Dec 12, 2017 - : Steve Trickett has joined AVOCO’s senior management team to expand on market development in Asia and oversee grower communications at home. A familiar face to many avocado growers, Steve has joined the company as Marketing and Communications Manager and is responsible for market planning and performance with focus on new and developing markets where fruit carries the AVANZA brand. He will support the existing sales and marketing team, oversee contestable fund applications and develop AVOCO’s communications and profile among the grower community. Steve’s 35-year experience in the export sector includes stints at Fruitfed Export, NZ Kiwifruit Marketing Board (now Zespri), Chiquita Brands New Zealand Ltd, ENZA Fresh, Freshmax Ltd and Turners & Growers Exports.Until earlier this year, Steve worked for another Bay of Plenty avocado exporter. He says the move to AVOCO enables him to continue in an industry he’s passionate about. “I’ve worked with, known and respected the key people in AVOCO for well over 20 years and I’m a strong supporter of the AVANZA model used beyond Australia. So, I am excited by the fact that AVOCO management were keen for me to join them and further bolster what is a formidable marketing team,” says Steve. “I also welcome the opportunity to be part of a much larger business such as AVOCO that has compelling brand relevance via ‘AVANZA’, the Asian market brand, with recognised market leadership and the best pick of customers across the region.” Steve is a firm believer that New Zealand’s avocado industry has a bright future. Avocados tick all the right boxes from a consumer perspective and this has fuelled global demand. “Avocados are nutritious, versatile and tasty. Taste and texture is very important to the Asian consumer especially. They are very aware of the subtleties of every part of the fruit. “From a commercial perspective, avocados can be shipped by sea from New Zealand to avoid costly air freight. Overall, they’re a fabulous, healthy fruit that has won over consumers worldwide and that demand shows no signs of abating.” Outside of Australia, Asia is New Zealand’s next biggest market and it’s a region where relationship-building with key customers and distributors is paramount. Steve has worked in the region extensively and says the “New Zealand story” has real currency for export groups like AVOCO. “In Asia, our fruit is regarded as a great product, it’s come from a great origin and is mostly supplied at a time when competitor supply countries such as Mexico struggle with quality. People also have a favourable perception of our clean, green image. “Every time you go to a NZ trade office in Tokyo, Seoul or elsewhere in Asia, they say don’t stop promoting the ‘New Zealandness’ of your product. It’s very important and resonates well with consumers.” With the New Zealand avocado industry inching closer to market access to China, Steve is taking an active role in helping AVOCO lead the way by visiting China to learn more about sales and distribution systems. A small industry coordinated non-commercial trial shipment to China is scheduled for next month following completion of on-shore audits by the Chinese authorities. Full commercial shipments are unlikely until the new season starts in September 2018. While there are huge trade opportunities in China, Steve says it’s critical to first understand the market’s supply chain differences, and to then select which sales channels to pursue in the immediate to medium term.

| An AVOCO release  ||  December 12, 2017   |||

Dec 12, 2017  -  A record 4.754 million tonnes of cargo crossed the port’s wharves in the year to 30 September, up from 3.916 million tonnes in 2016. Container volumes grew 12% to a record 288,444 TEU. Log exports also hit a new high, with 1.63 million tonnes exported through Napier – a 35% increase on last year’s record. Napier Port has released its annual results for the 2017 financial year, reporting record cargo volumes and a strong financial result.

“It’s been an historic year for Napier Port,” said Chief Executive Garth Cowie. “We faced a major challenge in the wake of the Kaikoura earthquake, and I’m proud of the way our people stepped up.

Napier Port saw a significant and unexpected spike in cargo following the quake on 14 November 2016, as containers were rerouted to Napier.

“Essentially, we saw six years’ forecast growth in one year. The release of our annual results is a chance to reflect on the magnitude of that feat. Absorbing that level of unexpected growth without compromising safety or service is a big task, but our people took it in their stride. It’s a real testament to the calibre of our people and our culture.”

It’s not the only major feat for the port this year. The Ovation of the Seas’ maiden call on January 5th saw the giant liner break the record for the largest ship ever to berth at Napier Port.

“We’ve had a fantastic cruise season, and the Ovation’s call was undoubtedly the highlight. It really showed what we’re capable of achieving, and it was great to have such strong support from our tourism partners and our local community.”

