Exceptional Kiwi businesses and outstanding individuals who are driving industry productivity, innovation and job creation have been honoured at New Zealand’s inaugural Minister for Manufacturing Awards.

“Manufacturing fuels the economy by contributing over 8.4 percent to New Zealand’s GDP, generating more than 250,000 jobs and reinforcing our position as global competitor,” Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk says.

“The 2025 Minister for Manufacturing Awards celebrated the prosperity this industry drives and most importantly, the outstanding people behind it.”

 
Held at Christchurch’s premier industry showcase, SouthMACH, the event was hosted by Mr Penk in collaboration with Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa.

“The calibre of finalists and winners reflects the strength and diversity of New Zealand’s manufacturing sector - from suppliers of sustainably harvested timber, to developers of ground-breaking recycling technologies and producers of life-saving medical equipment,” Mr Penk says.

 

“These businesses are led by innovative thinkers and powered by skilled, hard-working Kiwis. Their success is something we can all take pride in and shows that manufacturing will continue to play a significant role in shaping New Zealand into a world-class economy.”

 

The awards recognise excellence across four key categories. The winners are:

 

EXCELLENCE IN PROCESS INNOVATION – supported by Swell Group

 

Winner:               Breadcraft Waiarapa Ltd

 

Commentary from the Judges:

Breadcraft is NZ’s largest privately owned bakery, based in the Wairarapa, a family-owned company in its fourth generation.  

 

According to the judges, this was a very close call amongst the very successful finalists.  

 

Breadcraft operate in a competitive market and have driven recent growth around differentiation on specialist products and new recipes that are underpinned by excellence in process innovation. Breadcraft have implemented multiple process improvement initiatives, companywide, from enhancing capability of existing machines, to implementing new equipment, new automation and manufacturing IT systems for real-time process control and visibility. Extensive training in process innovation across the organisation has driven the improvements and productivity gains. A transformation in just over two years which is now bringing multimillion-dollar international contracts back to New Zealand and exporting over 3,000,000 tortillas to Australia per annum. Breadcraft have grown their business, and team, while reducing waste and reducing energy consumption.   

 

Their structured and broad implementation, use of internal and external expertise, their teamwork, and results already achieved in a competitive market, were all contributors to the final winning result.   

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MANUFACTURING APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR – supported by Enztec

 

Winner:               Michael Vitale – Pacific Steel

 

Commentary from the Judges:

 

Michael shows all the attributes you could look for in an apprentice.  He has the clear backing and support of his business stakeholders for this application, showing the value he is bringing to their organisation.  We were particularly impressed with his dedication and discipline in working through and completing theory components well ahead of schedule, and his proactive approach to health and safety risks in some of his example projects.  Michael was articulate and thoughtful in his interview responses and showed great leadership potential.  All this was achieved while balancing work life commitments as a mature student.  Michael’s success has encouraged his employer to take other operations employees on the apprenticeship journey, fundamentally changing their approach to apprentice recruitment and forging a path for others.  We would encourage other organisations to look within for their talent. Michael embodies everything this award celebrates: resilience, innovation, and a commitment to growth, not just for himself but also for our industry and community.

Congratulations Michael

 

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EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING LEADERSHIP – supported by Lawson Williams Consulting Group

 

Winner:               Nathan Hay – General Manager, Argus ManuTech

 

Judges Commentary

 

Nathan is a passionate, modern manufacturing leader.  He is competent operationally, leverages data and continuous improvement to deliver quality, cost efficiency, and throughput.  He has championed the adoption of technology, leading the organisational transformation aligning both people and systems.

 

He builds trusted teams and fosters accountability. With strong commercial and supply chain insight, he drives decisions for growth and resilience, and with strategic focus, aligning long-term goals.

 

He has progressed from a storeman to General Manager but has ensured that he has educated himself in all the right areas. He excelled in his MBA class; he is very highly regarded by those that worked with him through SIRI assessments and Lean training.  He is in high demand to talk to others as an exemplary example of a change manager. He is a worthy recipient of this award.

 

Judges’ Commendation:

 

The judging panel would like to commend Dmitrey Carruthers - Gisborne Engineering as an Emerging Manufacturing Leader. 

There is no doubt this young man is on the path to really making a difference.  He has an impressive grasp of modern management tools for someone young who has only recently completed trade training and is largely self-taught.  He is as much a people leader as business manager.  His courage to attack and overcome some of the commercial and personnel challenges he has encountered in the last 2 years is well beyond his years, and academic training.   What he has achieved, his passion to learn, needed to be recognised.

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MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – supported by BNZ

 

Winner:               Douglas Pharmaceuticals

 

Commentary from the Judges:

Douglas Pharmaceuticals presented the complete package and deserved the accolade as Manufacturer of the Year.   Like other finalists Douglas began as a family business, but they have built on this people centric platform and taken it to the next level. Expansion of their West Auckland manufacturing facility and investment in new equipment over recent years has given them the flexibility to pivot their product model and become a leader in the soft gel market globally. 

Douglas continues to innovate to stay ahead of their competition, all the while empowering their people and delivering significant financial results.

They are the leader, the benchmark for the New Zealand manufacturing sector.  They are a worthy recipient of this award.

 

Judges’ Commendation - MEDSALV New Zealand

 

The judging panel would like to commend Medsalv New Zealand for their exceptional contribution to sustainable and innovative manufacturing within Aotearoa.  Although a young company, they demonstrate industry-leading ingenuity in redefining medical device sustainability through its pioneering reprocessing model. World-class quality assurance with deep environmental stewardship, delivering significant value not only to New Zealand’s healthcare sector but also to the planet. Their advanced manufacturing techniques, compliance with stringent safety standards, and commitment to circular economy principles have positioned them as a standout in this year’s applications.

 

The judges were particularly impressed by Medsalv’s ability to scale high-quality production while maintaining a relentless focus on reducing waste and emissions. Their collaboration with hospitals and health providers showcases how advanced manufacturing can drive both economic and social impact.

 

In addition, Medsalv’s inclusive hiring practices—creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals who were previously unemployed—are delivering tangible value both for the company and for the communities they serve. This approach reinforces their broader commitment to sustainability, resilience, and social responsibility.

 

Medsalv exemplifies the spirit of New Zealand innovation. We congratulate them on their outstanding achievements and contribution to the future of advanced manufacturing in New Zealand.

 

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“I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the outstanding businesses and individuals honoured at the awards ceremony, and a sincere thanks to everyone who entered and attended,” Mr Penk says. 

“Your dedication to building a thriving industry inspires the future generations of Kiwi makers and creators. I look forward to celebrating your achievements again at future Minister for Manufacturing Awards.”