Latest news with #BankofNewZealand
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
New Zealand manufacturing activity expands in July, survey shows
SYDNEY, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Manufacturing activity in New Zealand rose in July, returning to levels of expansion seen during early 2025 after new orders and production metrics hit the highest level in three years, a survey showed on Friday. The Bank of New Zealand-Business NZ's seasonally adjusted Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) increased to 52.8 in July from a revised 49.2 in June. The new orders index rose to 54.2 from a revised 51.8 in the prior month. A reading above 50 indicates manufacturing activity is expanding, while anything below that threshold points to contraction. "Given the prevailing headwinds it is, perhaps, even more encouraging that the PMI has moved back into expansion. It will need to be sustained or nudge a bit higher to be consistent with our economic forecasts," BNZ senior economist Doug Steel said.
Scoop
05-08-2025
- Business
- Scoop
BNZ Research Identifies Key Drivers Of NZ Business Growth – And The Untapped Opportunities
Press Release – BNZ BNZs Growth Levers Insight Report, based on a survey of over 1,000 businesses across the country and in-depth case studies of six high growth companies, reveals what drives sustained business expansion and where the biggest gaps exist. New Zealand businesses excel at operational fundamentals, but many are missing strategic opportunities that could accelerate growth, new research from Bank of New Zealand reveals. 'We're at a pivotal moment for New Zealand business,' says Brandon Jackson, GM Growth Sectors at BNZ. 'The economic headwinds are slowly easing, and the enterprises that will truly thrive in the next phase won't just be those that successfully managed to weather the storm – they'll be the businesses that use this recovery period to make bold strategic choices that set them apart and give them a competitive edge.' BNZ's Growth Levers Insight Report, based on a survey of over 1,000 businesses across the country and in-depth case studies of six high growth companies, reveals what drives sustained business expansion and where the biggest gaps exist. The research tested a framework of 10 key factors – called 'growth levers' – that BNZ's Growth Sectors team developed from years of working alongside leading New Zealand businesses. Businesses were surveyed on which levers have contributed most to their success so far, and which they believe will matter most looking ahead. Customer focus dominates as the top growth lever, with 49% of businesses identifying it as critical to their success to date, followed by operational efficiency (38%) and people and culture (35%). 'These results show New Zealand businesses have built strong foundations,' says Jackson. 'Customer focus and operational efficiency are genuine strengths that have served companies well through challenging times.' Yet the research also uncovered significant untapped potential. Notably, only 13% of businesses cited innovation as a primary driver of growth to date, while even fewer – just 9% and 6% – highlighted professional advisors and market understanding, respectively – areas that can help businesses move beyond operational focus to strategic thinking. 'Many business owners find themselves working 'in' their business rather than 'on' it – getting caught up in daily firefighting and not having time for the strategic thinking that delivers sustainable competitive advantage,' Jackson says. 'As New Zealand's largest business bank, we see time and again that businesses that are able to break free to focus on strategy, innovation, and long-term planning consistently outperform.' Jackson says this operational focus might help explain New Zealand's broader productivity challenge. 'New Zealand's productivity growth has been stalled for years, averaging just 0.2% annually over the last decade, and we can't just recruit more staff or optimise processes to fix the underlying issues. 'While our businesses may run efficiently by local standards, we're competing globally against companies with access to deeper pools of capital and larger market scale. We need to be more strategic about innovation, which increasingly means technology and automation investment, to compete on the global stage. 'While structural factors like government policy and investment settings play a role, businesses can focus on what they can control. This means bringing in expert advice when needed, investing time in understanding their competitive landscape, and making deliberate choices about where to allocate resources. In our experience this helps businesses move from incremental growth to more transformational results.' When businesses get it right, results follow The companies profiled in the report demonstrated what's possible when businesses combine strong fundamentals with more strategic decision-making. Spring Sheep identified a global opportunity by recognising that dairy intolerance affected 68% of people worldwide, then innovated to solve it. They created a new breed of sheep that increased milk production from 60L to over 300L annually, making sheep milk commercially viable, and conducted clinical trials that showed their product is more digestible than cow milk. Auckland-based Independent Traffic Control enlisted professional advisors to improve their people and culture systems, improving their operational structure and boosting productivity through new reward initiatives. They also leveraged market intelligence to adapt, shifting focus from a contracting Auckland market to emerging regional growth. The path forward While the research reveals room for improvement in strategic areas, there are encouraging signals. When asked which levers will drive future growth, businesses showed growing appetite for investment, with more than a quarter (28%) now prioritising funding and capital as a key growth lever, up from 21%, suggesting companies are preparing to move beyond survival mode. For the businesses ready to seize this moment, BNZ has developed a practical five-step framework to help leaders assess and prioritise which growth levers could drive their next phase of expansion. BNZ is also scaling up its Growth Academy programme nationwide to help businesses develop these strategic capabilities through hands-on workshops and AI-powered planning tools. 'The fundamentals are strong, but sustaining resilient growth requires broader capabilities,' says Jackson. 'The businesses that combine operational excellence with the strategic levers will be the ones that truly thrive.' The complete Growth Levers Insight Report, including detailed business case studies and practical implementation tips, is available here. Note:
