Whether you want to find a supplier for your products or are keen to become a manufacturer, talking to a business advisor is the key to getting started with manufacturing.
Manufacturing opens the door to many domestic and global opportunities — but before you jump in, take time to carefully consider your options.
There are complex logistics, industry regulations and other intricacies to think about, whether you are looking for a supplier to produce materials for your products or services, or you are interested in becoming a manufacturer.
Get professional guidance to work out your best options. A business advisor from the Regional Business Partner Network can help connect you to the right people to get started.
[Video begins. A mid-shot of a man in a black suit jacket with a patterned blue button up seen underneath. The man stands in a factory, blurred out behind him. He speaks directly to the camera.]
Speaker: Kia ora to everyone making great things here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Manufacturing is one of our largest sectors covering everything from homebased Crafts People to midsized engineering shops, and to Fonterra’s largest milk and cheese factories.
[The words ‘Industry 4.0’ show up in white lettering to the left of the speaker as he says the words.]
Speaker: In this video we're talking about Industry 4.0 and why kiwi manufacturers are embracing new technology.
[The screen changes to a wide shot of a man wearing a tech suit along with high-visibility gear and a hard hat lifts a barrel on a construction site. A man to his left holds a tablet which he is writing notes on. This second man is dressed fully in high-visibility gear with a hard-hat on.]
[The screen changes again to a mid-shot of a woman wearing high-visibility gear and a hard hat is tapping the air out in front of herself. She has a VR headset on.]
[The screen changes again to an over the shoulder shot of a man looking at a tablet, sat on a bench in front of him. There is also another man in the background, only slightly visible and not in focus. The man looking at the tablet taps the screen with an e-pen, causing the image of a desk on the screen to change and spread into all its individual parts.]
[The screen changes again to show two men, standing beside a hologram of a car split into various parts. An engine twists into visibility within the hologram and the men look closely at it as the speak to each other.]
Speaker: Industry 4.0 stands for the fourth Industrial Revolution and it's all about the integration of digital technologies into every aspect of manufacturing.
[The screen reverts to the mid-shot of the speaker.]
Speaker: Don't get me wrong it's not about saying goodbye to all your existing manufacturing processes, but rather introducing technology that increases production through better monitoring and control - allowing you and your team to get things done more efficiently.
[The screen changes to a long shot of a factory with various machines. Two workers move about within this space. The visuals then change to show a machine through a pane of glass with a part of the machine moving about, effecting other areas of the machine. A red light flashes every time the moving part stops briefly. The visuals change again to a sweeping shot of a man using a desktop against a wall within a factory. The screen changes again to another machine. This is a close shot. The camera closes in on a flat compartment of the machine, to show a moving part within this flat compartment. The screen changes again to an over-the-shoulder shot of a woman using two desktop screens beside one another. There are sticky notes on the desktop, and it appears she is looking at a spreadsheet on one screen and alternative software on the other. The screen then closes in on the alternative data software on her second screen as she interacts with it using her mouse.]
Speaker: Industry 4.0 isn't just about innovation but driving profitability and building long-term value for your business. There are many areas that Industry 4.0 can help. For many manufacturers the first step has been to move away from spreadsheets and use data to make smarter decisions in real time using things like dashboards and notifications.
[The screen reverts to the mid-shot of the speaker.]
Speaker: Can you imagine your factory where sensors and machines communicate with each other?
[The screen changes to a high angle shot of a man working on a bulky factory computer. It then changes to a screen with the inside of a machine and information about the model of the machine on it. The screen then changes to a high angle wide shot of a factory floor with five workers moving about on the floor. The screen changes to a closer shot of one of the workers as he focuses on his work. The screen changes again to a sweeping shot of a worker interacting with a machine’s controls. He wears scrubs and gloves.]
Speaker: Predicting inventory requirements and maintenance needs before they arise, reducing downtime and saving costs. Just picture your workers with digital tools, receiving instant instructions and training, leading to improved safety and higher skill levels.
