All “Technology” topics

As New Zealand’s supply chains continue to adjust to geopolitical volatility, climate risk and rising customer expectations, attention is turning to how technology will shape operational resilience through 2026. Rather than a single breakthrough, the next phase appears defined by a steady integration of digital tools, a theme that is emerging from recent industry analysis by Middlebank Consulting Group.

DHL Supply Chain’s (DHL) newest Life Sciences and Healthcare (LSHC) facility in Auckland arrives at a time when demand for compliant, resilient health logistics continues to climb. Rising volumes of biologics, stricter cold-chain requirements, and lessons from recent supply disruptions have sharpened expectations across the sector. The new Te Kapua Drive facility responds directly to those pressures, adding significant capacity while introducing technology and design features that signal where the industry is heading.

While some of the technology behind railway engineering and operations has been around for many years, the sector continues to evolve to address challenges including decarbonisation, digitisation, asset management and safety, and the risks of climate change.

John Gardiner, writing elsewhere in this issue, notes a number of key improvements in technology that continue to make rail competitive. Not far from home, there are other major technological changes that could also improve the service offered by rail.

The logistics sector has long balanced on the tightrope between rugged operational reality and fast-moving technological possibility. But in 2025, the signals are clear: successful logistics operators are turning to technology not just to keep up, but to get ahead.

In a first for New Zealand’s logistics and pharmaceutical sectors, Douglas Pharmaceuticals has utilised Kardex to install the country’s first AutoStore™ system at its headquarters in Henderson, West Auckland. The leap into robot-powered automation is already redefining warehouse operations.

Cybercrime is set to cost global economies more than $20 trillion U.S. dollars by 2026. The logistics industry has been forced to adapt to an increasingly digital world. New technologies like AI and automation promise to streamline operations and enhance operations, but digitisation creates vulnerabilities as cybercriminals seek to exploit these advances for their own financial gain. 

A key piece of the network that will deliver more accurate and reliable GNSS positioning across New Zealand and Australia is fast taking shape near Invercargill. At least six high-tech jobs will be created in Southland to operate the Awarua centre, due for completion by mid-2024.

A new multi-million-dollar aircraft designed by Kiwi aeronautical engineers is set to help governments and humanitarian organisations save lives during natural disasters and fight the impact of climate change in some of the world’s most inaccessible regions.

One New Zealand (One NZ) has recently partnered with SpaceX’s satellite unit Starlink to provide nationwide direct-to-cell coverage. The partnership was announced as part of plans to provide coverage to 100 per cent of the country and could spell the end of blackspots once and for all.

With a vision to maximise storage space and revenue, automate storage systems and capitalise on a booming growth market, Boxman Managing Director Mat Charles knew there had to be a better way to offer container storage in New Zealand.

A combination of problems facing the trucking industry opened the opportunity for a new kind of solution: autonomous technology for heavy-duty trucks.

Auckland Transport (AT) has selected Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform to deliver an AI-enhanced video feed to optimise transport routes, promote public transportation, and support decision-making for law enforcement.

Firms are currently facing highly turbulent environments, with strong doses of dynamism, complexity, and uncertainty. Work has become knowlege intensive and geographically dispersed. In such a context, knowing the mechanisms that allow organisations to detect environmental changes and being able to adapt and offer the proper response to them becomes especially relevant.

Samuel Vye, co-founder of Tauranga’s Envico Technologies (formerly Environment & Conservation Technologies), discusses with Daniel Dunt the future of drones in conservation efforts, problems facing the industry, and why this innovative technology is not only for big business.