Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Jan 9, 2018 - After receiving national and international acclaim in 2017 for several products in its expanding portfolio, New Zealand pet food manufacturer, Ziwi, is preparing for strong continued growth in 2018.
Jan 9, 2018 - Chinese dfemand easing is behind the dip. Australia has said it expects iron ore prices to average USD 51.50 a ton this year, down 20 percent from 2017, because of rising global supply and moderating demand from top importer China as its steel sector shrinks, Reuters advanced.
The government projection is out of step with some private forecasts, with UBS and Citi calling for iron ore prices to average around USD 64 a ton in 2018 - flat on 2017’s USD 64.30 - with the market proving itself surprisingly resilient.
The world’s top three mining companies BHP, BLT, and Vale, rely heavily on iron ore sales for the bulk of their revenue despite efforts to diversify more into other industrial raw materials, such as copper, aluminium, and coal.
Source: Bulkweek | January 8, 2018 |||
Jan 8, 2018 - CERTNZ advises that researchers have found multiple vulnerabilities in computer processors which may allow attackers to extract information from affected systems, including passwords and other sensitive data.
The technical details of these vulnerabilities can be found at meltdownattack.com and spectreattack.com.
CERT NZ is not currently aware of any attacks that are actively exploiting these vulnerabilities, however we strongly recommend you protect yourself with the advice provided below as soon as practicable.What's happeningSystems affected - Processors from Intel, AMD, and ARM have been confirmed to be affected. Due to the complex nature of the vulnerabilities, it is safest to work on the basis that all systems may be affected. As this is a hardware vulnerability, this may affect any device, from computers to smart phones, tablets, routers, and smart devices such as TVs.
What this meansAll computers and personal devices such as cell phones will need to be updated to protect against attacks which use these vulnerabilities to steal sensitive information such as passwords
What to look for | How to tell if you're at risk
If you are using a device which uses a processor from Intel, AMD, or ARM - you may be at risk. This represents the vast majority of end user devices.
What to doMitigation - Ensure that all software on all your devices is up to date. Some updates have been released, and more are expected to be released over the coming weeks and months as manufacturers and vendors respond to these vulnerabilities.
In particular, ensure your operating system and browser are updated. If you have a device which is no longer receiving updates, you should consider upgrading or replacing it, to ensure you can get the latest security updates.
CERT NZ’s advice on End-of-Life Devices - Updates have been issued (or will soon be issued) for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome browser and Firefox. A more comprehensive list may be found at https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA18-004A External Link .
More informationIf you require more information or further support, submit a report on the CERTNZ website or contact them on 0800 CERTNZ.
| A CERTNZ release || January 8, 2018 |||
Jan 4, 2018 - Nineteen maintenance workers at Silver Fern Farms Takapau are very disappointed that instead of improving their offer after today’s strike action, the company has made the offer even worse. Before the workers took industrial action, the company had offered a 1.5% increase as back pay for the nine months prior, followed by 2% increase at the time of settlement.
Dec 28, 2017 - Were you aware that back in November 2017, Dropbox and AutoCAD became best buddies? By connecting your Dropbox account to AutoCAD, Dropbox users can now open and save DWG files directly to Dropbox without leaving the AutoCAD desktop application. This is particularly useful for a number of reasons; Short on disk space, Contractor access to your files, Not using selective etcTo link AutoCAD to a Dropbox account, follow these steps as described by Peter Crawley of CADPRO Systems:
Continue here to the read Peter's full article || December 28, 2017 |||
Dec 27, 2017 - If 2017 was the year of the ICO, 2018 will be the year of the great ICO hangover. It will also be the year major financial institutions adopt digital assets, and mark the birth of hybrid blockchains.
Dec 22, 2017 - Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway today announced the minimum wage will rise 75 cents to $16.50 per hour on April 1. The 4.8 percent increase will directly benefit 164,000 people, and will increase wages throughout the economy by $129 million per year, Lees-Galloway said in a statement.
Dec 22, 2017 - Allbirds, the merino wool shoe company co-founded by former New Zealand soccer star Tim Brown, has expanded into its third global market, launching in Australia last month, and it’s eyeing up more markets for next year.
San Francisco-based Allbirds started selling its minimalist woollen sneakers direct to consumers in March 2016 and has online operations in the US and New Zealand, shops in San Francisco and New York, and a steady stream of pop-up outlets. It began selling online in Australia on Nov. 21 in response to customer demand from the world’s biggest merino producing country.
Dec 22, 2017 - While the inaugural Kaeser Compressors Network Evening in Wellingtons’ Hutt Valley would be expected to generate local interest, it was the comments of director Paul Jessup that delivered as much discussion as the Metco’s new Seaview premises.