More than 125,000 passengers and crew visited Napier over the 2016-2017 season, bringing around $20 million into the local economy. Those numbers are set to grow, with around 150,000 passengers and crew expected this season.

The port’s onsite packing facility, Port Pack, also continued its growth trend this year, with 48,310 TEU containers handled over the course of the year.

“Port Pack now accounts for nearly a third of Napier Port’s containerised full export throughput, and has grown into one of the biggest packing facilities in New Zealand.”

Napier Port delivered an exceptional financial result, reporting a record $16.7 million net profit after tax, up 46% on last year, while delivering $10.7 million in dividends to its sole shareholder, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company. It invested $18.7 million in capital projects and equipment, including land holdings in Pandora and Whakatu and specialist studies to support its application for resource consent to build a new wharf.

The resource consent application for its proposed 6 Berth Development and Dredging Project was submitted to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council yesterday, and is a crucial element in Napier Port’s future strategy.

“Hawke’s Bay’s economy is in growth mode, and we’re forecast to see cargo volumes nearly double over the next decade, while ship size is also forecast to grow. Having a sixth wharf in place will strengthen our connection to global markets and ensure Hawke’s Bay can continue to thrive and maintain its enduring relevance.”  View the full report here.

With export demand climbing steadily, Napier Port is currently planning to develop a new wharf to accommodate larger ships and cargo demand. For more information on the proposed development, see http://projects.napierport.co.nz/the-project

| A Napier Port release  ||  December 12, 2017   |||

Dec 12, 2017  - The New Zealand citrus industry’s ongoing commitment to working with Delytics Ltd to increase fruit quality has resulted in the majority of their navel oranges being liked by consumers in 2017, despite a challenging growing season. 

Supermarket monitoring showed approximately 85% (6 out of 7) of all New Zealand navel oranges met the New Zealand Citrus Growers’ Inc (NZCGI) minimum maturity standard in 2017, compared to 67% in 2015 before new processes were implemented. This year’s average weekly acceptability ranged from 78% to 95%, and stayed above 90% for three out of nine sampling weeks.

New Zealand’s navel orange growers actively contributed to this positive result by taking part in the voluntary clearance programme that was adopted by NZCGI at the start of 2016. Delytics Ltd developed the clearance process and has carried out NZCGI’s orchard monitoring programme for the past two seasons.

This season, Navel orange orchards in Northland and Gisborne were monitored from early February until late September to measure changes in fruit quality and predict when fruit would meet NZCGI’s minimum maturity standard.

Up until May 2017, BrimA measurement data and maturity models produced by Delytics suggested an earlier start to the season than in 2016. However, the BrimA data showed a significant maturity slowdown in May and alerted the industry to a later harvest date, which ended up being almost 4.5 weeks later than 2016. This sudden maturity slowdown is thought to have been caused by unseasonal weather, which saw drought conditions in the summer followed by more than twice the average rainfall from February through to May.

Delytics Managing Director Mark Loeffen says, “The monitoring was critical to understanding how internal fruit maturity changed during a season of challenging weather conditions. One of the keys to the ongoing success of this monitoring programme and predicting maturity dates is the industry regularly watching this information to inform harvest decisions in combination with their own on-orchard maturity testing.”

“The results show that growers of New Zealand navels have now become suppliers of consistently great tasting fruit and that’s great news for the New Zealand citrus industry.”

| A FreshPlaza release  ||  December 12, 2017   |||

Dec 11, 2017  -   New Zealand exporters need to maintain a dialogue with Government about issues encountered in overseas markets at a time when New Zealand is looking to expand, and possibly reshape, its trade law framework, says Daniel Kalderimis, partner and head of Chapman Tripp’s International Law practice.

"International trade policy is entering choppy waters, and the rise of China, the Trump Administration’s America First philosophy and Brexit will all bear directly on New Zealand in ways that are difficult to predict.

"Although the prognosis looks good post the APEC Summit for the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), there will be continuing uncertainty until the agreement is signed.

"If CPTPP comes into force, export businesses should engage in medium to long-term planning to ensure the smooth operation of global supply chains," Kalderimis said.

So far, we have not seen a retreat from globalisation and liberalised trade that we feared when President Trump was elected, he said.

But there are changes in the wind.

"There is an emerging view that free trade agreements (FTAs) need to address global issues such as climate change and rising inequality and there may be a trend away from investor-state (as opposed to state-state) dispute settlement clauses, which allow corporates to sue governments."

