Northland development agencies and marine industry seek growth

10 April, 2003

ENTERPRISE NORTHLAND MARINE DEVELOPMENT GROUP: MEDIA RELEASES 2003

A new economic development initiative is being mounted to support the growth of Northland's ship building and marine servicing businesses.

Regional economic development agency Enterprise Northland, in collaboration with Whangarei District development agency, Advance Whangarei , have established the Enterprise Northland Marine Development Group in recognition of the importance of the local marine industry to the regional economy.

The development group, which has had its first meeting, brings together eight businesses or representative organisations which, alone, provide 550 jobs.

The marine development group joins six other industry specific groups organised by Enterprise Northland that are focused on developing Pastoral Farming, Aquaculture, Forestry, Wood Processing, Tourism and the Creative Industries.

It is the first group to be jointly promoted by Enterprise Northland and Advance Whangarei Limited, and is seen by both economic development agencies as a clear signal of their intention to work collaboratively wherever this is desirable.

Both agencies believe that the region has the potential to become an internationally recognised centre of excellence in boat building.

The group is chaired by Enterprise Northland Trust ee, Malcolm Nicolson. The Deputy Chair is Rod Gates, a Director of Advance Whangarei Limited, the economic development agency established recently by the Whangarei District Council.

Mr Nicolson says that it seems highly competitive elements of the marine sector are already well established across the region.

"We are not starting from scratch, but we do need to lift our game to catch the benefits of New Zealand 's excellence for boat building, design and refits," Mr Nicolson says.

"A primary reason for facilitating this group is to encourage marine-related businesses across the region to regard each other as colleagues, and not competitors. Our real competition is in Australia , and around the Pacific rim ."

Mr Nicolson says marine businesses need to work together to improve quality standards, and to promote the marine capability of the region.

"To help everyone involved in this process, and some organisations that might be involved in the future, we plan to undertake research that will provide some basic information about the local industry. This will provide benchmarks that will help measure development progress."

Mr Nicolson says the development group plans to increase awareness of the importance of the marine industry to Northland.

Deputy Chair, Rod Gates, says that the marine industries clustered around the Port of Whangarei have a well-established reputation for boat building, ranging from the ANZAC Frigates to Super-Yachts, tugs, commercial vessels and smaller pleasure craft.

"We are told by the local industry that international demand for all of these classes is increasing, but that one of the major constraints on growth is that the existing infrastructure for launching, retrieving and mooring vessels in Port Whangarei is pretty much at capacity."

"Advance Whangarei hopes those on the development group, which include some of the most important businesses and representative organisations within the Northland marine industry, will see benefit in confirming the industry's self- assessment through formal study, and then help facilitate the investment and organisation needed to upgrade the facilities in the upper harbour."

For further information:
Rod Gates
Chairman
Enterprise Northland Marine Development Group
021 272 7089