Scoop
05-08-2025
- Business
- Scoop
BNZ Research Identifies Key Drivers Of NZ Business Growth – And The Untapped Opportunities
Press Release – BNZ New Zealand businesses excel at operational fundamentals, but many are missing strategic opportunities that could accelerate growth, new research from Bank of New Zealand reveals. 'We're at a pivotal moment for New Zealand business,' says Brandon Jackson, GM Growth Sectors at BNZ. 'The economic headwinds are slowly easing, and the enterprises that will truly thrive in the next phase won't just be those that successfully managed to weather the storm – they'll be the businesses that use this recovery period to make bold strategic choices that set them apart and give them a competitive edge.' BNZ's Growth Levers Insight Report, based on a survey of over 1,000 businesses across the country and in-depth case studies of six high growth companies, reveals what drives sustained business expansion and where the biggest gaps exist. The research tested a framework of 10 key factors – called 'growth levers' – that BNZ's Growth Sectors team developed from years of working alongside leading New Zealand businesses. Businesses were surveyed on which levers have contributed most to their success so far, and which they believe will matter most looking ahead. Strong foundations, untapped potential Customer focus dominates as the top growth lever, with 49% of businesses identifying it as critical to their success to date, followed by operational efficiency (38%) and people and culture (35%). 'These results show New Zealand businesses have built strong foundations,' says Jackson. 'Customer focus and operational efficiency are genuine strengths that have served companies well through challenging times.' Yet the research also uncovered significant untapped potential. Notably, only 13% of businesses cited innovation as a primary driver of growth to date, while even fewer – just 9% and 6% – highlighted professional advisors and market understanding, respectively – areas that can help businesses move beyond operational focus to strategic thinking. 'Many business owners find themselves working 'in' their business rather than 'on' it – getting caught up in daily firefighting and not having time for the strategic thinking that delivers sustainable competitive advantage,' Jackson says. 'As New Zealand's largest business bank, we see time and again that businesses that are able to break free to focus on strategy, innovation, and long-term planning consistently outperform.' Jackson says this operational focus might help explain New Zealand's broader productivity challenge. 'New Zealand's productivity growth has been stalled for years, averaging just 0.2% annually over the last decade, and we can't just recruit more staff or optimise processes to fix the underlying issues. 'While our businesses may run efficiently by local standards, we're competing globally against companies with access to deeper pools of capital and larger market scale. We need to be more strategic about innovation, which increasingly means technology and automation investment, to compete on the global stage. 'While structural factors like government policy and investment settings play a role, businesses can focus on what they can control. This means bringing in expert advice when needed, investing time in understanding their competitive landscape, and making deliberate choices about where to allocate resources. In our experience this helps businesses move from incremental growth to more transformational results.' When businesses get it right, results follow The companies profiled in the report demonstrated what's possible when businesses combine strong fundamentals with more strategic decision-making. Spring Sheep identified a global opportunity by recognising that dairy intolerance affected 68% of people worldwide, then innovated to solve it. They created a new breed of sheep that increased milk production from 60L to over 300L annually, making sheep milk commercially viable, and conducted clinical trials that showed their product is more digestible than cow milk. Auckland-based Independent Traffic Control enlisted professional advisors to improve their people and culture systems, improving their operational structure and boosting productivity through new reward initiatives. They also leveraged market intelligence to adapt, shifting focus from a contracting Auckland market to emerging regional growth. The path forward While the research reveals room for improvement in strategic areas, there are encouraging signals. When asked which levers will drive future growth, businesses showed growing appetite for investment, with more than a quarter (28%) now prioritising funding and capital as a key growth lever, up from 21%, suggesting companies are preparing to move beyond survival mode. For the businesses ready to seize this moment, BNZ has developed a practical five-step framework to help leaders assess and prioritise which growth levers could drive their next phase of expansion. BNZ is also scaling up its Growth Academy programme nationwide to help businesses develop these strategic capabilities through hands-on workshops and AI-powered planning tools. 'The fundamentals are strong, but sustaining resilient growth requires broader capabilities,' says Jackson. 'The businesses that combine operational excellence with the strategic levers will be the ones that truly thrive.' The complete Growth Levers Insight Report, including detailed business case studies and practical implementation tips, is available here.
