Latest news with #Small
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Excellence Celebrated At First-Ever Minister For Manufacturing Awards
Press Release – New Zealand Government Manufacturing fuels the economy by contributing over 8.4 percent to New Zealands GDP, generating more than 250,000 jobs and reinforcing our position as a global competitor, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing Chris Penk says. Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing 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 a 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 yesterday evening 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: Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year supported by Enztec: Michael Vitale – Pacific Steel Michael is working towards his Mechanical Engineering apprenticeship through Competenz at Pacific Steel. His early completion of theory components and impressive focus on health and safety in example projects shows remarkable dedication, and his success has encouraged the company to open apprenticeships to other operations employees. Excellence in Manufacturing Leadership supported by Lawson Williams Consulting: Nathan Hay – Argus ManuTech Nathan Hay is a passionate manufacturing leader who has championed technology adoption, grown the workforce and empowered his team through focused upskilling. Mr Hays has led impactful partnerships, including med-tech ventures with MARS Bioimaging, that highlight how progressive manufacturing can drive positive social and environmental outcomes. Excellence in Process Innovation supported by Swell Group: Breadcraft Wairarapa Ltd Breadcraft Wairarapa is a fourth-generation artisan bakery that's been proudly baking in Masterton since 1942. Through innovative brands like Rebel Bakehouse, they're combining tradition, sustainability and creativity to lead New Zealand's baking evolution. Manufacturer of the Year supported by BNZ: Douglas Pharmaceuticals Douglas Pharmaceuticals specialises in high-barrier prescription medicines, produced in FDA and TGA-certified GMP facilities. They have grown from a family business into a people-focused industry leader that is continually innovating and delivering strong financial results. Douglas Pharmaceuticals sets the benchmark for NewZealand manufacturing and is a worthy recipient of this award. '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.'
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley reveals real reason he's returned to the soap after secretly moving abroad
EMMERDALE star Ryan Hawley has revealed the real reason for his soap return - after secretly moving abroad. The actor has Advertisement 4 Ryan Hawley has revealed why he has returned to Emmerdale Credit: ITV 4 Aaron was stunned by his ex-husband's sudden reappearance Credit: ITV 4 Robert was last seen on the soap in 2019 Credit: ITV His dramatic return to the soap came amid his ex Aaron about to get married. Speaking to press, Ryan has shared the real reason behind his big Emmerdale comeback. The actor said: "I have been able to do some cool stuff while I have been away. "I've got to do things like All Creatures Great and Small, Miss Scarlet, Casualty and Silent Witness. Advertisement Read more on Emmerdale 'I wasn't as busy as I would have liked, but that meant I got to be around my kids a lot, so I was very lucky.' Meanwhile, he had also moved to Brazil with his wife and young children. Ryan added: 'It was great and such a nice life experience." The Sun exclusively revealed Ryan Advertisement Most read in Soaps Exclusive A source speaking at the time said: 'Ryan has a lot of respect for the show and its fans and he really wanted to give them a treat so he agreed to come back for a brief stint. 'It's going to be a huge surprise for fans especially the Robron fans who have missed Robert desperately since Ryan quit. Emmerdale fans work out explosive twist as John Sugden arrives in the village - and they aren't happy 'Nothing was seen as being too extreme to keep the secret with fake names on scripts, smuggling him in and out of the studios and keeping everything very tight.' Aaron Dingle's biggest storylines The character Aaron Dingle (formerly Livesy) made his Emmerdale debut all the way back in 2003. Current actor Danny Miller took on the role in 2008. Here are some of Aaron's biggest soap storylines over the years. McFarlane family: After Aaron returns to the village in 2008, he is arrested by Ross Kirk (Samuel Anderson) for possession of drugs. His mother Coming to terms with his homosexuality: Initially, Aaron Romantic advance towards Adam Barton: At one point, Aaron begins dating Holly Barton (Sophie Powles) and befriends Child sexual abuse: In 2015, it was revealed Aaron had been sexually abused by his father Gordon (Gary Mavers) when he was from the age of 8 before Gordon kicked him out. Ultimately, Gordon was imprisoned years later - but took his own life while in prison. Relationship with Jackson Walsh: Aaron and Jackson Walsh (Marc Silcock) started dating after a tumultuous start to knowing each other. Their story ultimately ended in heartbreak, as Jackson died by assisted suicide. Suicide attempt: A harrowing storyline from 2010 saw a then-teenage Aaron attempt to take his own life. Relationship with Robert Sugden: Aaron and long-standing character Robert Sugden were romantically linked following the latter's return in 2014. Nicknamed "Robron", the pair married in 2018, however, Robert exited the soap in 2019. The star - who played scheming Advertisement ITV ITVX ahead of its usual 7am broadcast in an effort to maintain the surprise for fans. Which Sugden brother will Aaron choose to be with? Emmerdale airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4 Aaron is about to marry Robert's killer brother John Sugden Credit: ITV Advertisement
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Energy Competition Task Force Roadmap To Reward Industrial Demand Flexibility