Governments will always do things to support their own constituents, and sometimes that may mean protectionist or complicated rules that increase expense for exporters, said Tracey Epps, trade law consultant at Chapman Tripp and former senior advisor in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) Trade Law Unit.

"But systems are in place that allow the government to address those kinds of actions, as evidenced by New Zealand’s successful claim in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against Indonesia earlier this year.

"There are benefits to businesses engaging early and well to bring sticking points to the attention of relevant officials."

The WTO system is extremely valuable for New Zealand, and as a small country we rely heavily on a rules-based system, she said.

"A real concern at present is that the WTO’s dispute settlement system is under threat from US actions in blocking the appointment of members to the Appellate Body."

Also valuable is New Zealand’s growing network of FTAs, she said. "New Zealand negotiators will have their work cut out for them in Geneva to ensure continued agricultural market access on favourable terms to the United Kingdom and the EU27 following Brexit."

The lawyers were commenting on the release of Chapman Tripp’s publication, International trade law - trends and insights.

| A ChapmanTripp release  ||  December 11, 2017   |||

Dec 11, 2017  -  In the coming days we will attempt to launch the second Rocket Lab Electron rocket, Still Testing. As the name suggests, we are still very much in a test phase, but this flight is a significant milestone for our team and the next step in our mission to democratize space.

The potential of space to help us better understand our planet and improve life on it yet to be realised. The benefits of more satellites in low Earth orbit are almost endless, including crucial applications such as improved weather monitoring and natural disaster prediction, to internet from space. This increased and improved data will give companies and organisations better insights into our world, enabling them to make better decisions.

The main barrier to this future is frequency and cost of launch. With this flight we take a step towards changing that. We’re excited to share this step with the world by offering our first livestreamed launch attempt, viewable via our website.

I’d like to thank our customers Planet and Spire Global, for flying with us on Still Testing. Rocket Lab shares a strong ethos with them and it is my belief that by accelerating these companies’ access to orbit, we are initiating a paradigm shift in the use of space.

We’re at this milestone just months after our first test flight, which is a huge testament to the dedicated and innovative team working on the Electron program. They have achieved what many said was impossible, and in record time. I know they will continue to pour drive, dedication and passion into opening access to space.

Let’s get Electron on its way.

Cheers,

Pete

| a RocketLab release  ||  December 11, 2017   |||

Dec 8, 2017  -  Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) has announced its product plan for 2018, following the end of General Motors manufacturing in Australia, and it doesn’t include any hot imported Commodores.  However, the good news for rear-wheel drive V8 muscle-car fans is the 2018 HSV range will be headlined by the Chevrolet Camaro SS coupe, although it will be $20,000 pricier than Ford’s equivalent Mustang GT at up to $80K.

Before HSV begins right-hand drive Camaro conversions in July, it will start RHD production of the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD pick-up in April, followed by the even heavier-duty Silverado 3500HD by mid-year.

In a move that GM denies marks the first step in Holden being rebranded as Chevrolet, the Chevy brand will be established in selected HSV dealers in Australia and New Zealand to sell both the Camaro and Silverado.

The first cab off HSV’s 2018 rank will be the Colorado SportsCat ute, which enters production in late January and will become the only HSV-branded model available once stocks of the Commodore-based MY17 models are sold.

Copntinue here to read the full article with images on Motoring  ||  December 8, 2017   |||

Dec 8, 2017  -  Photos of one of Air New Zealand's Boeing 787 Dreamliner engines which failed this week in-flight show damage to multiple turbine blades, at the rear, suggesting a part broke off and travelled through the engine.  That engine, on Tuesday morning's flight NZ99 bound for Tokyo with 282 people on board had to be shut down when it caused the aircraft to shake violently.

Passengers heard clunking sounds and electrical power went out temporarily after takeoff from Auckland airport. The plane concerned, which was the first of the airline's nine Dreamliners to go into service, has since been grounded.

On Wednesday another Dreamliner bound for Buenos Aires also had to turn back to Auckland when problems arose with an engine. That engine did not have to be shut down in flight.

Air New Zealand told Newsroom last night it was "extremely surprised by the two issues experienced this week".

