The Star: September 15, 2016

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Thursday September 15 2016 23
Business
Tech industry vibrant in city
Rapidly
increasing
interest and
investment
CANTERBURY’S technology
industry is growing again
following the 2011 earthquake,
NZTech chief executive Graeme
Muller says.
The Canterbury tech summit
to be held in Christchurch today
is a sell-out which is not surprising
considering the rapidly
increasing interest and investment
in all things technology,
Mr Muller (left) said.
“Technology is growing at a
staggering pace around New
Zealand which now has about
29,000 tech firms, contributing
$16.2 billion to gross domestic
product, $6.3 billion in exports
and employing almost 100,000
Kiwis,” he said.
“Technology is New Zealand’s
fastest growing and third largest
export sector. Christchurch now
has its own vibrant tech sector.
It is one of New Zealand’s
top regions for IT businesses.
Christchurch companies include
the listed SLI Systems, Diligent
Board Books and Wynyard, as
well as global niche players such
as Tait, Trimble and Dynamic
Controls.
“The Canterbury Tech Cluster
is playing a big part in helping
technology growth in South Island’s
biggest city and they have
done a great job in organising
the big tech summit this week.
The timing is right for Canterbury
to step up as a leader in NZ
tech sector growth.
“With rebuild activities at a
turning point, a strong regional
tech network and a clearly defined
strategy for the Christchurch
tech sector, the Canterbury
tech community is in a healthy
position to help strengthen the
nation’s tech sector growth.
“The Canterbury tech sector
contributes $2.4 billion worth
of GDP and 14,837 jobs to the
local economy and combines
grass roots organisations with
large technology companies to
produce some of the best innovations
in New Zealand.
“Technology impacts almost
every aspect of our lives and is a
COMPETITIVE:
Graeme Muller
says the timing
is right for
Canterbury to
step up as a
leader in NZ
tech sector
growth.
very competitive global market.
Growth of the Canterbury
tech sector is important but it
is equally as important for all
regions to work together and
share knowledge to help grow
the nation’s economy.”
Physically New Zealand’s
biggest region, Canterbury
has a large agricultural sector
and is experiencing growth in
the precision agriculture sector.
NZTech is supporting the
Canterbury-based Precision
Agriculture Association of New
Zealand grow its members.
Log shortage
forces mill
closure
• By Tom Doudney
LOW VOLUMES of suitable logs
following the destructive 2013
wind storm have played a strong
hand in forcing the closure of
one Selwyn sawmill and put the
squeeze on others.
Hororata-based Selwyn Sawmills
is expected to close by the
end of October. The reduced income
due to low log volumes had
compounded requirements from
WorkSafe to make costly mill
upgrades for health and safety
reasons.
Selwyn Sawmills co-owner AJ
Halliday, whose great-grandfather
started the business in 1938, said
the volume of available logs in
Canterbury was only a third of
the tonnage needed to meet next
year’s demand.
She said the 2013 storm was a
major factor in the shortage, as it
had blown over about 70 per cent
of harvestable age trees.
“They all went to port or were
milled and there is a gap of about
10 years in plantation production
so all the mills in Canterbury are
really struggling,” Ms Halliday
said.
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