Press Release – Electricity Authority The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is seeking feedback on an industrial demand flexibility issues and options paper that sets out the vision and roadmap. The paper seeks input into how best to unlock more industrial demand flexibility. The Energy Competition Task Force (the Task Force) has today set out its proposed vision and roadmap for unlocking industrial demand flexibility. The aim is to better support electricity market reliability and benefit consumers by promoting a competitive, reliable, and efficient electricity industry. The Task Force has also released an update paper on its power purchase agreements (PPAs) work to support more new intermittent generation development, such as wind and solar. Industrial demand flexibility The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is seeking feedback on an industrial demand flexibility issues and options paper that sets out the vision and roadmap. The paper seeks input into how best to unlock more industrial demand flexibility. This could include payments to industrial consumers to reduce demand for short periods, where this is efficient and is likely to deliver long-term benefit for consumers. The roadmap proposes 11 actions to better incentivise short-term flexibility in the electricity market from industrial consumers to support both reliability and competition. 'The need for flexibility in our electricity system is becoming increasingly important as the level of intermittent generation – such as from solar and wind – increases and thermal generation declines,' says Commerce Commission Chair and Task Force member, Dr John Small. 'Currently, bigger electricity users might adjust their demand to avoid paying high costs for energy, but we believe in certain circumstances it may be appropriate to pay them to provide that flexibility. This could help these consumers to plan and invest with more certainty, while also supporting electricity supply reliability for the longer term,' says Small. Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko Chair and Task Force member Anna Kominik says: 'Industrial demand flexibility can be particularly useful during times of very high demand and tight supply, such as winter mornings and in the evenings. Its potential is expected to grow over time, including as new industrials come online, such as new industries and data centres particularly those optimised for this form of flexibility. 'We know that electricity supply is currently very tight, so we've identified two actions that could be in place ahead of winter 2026. We'll shortly seek input from stakeholders on a proposed Emergency Reserve Scheme and intend to set up an industry co-design group process to develop a standardised tradeable product for industrial demand flexibility. 'We are proposing nine further actions over the next five years to help lay the foundations for efficient use of demand flexibility across the electricity system – and we're interested to hear stakeholder views on these,' said Kominik. Power purchase agreements The Task Force has considered submitters' feedback and determined that its initial proposal to allocate firming for PPAs is not the best way to encourage investment in new power generation projects. The Task Force has identified this option risks distortions to efficient market operations, which could negatively impact investment in new generation and lead to higher prices for consumers in the long term. Instead, the Task Force considers access to firming is best addressed via ongoing work on standardised flexibility products and the proposed level playing field measures (particularly the non-discrimination obligations), as well as complementary initiatives to encourage PPAs. These options enable new investment without the risks associated with allocation. This new approach is set out in an update paper. Visit the Task Force webpage for more information about both papers and details on how to have your say on the industrial demand flexibility consultation. Notes: About the Energy Competition Task Force The Energy Competition Task Force was established by the Commerce Commission Te Komihana Tauhokohoko and Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko in August 2024 to investigate ways to improve the performance of the electricity market. The Task Force has been considering eight initiatives that will encourage more and faster investment in new electricity generation, boost competition, enable homes, businesses and industrials to better manage their own electricity use and costs, and put downward pressure on prices. Firming Firming refers to technology used to store and release intermittent energy, usually either hydro storage or batteries. PPAs PPAs are long-term contracts to support generation. They can provide a route to market for entrant generators and an alternative procurement option for electricity buyers or traders.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Energy Competition Task Force Roadmap To Reward Industrial Demand Flexibility
The Energy Competition Task Force (the Task Force) has today set out its proposed vision and roadmap for unlocking industrial demand flexibility. The aim is to better support electricity market reliability and benefit consumers by promoting a competitive, reliable, and efficient electricity industry. The Task Force has also released an update paper on its power purchase agreements (PPAs) work to support more new intermittent generation development, such as wind and solar. Industrial demand flexibility The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is seeking feedback on an industrial demand flexibility issues and options paper that sets out the vision and roadmap. The paper seeks input into how best to unlock more industrial demand flexibility. This could include payments to industrial consumers to reduce demand for short periods, where this is efficient and is likely to deliver long-term benefit for consumers. The roadmap proposes 11 actions to better incentivise short-term flexibility in the electricity market from industrial consumers to support both reliability and competition. "The need for flexibility in our electricity system is becoming increasingly important as the level of intermittent generation - such as from solar and wind - increases and thermal generation declines," says Commerce Commission Chair and Task Force member, Dr John Small. "Currently, bigger electricity users might adjust their demand to avoid paying high costs for energy, but we believe in certain circumstances it may be appropriate to pay them to provide that flexibility. This could help these consumers to plan and invest with more certainty, while also supporting electricity supply reliability for the longer term," says Small. Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko Chair and Task Force member Anna Kominik says: "Industrial demand flexibility can be particularly useful during times of very high demand and tight supply, such as winter mornings and in the evenings. Its potential is expected to grow over time, including as new industrials come online, such as new industries and data centres particularly those optimised for this form of flexibility. "We know that electricity supply is currently very tight, so we've identified two actions that could be in place ahead of winter 2026. We'll shortly seek input from stakeholders on a proposed Emergency Reserve Scheme and intend to set up an industry co-design group process to develop a standardised tradeable product for industrial demand flexibility. "We are proposing nine further actions over the next five years to help lay the foundations for efficient use of demand flexibility across the electricity system - and we're interested to hear stakeholder views on these," said Kominik. Power purchase agreements The Task Force has considered submitters' feedback and determined that its initial proposal to allocate firming for PPAs is not the best way to encourage investment in new power generation projects. The Task Force has identified this option risks distortions to efficient market operations, which could negatively impact investment in new generation and lead to higher prices for consumers in the long term. Instead, the Task Force considers access to firming is best addressed via ongoing work on standardised flexibility products and the proposed level playing field measures (particularly the non-discrimination obligations), as well as complementary initiatives to encourage PPAs. These options enable new investment without the risks associated with allocation. This new approach is set out in an update paper. Visit the Task Force webpage for more information about both papers and details on how to have your say on the industrial demand flexibility consultation. Notes: About the Energy Competition Task Force The Energy Competition Task Force was established by the Commerce Commission Te Komihana Tauhokohoko and Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko in August 2024 to investigate ways to improve the performance of the electricity market. The Task Force has been considering eight initiatives that will encourage more and faster investment in new electricity generation, boost competition, enable homes, businesses and industrials to better manage their own electricity use and costs, and put downward pressure on prices. Firming Firming refers to technology used to store and release intermittent energy, usually either hydro storage or batteries. PPAs PPAs are long-term contracts to support generation. They can provide a route to market for entrant generators and an alternative procurement option for electricity buyers or traders.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sarvam AI unveils multilingual LLM; tepid response poses questions over India's AI chops
Indian artificial intelligence (AI) startup Sarvam AI , the first company picked by the government to build a sovereign foundational model under the India AI Mission , dropped its multilingual open-source large language model (LLM) Sarvam M last week. It claims the LLM has achieved benchmarks across mathematics, programming, and a range of Indian languages. But the launch has thrown up questions about the country's AI scene, with the model getting only a few hundred downloads in the first two days. Let's take a deep dive to understand why. About the model Sarvam M is a 24-billion-parameter model, built on top of French AI company Mistral's model Small. The startup said the model is "built for versatility" and designed to support a wide range of applications, including conversational agents, translation and educational tools. It supports 10 Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada and Malayalam. Live Events — SarvamAI (@SarvamAI) "This is the first in a series of contributions as we help build out the Sovereign AI Ecosystem in India," the startup said in a post on X. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Key features Hybrid thinking mode: This mode supports complex logical reasoning, solves mathematical problems and handles coding tasks. It also has a 'non-think' mode for general purpose conversation. Indic skills: It is post-trained in Indian languages along with English to better suit local needs. Reasoning capabilities: The company claims Sarvam M outperforms similarly sized models on coding and math benchmarks. No traction In the first two days after the launch, the model had just over 300 downloads. As of May 27, it had 1,200 downloads on Hugging Face, can be tested on Sarvam AI's playground, and accessed through its APIs. This sparked a debate on social media platforms about the standing of India's AI scene when compared with global rivals OpenAI and China's DeepSeek. Social media backlash In a scathing post, Deedy Das, a venture capitalist at Menlo Ventures, hit out at "India's biggest AI startup $1B Sarvam" for a muted launch with only 23 downloads in 2 days. "In contrast, 2 Korean college trained an open-source model that did ~200K last month (sic)," his post on X read. — deedydas (@deedydas) Das added in another post that he had nothing against Sarvam or India trying to build AI, but was "disappointed at their direction". Many came to the defence of the model. "Before Sarvam M came out, people were complaining about the lack of IndicLLMs. After Sarvam M came out, people are still complaining," one user wrote. Another person said we must offer encouragement, not shame entrepreneurs. "Teams in India are trying and they are working to build the muscle and culture of what good or amazing looks like." — svembu (@svembu) Sridhar Vembu of Zoho also jumped to the defence of Sarvam, saying that there was no such thing as an "instant hit". "Even when we were the first mover in a new market and we had done a lot of technical work, we only got slow traction. Instant success is neither necessary nor sufficient to succeed long term," he said in a post on X, telling the Sarvam team to "fight the good fight". Sarvam's trajectory The Bengaluru-based startup was the first to be selected to build an indigenous foundational model under the Rs 10,000 crore IndiaAI Mission. It was provided access to 4,096 Nvidia H100 graphics processing units (GPU) for six months from the mission's common compute cluster to train its model. According to Tracxn, the company has so far raised $53.6 million in total and is valued at $111 million.