Provided with the photos taken of the NZ99 engine after it landed back in Auckland, a spokeswoman said: "The cause of these incidents is yet to be determined and this is the role of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. But the damage sustained on Tuesday suggests an engine part has travelled through the engine."

Continue here to read Tim Murphy's full article with images on NewsRoom  ||  December 7, 2017   |||

Dec 5, 2017  - Fujifilm is introducing the Fujifilm X-T2, a compact mirrorless camera with 24 megapixels and 4K HD video that can do the hard yards for any adrenaline junkie with a photographer’s streak. Photographers will find the X-T2 is made of sterner stuff, with a solid magnesium alloy body that is both highly durable and lightweight to ensure it can be taken into any situation. Weather-sealed to keep salt spray and drizzle at bay, and combined with one of Fujifilm’s extensive range of Fujinon XF lenses, the X-T2 will be ever-reliable through each step of the adventure.

For those that might find themselves in a tight spot (whether shooting in a cave or from the passenger seat of a helicopter), the X-T2’s tilting LCD screen can help set up those adventure shots, when looking through the viewfinder isn’t an option.

New macro lens

Fujifilm is also announcing the FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro Lens, now available in New Zealand joining a massive XF lens line-up bringing the first 1.0x magnification mid-telephoto macro lens for X-Series mirrorless cameras.

The new macro lens achieves high resolving power at the focus point and beautiful bokeh, making it optimal for shooting flowers and insects. Combine this lens with Fujifilm’s unique Film Simulations, such as Velvia, for truly stunning close up photographs.

New Zealand X-Series specialist Craig Robertson says the new 80mm lens will be another great addition to the FUJINON line-up, already renowned for their outstanding image quality.

“This lens is going to enable people shooting X-Series to be able to take their photography to new levels of detail and create quality, close-up images in true 1 to 1 reproduction,” says Robertson.

The FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 features a focal length equivalent to 122mm (on a 35mm format), a maximum aperture of F2.8, and 1.0x magnification factor.

Designed to be versatile and to suit all photography styles, users can shoot on a tripod or hand-held with the help of the Optical Image Stabilizer system suppressing shift shake*. The lens also provides fast and silent Auto Focus with a clever system of linear motors.

Suitable for use in a wide range of outdoor shooting conditions, the FUJINON XF80mmF2.8 can operate in temperatures as low as -10°C. and is weather and dust resistant.

The exterior design is luxurious yet robust for a premium feel. The aperture and focusing rings have been designed for maximum comfort and usability.

Robertson notes that photographers shooting with older X-Series cameras will also be able to enjoy the new lens.

“The latest free firmware update ensures previous X-Series models are ready to go with the Auto Focus system of XF80mm as Fujifilm is dedicated to continuing to support our older cameras,” says Robertson.

The new FUJINON XF80mm Macro Lens retails for RRP$1999.

Dec 04,  2017  -  Eagle-eyed planespotters are noticing increasing visits by cargo planes to Christchurch Airport at the moment. This signals the start of the key export season and highlights the valuable contribution local producers and exporters make to the local economy.  Tasman Cargo Airlines National manager Gerry Bray says the company's Boeing 757 Freighter came into Christchurch last Sunday, bringing a variety of goods to the South Island.

He says it left with a range of high value fresh produce bound for Auckland, Sydney and beyond.

"The B757F has a payload capability of 32,000kgs and the aircraft moved nearly 24,000kgs of Sydney-bound general and perishable cargo on the first service" he says.

"The charter flight operated we operated last weekend was the first of many we hope to operate over the coming summer months," he says. "The aircraft will visit Christchurch at least weekly through December.

"It signals the start of the South Island's peak perishables export production season, with air freight in high demand for all primary producers from dairy, to fresh meat, to stone fruitand more," he says.

Christchurch Airport's Chief Aeronautical and Commercial Officer, Justin Watson, says in the year ended June 2017, more than 30,000 tonnes of air freight transited through the airport.

"Indications already suggest a bumper season of South Island exports," he says. "Our international airline partners, including Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, China Southern Airlines, Emirates and Cathay Pacific, are also taking freight out every day to some of the world's leading hubs, such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Guangzhou.

"We anticipate a repeat of peak demand for high quality South Island produce for Chinese New Year, with extra flights this year taking cherries, chilled meat and live crayfish, among other things, to dinner tables across Asia."

| A Christchurch Airport release  ||  December 4, 2017  |||