Metco is owned by Paul Jessup and Brent Greer, two men with a firm grip on running an engineering component supply operation in the digital machine age. Building on its established presence in the Japanese market supplying friction window stays, the company has leapt from strength to strength, necessitating a recent move to the new expanded Seaview premises. Metco joins a growing list of New Zealand companies that have turned away from the commodity driven markets of yesteryear, ignored the third world competition bleating and got on with building niche operations using our unique Kiwi strength of rapid turn around and a solution based approach. The results speak for themselves with a portfolio of 600 customers including the Defence Force, Parliament and Rocket Labs.
The amount of digitally controlled equipment is stunning and listening to Jessup’s description of the expandable potential gave the attendees a heartening glimpse of what is possible. Metco’s roots and mainstream activities come out of traditional brake pressing cutting and folding industry, with the adaption of the latest digital technology. “This technology is leading edge.” quoted Paul Jessp “The machines are a good example of how New Zealand Industry could be positioned, developing and applying the next era of machine tools. The potential of automated lazer welding is a prime example. We have the ability to think outside the square and the innovation and efficiency to rapidly deliver it. However, there is absolutely no political drive or backing to support our potential. The machine tool operations you see in front of you would be considered a trade in any other country, but here it is not recognised and there is absolutely no training capability offered by the technical education sector to satisfy it. The bums on seats mentality of the sector is costing this country dearly.” Metco have given up looking for by outside training and now recruits, trains and develops its entire specialised staff itself.
Digital technology provides infinite scalability meaning the team can quote in numbers from 1 to 1 million, but the key to success in Jessups view is Metcos’ ability to control the entire process from start to finish. Jessup and Greers innovative approach is not restricted to new age machine tools and customers needs however. Their ethos extends to their own older traditional brake presses where a looming problem with traditional noise issues was resolved by addressing the noise generated by the die shear action. The attendees were impressed by the quietness of the operation, a view shared by Worksafe.
The Kaeser Compressors Network Evening series is as much about highlighting the capabilities of local companies as it is about spectacular achievements or interesting maintenance challenges and the Metco evening proved once again that innovation is a thriving capabaility in New Zealand.
The MESNZ Kaeser Compressors Network Evenings are hosted to showcase local operations and provide networking opportunities for engineers across all regions of New Zealand. The evenings offer the opportunity to take a look at the host operation and discuss common issues and solutions in a relaxed after work environment. Open to interested members of the public, the nights are well patronised.
The Maintenance Engineering Society is active across New Zealand, providing professional development opportunities for maintenance engineers and manufacturing operations to network and share innovations and experiences; both at a national level at their annual national conference or at these regional events. The 2018 National Maintenance Engineering Conference will be held in Rotorua on November13-15.
Source: A MESNZ release || December 22, 2017
Dec 22, 2017 - Changes have been made to the $4.5million Unreinforced Masonry Building Securing Fund (URM Fund) in response to constraints building owners were facing while attempting to secure buildings. “Changes to the initiative will increase the flexibility of the URM Fund and allow it to be used for more activities,” says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.
“I am also seeking to extend the time before penalties are applied and I’ll make a further announcement about this and seek feedback on potential changes in the New Year.”
From mid-February 2018, building owners will be able to apply for:
up to $25,000 to secure either a single parapet or façade, or both (instead of $10,000 for a parapet and $15,000 for a façade) funding for work to remove non-heritage unreinforced masonry parapets and facades raising the funding cap to secure large and complex unreinforced masonry buildings.
Building owners can also apply to MBIE for funding towards the cost of an engineering assessment as soon as they receive an invoice from their engineer, rather than once all work has been completed.
The Hurunui/Kaikōura Earthquakes Recovery (Unreinforced Masonry Buildings) Order 2017 was introduced in February 2017 in response to heightened earthquake risk following the November 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes.
Earlier this year councils in affected areas identified buildings with unreinforced masonry elements that need to be secured to manage life safety risks. Building owners with unreinforced masonry parapets and facades that face into busy thoroughfares in Wellington, Hutt City, Blenheim and Hurunui were given a year (through to March 2018) to get this securing work done.
At that time, heightened seismic risk was expected to continue until December 2017. Updated forecasting shows that the heightened risk is still present, and is expected to continue for at least another six months. Securing work remains the most effective means of managing the life safety risks during this period.
While the affected councils and engineers have actively supported building owners to get the necessary work done, engineering and contracting capacity is stretched, and some buildings are larger and/or more complex to secure than anticipated.
“There can be no doubt we need to get this work done quickly, to ensure we are meeting our safety requirements, however these amendments respond to the practical constraints building owners and councils are facing. We are looking to give building owners more support to get this vital work done,” says Ms Salesa.
| A beehive release || December 22, 2017 |||
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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