Finextra
02-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
BNZ accelerates credit access for SMEs with RDC.AI
(formerly Rich Data Co), a global leading explainable AI decisioning platform for business and commercial lenders, today announced its collaboration with Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) to launch the Merchant Flexi Loan, an innovative cashflow-based, unsecured lending solution that enables small businesses to receive tailored offers and loan approval in minutes. 0 Fast access to credit is essential for small businesses, which represent 97 per cent of New Zealand businesses,[1] enabling the flexibility and control to grow and thrive. Powered by advanced decisioning platform, the Merchant Flexi Loan application analyses terminal transaction data and cashflow history patterns to deliver tailored loan decisions - no financial statements needed. The platform also supports dynamic credit offers and embedded monitoring. This capability helps BNZ offer merchants the flexibility to choose repayments between 10-30 per cent of daily settled terminal sales, based on their business performance. This gives merchants control over their repayment schedule based on their business conditions. Eligible merchants can be approved in as little as three minutes and receive funds within two business days - setting a new benchmark for speed in the market. The loan is offered on a simple, one-off fee structure with no interest, providing cost certainty and transparency for small businesses. BNZ customers are already using the loan to support business expansion and equipment investment, citing its speed and ease of use as a welcome additional option in the lending market. Ada Guan, CEO and Co-Founder of said: "We're excited to collaborate with BNZ to support New Zealand's SME economy through this AI-driven merchant lending solution and launch an innovative cashflow lending structure. Our explainable AI empowers banks to offer businesses the financial flexibility, transparency and rapid access to capital they need to thrive. 'At innovative and accessible access to credit sits at the core of what we do. Limited resources and dependence on customer payments shouldn't hinder business growth - or potentially halt operations during a crisis when access to funds becomes critical. We're helping more businesses access innovative credit solutions and giving them better control over their working capital." Karna Luke, Executive, Customer Products & Services at BNZ, added: "Small businesses are the backbone of New Zealand's economy, and timely access to credit is critical for their operations and growth. Our Merchant Flexi Loans enable us to deliver swift, innovative, and responsive cashflow lending solutions that meet the evolving needs of our small business customers. We're delighted to offer this simple and flexible solution and provide customers with another option for access to credit during critical moments in their business." The BNZ Merchant Flexi Loan, powered by is now available to eligible merchant customers across New Zealand, underscoring BNZ and shared commitment to driving innovation and support for the SME sector.
Techday NZ
01-07-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
RDC.AI & BNZ launch AI-driven cashflow loans for NZ SMEs
has announced a partnership with Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) to launch the Merchant Flexi Loan, a cashflow-based unsecured lending solution designed for small businesses. Loan approval in minutes The collaboration introduces a new model to SME lending in New Zealand, giving eligible merchants the opportunity to receive tailored loan offers and approval within minutes. Using explainable artificial intelligence decisioning platform, the solution enables businesses to access funds without the need for financial statements. The Merchant Flexi Loan leverages terminal transaction data and cashflow history to assess borrower eligibility. Dynamic credit offers and embedded monitoring also form part of the platform, allowing repayment terms to be adjusted in line with business performance. Merchants can select repayments of between 10 to 30 per cent of daily settled terminal sales, allowing for flexibility according to ongoing cashflow. According to and BNZ, qualifying applicants may be approved in as little as three minutes, with disbursed funds available within two business days. The product uses a one-off fee structure, with no interest charged, aimed at providing certainty and transparency for borrowers. Support for small business Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent a significant portion of the New Zealand economy, accounting for 97 per cent of all businesses, according to data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Fast access to credit is seen as an essential factor in supporting their ongoing operations and growth. BNZ has stated that its customers are already making use of the Merchant Flexi Loan, particularly for purposes such as business expansion and equipment investment. The bank attributes early adoption to the product's speed and ease of access, positioning it as an additional option within the lending market. Statements from and BNZ We're excited to collaborate with BNZ to support New Zealand's SME economy through this AI-driven merchant lending solution and launch an innovative cashflow lending structure. Our explainable AI empowers banks to offer businesses the financial flexibility, transparency and rapid access to capital they need to thrive. At innovative and accessible access to credit sits at the core of what we do. Limited resources and dependence on customer payments shouldn't hinder business growth – or potentially halt operations during a crisis when access to funds becomes critical. We're helping more businesses access innovative credit solutions and giving them better control over their working capital. Ada Guan, CEO and Co-Founder of outlined the objective of making lending more accessible for small businesses, emphasising that business operations should not be restrained by cashflow constraints or the need for immediate resources. Guan said the partnership with BNZ is intended to address these challenges directly through technology. Small businesses are the backbone of New Zealand's economy, and timely access to credit is critical for their operations and growth. Our Merchant Flexi Loans enable us to deliver swift, innovative, and responsive cashflow lending solutions that meet the evolving needs of our small business customers. We're delighted to offer this simple and flexible solution and provide customers with another option for access to credit during critical moments in their business. Karna Luke, Executive, Customer Products & Services at BNZ, noted that the launch responds to the needs of SMEs, describing the offer of a new lending product as a way of supporting businesses at key moments. Availability The BNZ Merchant Flexi Loan, powered by technology, is now available to eligible merchant customers throughout New Zealand. Follow us on: Share on:
