Exciting export products on their way
Innovative research that aims to increase the economic impact of New Zealand's manufactured goods and services on the
global export market is to receive significant investment from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Eighteen projects will share a total of $22m per annum to carry out important research to generate exports in the
manufacturing and service industries area, as part of the final year of a three year reinvestment process run by the
Foundation.
The successful research projects include the development of innovative building products, 'smart' food packaging and the
production of high value chemicals from New Zealand's renewable materials.
Pat Garden, who chaired the panel of experts that made the funding recommendations, says the Foundation received many
more proposals than it could fund, but is certain the contestable investment process has resulted in the selection of
the projects that are of the greatest benefit to New Zealand.
"It was a highly competitive round with very strong overbidding, which meant a lot of good projects that the Foundation
would have liked to fund could not be included. However, the Foundation had very clear expectations about what the
research must offer - and I'm confident the process has resulted in a very high quality selection of programmes.
A big positive change the panel noted in its decision-making process was the increase of researchers' involvement with
end-users in the manufacturing and services industries. For example, the level co-funding from industry has increased
from 3.8% to 33% since the last investment round in this area.
Pat Garden says: "This increase in involvement with stakeholders and industry means the research outcomes will be much
more effective.
"Firstly, industry involvement ensures the research is needed, and secondly it means that the Foundation - as an
investor - can be really confident that the research being undertaken will be economically successful, thanks to the
integration of scientific and business skills."
* The Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) will receive $5.8m from the Foundation over the next six years to
develop a suite of innovative new building products for the export market. Composite Structural Assemblies (CSAs)
combine a base of light gauge steel with other building materials to achieve performance standards well above those of
their individual components. Buildings with CSA systems will have increased energy efficiency and better performance for
the same or lower cost in terms of acoustics, fire resistance, weather-tightness and seismic performance. The
researchers have raised more than $5m in co-funding from industry partners NZ Steel, Dimond, Winstone Wallboards,
Grayson Engineering, and Tandarra Engineering. They will also be collaborating with the Universities of Waikato and
Auckland.
The HERA programme will develop the knowledge platform to produce CSA systems for export as well as an industry-driven
range of products, starting with a wall and a floor system. In parallel, it will coordinate an industry sector to
achieve ongoing development and sale of new systems beyond the contract period.
* Strong end-user linkages are also evident within a unique research programme that aims to unlock profitable markets
for high value fresh foods through the development of new functional packaging technologies.
Forest Research and its partners in this programme, Canesis Network Ltd, Crop and Food Research, Massey University, the
University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, will receive $5.6m over four years from the Foundation to
develop novel packaging solutions that will improve the shelf life and quality of exported fresh foods.
Forest Research has developed extensive relationships with packaging manufacturers, food producers and exporters to
carry out this programme.
Initially, the research will target niche horticultural and chilled seafood sectors that offer substantial growth
potential. Developed technologies may then be adapted to high volume meat, dairy and floriculture exports. Forest
Research estimates economic benefits of $171m in just the two target sectors are attainable after five years, if the
objectives of this programme are achieved.
* A new programme led by the Biopolymer Network - a grouping of Forest Research, Canesis Network Ltd, Crop and Food
Research and the University of Auckland, will receive $10m over six years in order to develop a new industry in New
Zealand creating polymers from biological materials to serve an increasing global demand for chemicals from renewable
materials, as an alternative to petrochemicals.
The scientists will produce valuable chemicals from New Zealand's natural materials such as bark, wool and industrial
crops, for the domestic and global market. Spin- off benefits will be economic through reducing reliance on
petrochemicals, environmental, through reducing wastes, and social through job creation.
For a full list of programmes funded in this investment round go to http://www.frst.govt.nz/research/index.cfm after 10.30am today.