Manufacturing
Manufacturing in the Waikato has largely been born out of the Dairy industry. It generally consists of food processing, packaging, stainless steel and electrotechnologies manufacture. The diversity of the sector is enormous - made up of 2000 businesses across the region, employing 20,520 workers in 2008.
In 2006 approximately 19 percent of the core Waikato economy was made up of primary processing and manufacturing. (n.b. the next highest contributors were Business Services at 12.6% and Farming and other primary industry at 8.6%). Thus it is a significant industry in the Waikato, and the region has approximately 10 percent more manufacturing employees than the national average (Statistics New Zealand).
In 2006 in the Waikato the following sales of manufacturing products were achieved by major exporters
| Sector |
Rank (Top 10 Exporters) |
Sales ($m) | Jobs (Employment Count) |
| Dairy Processing | 1 | 2153.1 | 2980 |
| Basic Metal Products | 2 | 258.5 | 560 |
|
Electronic Manufacturing |
4 | 127.4 | 410 |
| Agricultural Machinery | 5 | 124.7 | 610 |
| TOTAL | 2663.7 | 4560 |
There are also niche manufacturing industries in the Waikato in aviation, plastics, electronics and automation, trailer manufacture, marine and aluminium extrusions.
A high degree of specialisation is needed in the manufacturing workplace today, particularly with the increasing trend for state-of-the-art technology taking the place of labour performing repetitive tasks. This machinery requires expertise to operate it, and a host of new technician and technologist roles to develop and write the software designed to instruct the machinery to perform the tasks, and to maintain such technology. These engineering technician and technologist roles are where the future growth in employment will be.
Career and Education Paths in Manufacturing
Some key Waikato Manufacturing Companies
Fonterra Co-operative Group is the giant of the New Zealand dairy industry. It is owned by around 11,600 dairy farmers nationwide - over 3,000 in the Waikato region. In 2008 Fonterra had 5,500 staff. Fonterra operates Dairy factories in Te Rapa, Waitoa, Tirau, Morrinsville and Hautapu in the Waikato region, and its Head Office is situated in Hamilton.
One of the top ten companies in the world, Fonterra is the leading exporter of dairy products and is responsible for a third of all international dairy trade supplying 140 countries globally. Fonterra accounts for a considerable 7% of the nation's Gross Domestic product and over 90% of all dairy production in New Zealand.
Fonterra offers considerable opportunities to develop a career both nationally and internationally. Careers can be in manufacturing, product development or in the corporate arena including international marketing.
Other dairy companies in the Waikato include Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company, and Open Country Cheese Company Ltd.
The Gallagher Group is a significant locally owned company that produces Animal Management Systems and security systems which it sells in the local market and all over the world. In 2008 the Gallagher Group employed 410 people on site in Hamilton, where it has its head office.
Stafford Engineering is a successful medium sized business employing 35 very skilled engineers, designing and manufacturing stainless steel food processing machinery, e.g. icecream making machinery, for New Zealand and the world.
Employment/Education Paths
The various industry roles within manufacturing have changed name over the years to all be broadly described as "engineers". There are many engineering disciplines e.g. structural, plastics, mechanical, etc and at many levels e.g. trades, technician, diploma, degree and post graduate. There are also important management and leadership roles in manufacturing in terms of financial planning, human resource management, production planning and logistics.
Broadly, engineering roles can be classified as Trades, Engineering Technicians, Engineering Technologists and Professional Engineers. Waikato Engineering Careers Association (WECA) role is to facilitate people into work in the Waikato engineering sector.
The engineering tradesperson's career path can take the form of a pre-employment course (such as that offered by Wintec), and/or, a modern apprenticeship which will begin once they are signed on with an employer. The employer will usually work with the Industry Training Organisation (ITO) e.g. Competenz to put in place a training plan. This is likely to be a mix of on-the-job training, perhaps in accordance with Skills 4 Work, who will manage the apprentice's training, and off-site training which may involve block courses at an Institute of Technology such as Wintec.
The next level of study for those with the academic aptitude would be the National Diploma of Engineering, a two year full time programme run through Wintec. This can also be offered part-time to employees. Graduation from this programme will qualify the person as an engineering technician, capable of dealing with well-defined engineering problems and activities. Engineering technicians focus on practical applications. They are typically experts in installing, testing and monitoring equipment and systems, operating and maintaining advanced plant, and managing or supervising tradespeople in these activities. Technicians may develop expertise in aspects of design and development processes - for example, structural design detailing using advanced software, development of mechanical components and systems, manufacturing or process plant modification, customisation of electrical and electronic equipment, or the construction of experimental equipment or prototypes.
The next step is that of an engineering technologist, whose work usually involves applying current and emerging technologies and they may also contribute to the advancement of particular technologies. A three year Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BEngTech) degree from the likes of Wintec is the underpinning qualification. This qualification can later staircase into a Bachelor of Engineering (BE).
Professional engineers work in areas requiring specialist engineering knowledge - analysing, solving and managing complex engineering problems. They take responsibility for the largest engineering projects, sometimes worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Most professional engineers hold four-year Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degrees, such as that offered by the University of Waikato.
Future
The current economic climate has seen a global downturn in manufacturing. The Waikato Manufacturing sector is likely to be relatively resilient as it is predominantly based around food processing, niche engineering design for food processing equipment, packaging and the manufacturing of products for the agricultural sector.
Any increase in commitment to producing value-added food innovation within New Zealand will provide greater opportunity to the Waikato manufacturing sector. The Waikato also has a strong research and development sector supporting the primary sector, which may result in local manufacture of innovative products.
When interviewed in 2009, most large Waikato manufacturing companies see their businesses continuing to expand in niche areas. Some see international competition continuing to have an adverse impact on the sector generally, with a reduction in the number of businesses - particularly the smaller ones. Some of these may be taken over by larger companies.
Most Waikato manufacturing companies believe that there will be an increased need for staff with technical skills and abilities in product development and innovation. As an example, Roger Evans, director of Stafford Engineering Ltd, has identified a need for "smart young people entering our industry at all levels so we have the people resources in the future that will ensure we maintain prosperity and viability as an industry."
