Open source technology in the age of AI
With more organisations deploying gen AI across business functions, a new survey finds that leaders are increasingly turning to open source AI solutions to build out their tech stacks. Open source software has long been a critical part of the technology ecosystem. Commercial software typically requires a commercial license or subscription […]
Trillions to be unlocked in sustainable investment opportunities in Asia
Asia’s robust economic fundamentals present significant opportunities for scaling financing into sustainable development projects, even amid geopolitical headwinds and trade tensions, said policy and business leaders at the inaugural Hong Kong edition of Unlocking capital for sustainability. Against the backdrop of increasing global polarisation and accelerating climate change, Asia […]
Trump’s tariff: A test to Malaysia’s trade resilience
Dr Paul Anthony Maria Das is a Senior Lecturer for the School of Accounting and Finance at Taylor’s Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, Taylor’s University. Taylor’s Business School is the leading private business school in Southeast Asia for Business and Management Studies based on the 2025 QS World […]
Smarter growth, lower risk: Rethinking how new factories are built
A tailored, thoughtful combination of cutting-edge technologies, stronger contracting skills, and deep supply chain capabilities can get a new factory up and running—without costly delays. Today’s environment is giving manufacturers even more reasons to reassess their footprint strategies. For some, localisation of production may now seem increasingly attractive—particularly amid rising volatility […]
Zenno Astronautics and ANA Trading rollout superconducting space technologies in Japan
New Zealand-headquartered Zenno Astronautics (Zenno), the space superconductor company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ANA Trading to deploy Zenno’s superconducting technologies for space applications in the Japanese market. ANA Trading is a member of ANA Group, Japan’s leading airline group. With the slogan “Next Stop, Space”, ANA Group has […]
Countries successfully growing their manufacturing – and what they are doing right
From Brazil to Singapore, here’s how six countries are rethinking manufacturing. From the climate crisis and geopolitical headwinds to next-generation technologies, a series of complex challenges are rewriting the rulebook for global value chains. Against this backdrop, what are manufacturers and supply chain companies doing to ensure their operations are […]
Masdar City’s Net-Zero Model Sets Sustainability Benchmark, but AI Holds Key for Aging Cities, Experts Claim
A new white paper from Masdar City highlights the UAE’s leadership in net-zero urban development. Energy experts say that net-zero strategies could also be applied to most cities worldwide, even when the biggest challenge is in retrofitting old existing buildings. Built as a purpose-driven net-zero city, Masdar eliminates the need […]
How manufacturers can adapt to workforce changes through flexible working environments
Liam Merrick, sales engineer, ECI Solutions New Zealand’s manufacturing sector faces a significant challenge amid an ongoing skills and labour shortage. The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) reports that 71 per cent of employers can’t find skilled people, an increase from 40 per cent in 2022, and 90 per cent […]
From Survive to Thrive: FMCG Strategies for Growth and Profitability in 2025
Chris Foord, Partner, Argon & Co New Zealand As we look forward to 2025 the outlook for business and NZ are improving. Many businesses in 2024 were focused on the “survive till 2025” mindset, controlling costs and avoiding discretionary spend. Very few though forgot about the consumer/customer and the need […]
How to build the skills needed for the age of AI
AI is changing how we work and what skills workers need to thrive in a world of intelligent machines and cognitive computing. Only a sliver of education initiatives are devoted to AI and these are not yet integrated into most education systems. Collaborative initiatives between education and industry can accelerate […]
BW Converting launches e-learning platform for enhanced customer training
New online training solution complements on-site training, offers flexible learning options and helps customers manage workforce challenges BW Converting has launched an e-learning platform aimed at transforming customer training across its entire brand portfolio. Designed to provide flexibility and support operational efficiency, this online resource allows customers to access detailed […]
Clearing the Way: Accelerating Industry 4.0 Adoption through Global Benchmarking
Adam Sharman, Senior Partner, Dsifer Introduction As organisations look for productivity gains, competitive advantages in agility scalability and sustainability, more and more are looking to technology to support, augment or accelerate their operations. A recent report from Westpac identified that, whilst digital tech adoption is growing, New Zealand’s manufacturers have […]
Manufacturing and Production Industry is Fighting a 41% Increase in Ransomware Attacks over Four Years
By Sandra Lee, Managing Director of Southeast Asia and Korea, Sophos Wrapping up the first half of 2024, the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) is set to be the fastest growing region of the world economy1. It accounted for more than half of global GDP growth with the manufacturing industry becoming one of the key drivers over the years2, paving the way for APAC to be the world’s manufacturing and production hub. However, the industry is claiming a sad record in Sophos’ latest report with the highest growth in the percentage of organisations hit by ransomware in 2023, emphasizing the potential risk to the global production chain. Compared to all other industries that recorded a decrease in attacks last year, the manufacturing and production industry is one of the only three sectors with an increased attack rate of 9% other than healthcare (+7%) and financial services (+1%). A concerning percentage (65%) of organisations reported they were hit by ransomware last year, which was a notable increase from the previous years since 2020 (i.e. 24% in 2020). A majority (93%) of manufacturing organisations hit by ransomware in the past year claimed that cybercriminals attempted to compromise their backups during the attack. Of them, 53% of backup compromise attempts were successful. Additionally, three out of four ransomware attacks on manufacturing organizations (74%) resulted in data encryption, hitting the highest encryption rate for the sector in the last five years and the cross-sector average of 70% in 2024. Although most organisations hit by ransomware were able to identify the root cause of the attack, which exploited vulnerabilities and compromised credentials — malicious e-mails were identified as the root cause. Some organizations are still failing to implement key security measures that can demonstrably reduce their overall risk profile, resulting in a higher attack recovery cost. In […]