25th February - AMA had the privilege of hosting 100 manufacturers at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare — an inspiring afternoon focused on sharing the MPAG (Minister’s Manufacturing Productivity Advisory Group) strategy, AMA’s role in delivering support initiatives, achievements to date plus an enthusiastic call to action with a focus on turning intent into execution — and shaping what comes next for manufacturing in Aotearoa New Zealand A huge thank you to Hon Chris Penk – Minister for Small Business & Manufacturing for addressing the group and reinforcing the Government’s commitment to supporting the crucial role manufacturing plays in New Zealand’s economic future. We were guided through the afternoon by our fantastic MC and AMA Chair, Sarah Ramsay, and inspired by our CEO, Catherine Lye, who shared the incredible breadth of work AMA is delivering including the launch of the Minister for Manufacturing Awards this week and how we are inspiring high school students about the marvels of modern manufacturing. Our presenters delivered powerful insights and practical pathways for manufacturers looking to lift productivity, capability, invest, and innovate. Special thanks to:
Timothy Armitage, Investment Manager - InvestNZ Showcasing the upcoming Investment Roadshow, kicking off in Christchurch 25th March — connecting manufacturers with capital, partners, and growth opportunities. Find out more & register to attend here - Manufacturing Futures Forum: Funding and Growth Pathways Tickets, Wednesday, Mar 25 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm | Eventbrite
Michael Barry, Head of Growth – Swell Introducing the R&D Tax Incentive pilot programme, designed to remove friction and help more Kiwi manufacturers innovate faster.The objective of the pilot programme in partnership with Swell Group is to increase the uptake of RDTI amongst a group of 20+ manufacturers who have not participated in the scheme.
Howard Fountaine - General Manager Manufacturing - APL Manufacturing Shared real world impacts from the pilot Earn as you Learn NZ Certificate in Manufacturing L3 programme in the Waikato region, and progress scaling the programme across Canterbury, Hutt Valley and Auckland. If you are a Manufacturer and interested in supporting this programme please contact Catherine Lye - CEO, AMA mob: 021-636-219
Dr Jan Polzer - University of Auckland Shared an update on the government's three-year funding to expand Digital Manufacturing Light (DM Light), helping SME manufacturers adopt practical digital tools without major capex.
Desh Edirisuriya - Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Presented on how manufacturing is being used as a competitive advantage, and how FPH think differently ‘not as a large company but as a 56-year-old start-up’
We wrapped up the session with a couple of our inspirational videos from The Future Makers campaign — such a powerful celebration of the talent, creativity, and world‑class capability within New Zealand’s manufacturing sector. Please like, share, repost and help amplify the brilliance of our manufacturing sector.
Campaign social media channels:
YouTube: AMA NZ | The Future Makers - YouTube
LinkedIN: Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa: Overview | LinkedIn
Instagram: Instagram
Tik Tok: AMA NZ | The Future Makers (@ama_nz_official) | TikTok
Facebook: (1) Facebook
Closing and Networking
The event closed with The Case for Manufacturing video followed by productive networking that sparked new connections and further discussion among attendees.
