaining this distinct culture that puts people first.

“In fact, this is what we really love about SMC – the people.”

A RAZER-SHARP PARTNERSHIP

Key to Vekta Automation’s success has been the company’s partnership with leading global automation specialist, SMC Corporation Australia New Zealand.

Serrano explains that Vekta Automation has worked closely with SMC since the beginning. “We view them as a partner. They’ve always assisted us – from the early days of setting up the business, to the development of new products. It’s important for us to partner with experts who can fill the gaps in our expertise. We can rely on SMC to help us engineer solutions – particularly on the pneumatics applications. Their products are clever and innovative. Their approach to customers makes them stand out and has made us a loyal partner of theirs.”

Speaking to the partnership, Murray Hofstee, SMC regional sales manager, adds: “We invest in building long term partnerships, not just buyer relationships. ‘Beyond our comprehensive product range, we pride ourselves on the support that we provide to our customers throughout their automation journey. For us, it’s about helping them to solve problems by sharing information and technical insights.”

Hofstee says: “Our relationship with Vekta Automation has not been based on selling more products or the latest and greatest in our catalogue, but instead, on identifying the solution that’s right for their business, and ensuring that these products are widely available and well-supported in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. As a result, Vekta Automation uses a vast suite of products from SMC, and trusts SMC to select the right products for their needs and applications.”

It’s through a focus on standardisation – for example, ensuring a single SMC valve can be used on multiple machines, in multiple applications – that SMC ensures its products deliver simplicity. SMC products are cost effective, readily available, and easy to maintain or repair.

“Vekta’s reputation is staked on products that work well and are easy to maintain, and if there’s a problem, they can do a quick turnaround on the repairs and maintenance. We support them, understanding that it’s not about having the latest ‘shiny and new’ tech. It’s about what’s practical for the customer and end user,” says Hofstee.

In addition to supplying standardised solutions, SMC has demonstrated a commitment to customer satisfaction and clear communication, also offering just-in-time delivery of components.

“SMC supported Vekta through the COVID-19 period, carefully managing the price and availability of products, by holding stock in Perth and Sydney. At the time, Vekta occupied a smaller floorspace and couldn’t carry more stock. We were able to help, by carrying stock locally and providing fast delivery when needed,” says Hofstee. “As manufacturer’s, Vekta Automation and SMC face the same challenges – logistics, material, staff, price, freight safety. We walk in each other’s shoes.”

They both add that this partnership is set to continue to benefit the construction industry. Vekta Automation has a pipeline of products that it plans to develop for the industry.

“The only way forward for Vekta Automation is to keep innovating,” says Serrano.

KEEPING PEOPLE ENGAGED

IN WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY

As passionate as health and safety managers may be in their role, keeping workers engaged in health and safety in the long term is an onerous task requiring skill sets and techniques that are not learnt in the classroom. A recent conversation with an industry peer centred around the difficulty of keeping small business and franchise owners focused on health and safety.

Sure, it should be fundamentally obvious that health and safety is a core function of the business viability, but the reality is different for some. Thinking you can change that reality by creating rules and imposing penalties to change human behaviour is misguided enthusiasm.

Three similar but separately unique workplaces are departmental work groups, small branch operations and micro businesses. Each of these have different management structures and require a different understanding of the working reality and the management tools required to assure compliance. Don’t wait until WorkSafe investigates to admit that you have got it wrong.

For micro business owner operator personalities, the health and safety managers Teutonic go-to of quoting rules and regulations verbatim and fear-based rules, penalties and horrific accident photos are like water off a ducks’ back. Even when provided with online and mobile tools, the hardy annual excuses for non-performance are easily rolled out (fat fingers, too busy, negative H&S PR etc). In these situations, waving CYA (cover your backside) pieces of paper will not elicit change. These operators do it tough in a world where you must justify every action and cost.

A head in the sand attitude easily prevails and it takes an experienced health and safety advisor to disentangle the H&S bs to allay ingrained resistance and fear. You must focus on keeping health and safety a simple and natural component of running the business, like paying wages and sending invoices. I have adopted sneakier man management tools such as asking the owners partner how the household would cope with a dead worker or a $300k-okus fine.

Instant attitude adjustment.

Reframing your approach into how to keep the worker alive and what tools he/she needs to stay alive is your best opportunity to reset the individual’s approach to the topic. We start our training with a body bag. Amazing what happens when we take it personally.

For small branch operations (such as retail/franchise chains), the management solution is about structuring your reporting base into manageable segments, ensuring transparent management through Cloud based systems and then committing to a cycle of measure, report, communicate, feedback, shoe leather, rinse, and repeat.

Sadly, there is no golden bullet, but start with getting alongside the workers to recalibrate your approach. We took the opportunity with a well-known national brand to explore the differences between the “good” and the “bad” branches. What we found was the “good” operators accepted that h&s was simply a part of the business, so you may as well get good at it. This epiphany was translated into the “make it simple” philosophy we have trained and espoused for the last 20 years. It has certainly helped us help our clients.

