About the Manufacturing & Operations Industry in New Zealand
The Manufacturing sector in New Zealand makes up 12% of New Zealand’s economy. The sector experienced decline since 2007, however in the last 5 years it has maintained growth.
New Zealand has a small open market economy. The history and current structure of manufacturing in New Zealand has been shaped by its geographical distance from its neighbouring trading partners, its generally good climate, small population and relatively large geographical area.
Our distance to markets initially constrained our manufacturing into producing commodity products that were easier to transport in bulk.
More recently, our export economy has diversified into a wider range of products due to the impacts of globalisation, the reduced cost of transport and investment in new technologies. For example, instead of exporting bulk ingredients our food industry is now able to produce and export value-added products.
Food and Beverage manufacturing is the largest subsector, contributing 32%. This sector has driven the growth of Manufacturing employment in New Zealand since 2013.
Growth and Demand in the Manufacturing Industry
Manufacturing is a large employer and has shown significant growth in employment since 2013. The largest region for manufacturing is Auckland where over a third of firms are based. This is followed by Waikato/Bay of Plenty and Canterbury.
Our manufacturing sector is made up largely of small businesses. There are only 300 manufacturing companies with more than 100 staff. One third of these are in the Food and Beverage sector and 51 are in the machinery and equipment sector.
More recently, manufacturing has seen the emergence of technology exporters in the medium and high tech sectors and on the whole, the industry is trending towards becoming increasingly digitized and automated.
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Production Manager
City:
Auckland
Job Type:
Permanent / Full Time
Date:
2/03/2026
The Opportunity
We’re looking for a proven Production Manager who’s ready to step into a leadership role that is about driving real change. If you thrive in environments where you're trusted to take ownership, build a strong team culture, and deliver tangible improvements, this is the opportunity for you. You’ll lead a 15-person team at a central Auckland timber machining and finishing site, with a clear mandate to streamline operations and drive continuous improvement.
About the Company
The …..
Reach Truck Driver
City:
Auckland
Job Type:
Temporary
Date:
10/02/2026
We are seeking a reliable Reach Forklift Operator to join our clients team. This role requires a Class 1 driver’s license with an F endorsement to perform additional tasks related to transportation and delivery.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Forklift Operation
Inventory Management
Order Picking
Stock Replenishment
Loading and Unloading Trucks
Delivery Preparation
Equipment Maintenance
General Warehouse Support
WHAT WE NEED
Full Class 1 driver’s license and F endorsement
Proven experience operating a reach forklift
Physically fit
Strong attention to detail
Excellent communication skills and the…..
Senior Project Manager and Process Engineer
City:
Tauranga
Job Type:
Full Time
Date:
16/02/2026
12 month contract position
Mount Maunganui location
Award Winning Multinational business
Our client is seeking a Senior Project Manager & Process Engineer with proven expertise in delivering capital projects within a manufacturing or production environment.
You’ll ideally hold an Engineering qualification and have experience in chemical manufacturing, storage, or a similar industry.
This is not your standard PM role! You’ll lead high value, high impact projects where accurate quoting, stake