If you're an exporting manufacturer, or planning to be, come and join us at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland on 27th September for ExportNZ's biggest event of the year, Go Global! 

From fast growing little tech companies to the big end of town, it's all about sharing knowledge and experiences for building Kiwi export success.

See below for more on this must-attend event for Kiwi exporters, and book your tickets now!

Catherine Beard

027 463 3212 or cbeard@businessnz.org.nz

New Zealand's manufacturing expansion remained in low gear for the third consecutive month, according to the latest BNZ - BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI).

In a similar vein to July, the August results were a mixed bag. The adjusted PMI for August was 52.0, and while this was 0.8 points higher than July, it remains below the long run average expansion level of 53.4.

The proportion of positive comments (56.3%) lifted in August, with construction demand noted by a number of respondents.  Those who outlined negative influences typically focussed on a general slowing of market conditions and customer demand.More...

Last chance! Join us at Go Global on 27th September.

This year, seasoned Kiwi exporters of all sizes will talk about the big changes going on with the Pacific Alliance, CPTPP, US trade policies and Brexit. All on the same day and only at Go Global.

They will also showcase the hard lessons they've learnt on the road to becoming multi-national exporters.  Hear from some of the best Kiwi exporters taking New Zealand to the world including:

• Robotics Plus - Comparing apples with apples - 1/3 the cost, global expansion and your robot workforce
• Halter - The Farm meets IOT - Taking sensor technology to the next level in Primary industries, backed by USA Venture Capital
• Invenco - Self-Service payments - putting your customers in charge of their experience (winner of the High Tech Awards)
• Pik Pok - Living the multi-screen life - Taking NZ's gaming industry to the world (winner of ExportNZ Wellington Awards)
• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare - Life-changing R&D innovation and the pathway to their $1bn story.

Go Global 2018 will put you in the room with the most innovative exporters, who will share their stories. You will hear the latest on international trade trends and what award-winning exporters are doing.

With only a few days to go, the countdown is on...

View guest speakers & programme->>

Register individuals->>

Register a Group of 3+ >>

Book a table->>

The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI edged down from 52.8 in July to 52.5 in August, a 21-month low. The headline data have trended slightly lower since reaching a nearly seven-year high in December (54.5). In the latest survey, the underlying data indicated decelerating activity in most of the measures. This included eased expansions for new orders, future output and employment. At the same time, output improved ever-so-slightly in August, with exports remaining marginally positive. Beyond those measures, input prices  grew strongly in August despite some continued lessening in cost pressures. The index for raw material prices has exceeded 60—indicating robust gains—in 11 of the past 12 months, averaging 61.2 over that timeframe.

Two of the top 20 markets for U.S.-manufactured goods contracted in August, the same numbers as in July. Encouragingly, though, South Korea improved to just below neutral territory—perhaps a sign that it might return to positive growth in September or soon thereafter for the first time since February. In contrast, Hong Kong contracted for the fifth straight month in August despite slowing its pace of decline slightly. 

The fastest growth in manufacturing activity in August in those major markets occurred in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, even as many of those economies slowed in the latest figures. Canadian manufacturing sentiment was not far from June’s reading (57.1), which was the best since the survey started in October 2010. 

Only a few days until the new Act comes into effect on 1 October.  Need help preparing? Check out NZ Customs's education website and download its readiness checklist.

The readiness checklist details resources and provides tips on what you can do to prepare for and on 1 October 2018. There’s also a list of new, updated, and replaced forms relating to the new Act that will be available on 1 October 2018.

More...

Trading Standards, part of MBIE (the Ministry of Business, Innovations and Employment) is working with FENZ (Fire and Emergency New Zealand) on ways to reduce the harm caused by domestic fires.

Foam-filled furniture can play a significant role in the speed and severity of domestic fires. The foam can catch fire easily at relatively low temperatures and burn quickly and intensely, giving off suffocating poisonous smoke that can also spread fire quickly through a building.

Trading Standards wants your feedback on the proposal to introduce a Product Safety Policy Statement to help improve the safety of foam-filled furniture. To download the discussion document and have your say go to the MBIE consultation page here->>

To make a submission we encourage you to use the online submission form. The link to the submission form is included on the Consultation page.

Your feedback will help to inform recommendations to Government on how to best reduce the risk of harm to New Zealanders from fires involving foam-filled furniture.

Submissions close at 11pm, 31 October 2018.

The Victoria State Government now mandates that locally manufactured uniforms and PPE are procured by all Victorian State government agencies wherever possible - "local" is Australia and New Zealand. The details are available here->>

An open Invitation to Register for the Victoria's Uniforms and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Ethical Supplier Register can be found here: Invitation to Register->>

You are invited to take part in the Mood of the Boardroom survey by BusinessNZ and the NZ Herald - taking the pulse of business sentiment among business owners and operators in NZ.

Results will be published in the NZ Herald on 3 October.

Please complete the survey in the link below by 28 September, with thanks:

Take the survey->>

ABAC (the APEC Business Advisory Council) research team is carrying out a survey to capture the APEC-business perspective on barriers, impediments, and enhancers to cross-border trade for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, with a particular focus on the digital economy and women-led enterprises.

The research will offer practical steps to policy makers for enhancing cross-border trade. The findings and recommendations of the research project will be presented at the APEC Leaders Meeting in Papua New Guinea this November.

This survey will take about 20 minutes. If you only have a few minutes to fill out the survey, we have highlighted the most important questions throughout the survey in blue.

Please complete the questionnaire by Friday, September 21

The questionnaire is available here->>

Don’t forget to check out our contract manufacturers directory if you are looking for contract manufacturing support or you are wanting to advertise your services! 

There are some great resources - see here->>