LASER-LIKE ACCURACY…

SCANDINAVIAN SKILLS, KIWI ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A new laser cutter is elevating an already busy Nelson stainless steel fabricating firm and the owner says investing in the best equipment is what gives him the edge.

Danish Kiwi Chris Nielsen trained as a stainless steel and aluminium fabricator in Denmark. He was surprised to learn the trade didn’t exist here in New Zealand but has turned that into the strength of his booming business, All Stainless Nelson.

“It’s a trade all on its own in Europe” he says. But what he’s found is a gap in the market in New Zealand for highly specific and skilled stainless and aluminium fabricating – and with classic Kiwi ingenuity, he’s established a business that hasn’t had to advertise in the last three or so years, they’ve been so busy with repeat work from existing customers.

His skill set and knowledge, unique in New Zealand, is one of All Stainless’ points of difference. He says he keeps up with European training online and enjoys passing on the knowledge to his apprentices – and hasn’t given up hope of making it a trade all on its own in New Zealand.

He also brings a Scandinavian focus on investment in business, something he feels can be lacking in New Zealand.

When he returned to New Zealand in the early 2000s he couldn’t believe some of the old equipment he saw.

“Some of it belonged in a museum.”

But his belief in investing in high end plant is, he believes, one of the reasons All Stainless grew so fast.

He insists on only the best and has added his biggest investment yet – a 6kw Bodor laser and tube cutter from Laser Machines Ltd. It builds on the existing plant of a 1.5kw Bodor laser, CNC press brake and swing beam guillotine.

Nielsen is clear about what this means for both his business and his customers.

“We have significantly more capacity – before we could do in a day what this machine will do in an hour. It’s so fast.”

It takes more time to load and unload the machine than it does to do the job, in some cases. And the precision is astonishing.

This means less wait time for existing customers and gives the business the ability to take on new customers and perform a bigger range of tasks. Nielsen is spending less time in the workshop, and more on developing his customer base.

Previously All Stainless primarily serviced Nelson and the South Island, but he’s eyeing expansion to nationwide customers and says in particular firms that need an urgent part made could potentially have 24-hour turnaround. He’s also got good supplies and sizes of stainless steel in stock so if he gets the specifications, an urgent job can be turned around very quickly, meaning businesses can minimise downtime caused by breakdowns.

He says the purchase – in the ballpark of $500,000 – reflects both his confidence in the industry and in Nelson as a place to do business. While it can be thought of as isolated, he says there’s good links and plenty of daily flights so new customers can have confidence, especially with express jobs.

Nielsen has personally trained all his six staff and he says having such a strong team gave him the confidence to invest time and money into expanding the business.

However, while he spends less time on the floor and more on sales he says like many Kiwi businesses, getting staff is the biggest challenge.

All Stainless looks for people it can train or put through apprenticeships and he’s always on the lookout for people with the right qualities.

New staff get tested on the floor and if they have the goods, Nielsen says he can teach them the rest.

He’s looking forward to this new phase of his business.

“In the last three years I haven’t had time to get out of the workshop.”

The Danish approach to training and investing blended with a very Kiwi attitude of giving things a go is a formula that’s worked well so far.

TOP LINE UP…

SMART MANUFACTURING AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION A FOCUS AT EMEX 2024

EMEX 2024, described as New Zealand’s premier manufacturing and engineering solutions event, is presenting a great line-up of 200-plus exhibiting companies, says Xpo’s Aad van der Poel, exhibition sales and event manager. He says the industry event will feature a big focus on embracing advanced technologies, creating a highly connected, data driven environment as the integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) plays a crucial role in the digital transformation process.

“This is the chance to immerse yourself in the future of manufacturing. Explore the over 10,000m2 of exhibiting space with national and international exhibitors representing hundreds of brands with cutting-edge technologies, automation solutions and Industry 4.0 applications at New Zealand’s the biggest industry showcase. See live demos, attend workshops, and network with industry leaders,” says van der Poel.

This year, industry professionals will have the chance to join the largest EMEX in over a decade at the Auckland Showgrounds May 28-30.

EMEX 2024 will also have an extensive speaker series covering the hottest topics, workshops on Smart Manufacturing, The Digital Manufacturing Challenge and Industry 4.0 digital applications, providing a unique learning and education platform. On May 29, EMEX will host the Manufacturing Industry Conference initiated by Make NZ, The University of Auckland and EMA – a separate ticketed event.

“Register early to attend EMEX 2024 to ensure you don’t miss out. Share it with your colleagues and schedule your day(s) to visit; save the date and get ready for EMEX 2024 – you simply can’t afford to miss it,” says van der Poel.

“As of now, the show is 98% sold but for those still looking to exhibit and to lock in the last available spots, please get in contact with me.”

For more information email aad@xpo.co.nz or call 021 314 199.

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