[The screen reverts to the mid-shot of the speaker.]
Speaker: Despite the advantages industry reports continue to tell a sad story on how New Zealand manufacturing is lagging behind the rest of the world. So, we have to act soon so we're not left behind even further. The good news is there are already pioneers among us, reaping the benefits from technology and it may not be as expensive or as hard to introduce into your business as you think.
[Screen changes to a sweeping wide shot of a factory with two workers interacting with the machines within this factory. It changes again showing a cobot interacting with wire and metal. It drags pink wire a metal clamp. The visuals sped up as the cobot then takes the same wire to a different machine and interacts with it before taking the wire to a third machine and interacts with it. It zooms back out to show the cobot dropping the wire.
Speaker: Take for example Nortech Electronics in East Tamaki. By integrating cobots to their assembly line they've slashed production times all while reducing worker fatigue and maintaining top-notch quality.
[The screen changes to a shot of a stack of tortillas on a conveyor belt. The tortillas travel underneath a large metal scanner above them as they are moved by the conveyor belt offscreen. A new set of piles of tortillas begin to move into the screen. The screen then changes to a screen showing the tortillas being processed by a scanner. Good tortillas have green squares pop up over them and bad tortillas have red squares pop up over them, as they move through the conveyor belt and are scanned. The screen then changes to a shot of an arm holding out a tablet. One the tablet shows a data set – reviewing the performance of productivity.]
Speaker: Or Breadcraft in Masterton, who, with the help of IOT devices have optimised their operation - reducing waste and saving costs.
[The screen then changes to an over the shoulder shot of a man looking at a laptop as an animation of a 3D scan occurs. The camera backs out to show the rest of the factory this person is working in, along with two of his coworkers. The screen then changes to a mid-shot of the same man using a machine. The machine has a large screen and a keyboard with a chunky yellow and black body. It is unclear what the machine’s purpose is. The screen then changes to a wider shot of the man using this machine. It shows that the machine has 11 shelves within itself, and another coworker is working in the background. The shot then changes to a sweeping shot of a man in a factory working on a laptop. The screen then changes again to a man wearing earmuffs observing a metallic cabinet with two glass doors. Within this cabinet is water pressure being used to cut or mould a slab of metal.]
Speaker: And then there are manufacturers that have embraced digital twins. By creating virtual replicas or digital copies of their factories they can predict maintenance needs preventing costly breakdowns and improve health and safety.
[Screen reverts to mid-shot of the speaker.]
Speaker: These are just a few of the examples of how Industry 4.0 technologies are already making waves in New Zealand. This revolution isn't just for the industry giants, it's reshaping businesses of all sizes.
[Screen changes to a high angle, establishing shot of a factory. It shows three men looking within a crate which seems to have machinery within it. Screen changes to a mid-shot of a man sitting at a work desk with four desktop screens in front of him. He types on his keyboard. The screen changes again to a mid-shot of a man sitting on an office chair. He watches as a machine interacts with a metallic structure – made up of a cube with rings on top of it. The screen changes again to show a man walk around a podium screen before he interacts with it.]
Speaker: Staying ahead means embracing these technologies, understanding their potential, and leveraging them to improve your operations.
[Screen reverts to the mid-shot of the speaker.]
Speaker: The opportunities are endless and now is the time for your business to get in on the action.
[Screen changes to the EMA website home page. It scrolls through this for a few seconds.]
Speaker: Visit the EMA website for manufacturing case studies and webinars. Learn from experts and local businesses to make your business more resilient and profitable.
[Screen reverts to the mid-shot of the speaker. A white oval appears on the bottom left of the screen. It has a small globe graphic on the left of the oval and the text “industry4.ema.co.nz” beside it in navy blue font.]
Speaker: Go to industry4.ema.co.nz
[Screen changes to a blue background with white text reading “Thanks to BECA for their technical advice”; next line: “EMA”; next line “For more information on Manufacturing industry ema.co.nz”. Music swells.]
[Video ends.]