Page 4 - HW December 2019

editorial
Another year older, another year wiser older...
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2456 • 30/9/2018 www.abc.org.nz
HAVING TAKEN A deep breath following the frantic peak that is our Hardware Awards, my colleagues and I have spent most of the month of November getting out and about.
Apart from simply coming up for air, for the sake of getting ourselves into the right sort of shape for 2020, we’ve been gauging the industry’s outlook for the coming year and getting a handle on what’s transpired so far.
Also just over the horizon, needless
to mention, is a range of big changes to building legislation and how products are deemed appropriate to it.
In this respect I was lucky enough to attend another GS1-organised “After 5” event at the end of November.
The keynote speaker at the event
was Anna Butler, General Manager of Building System Performance at MBIE, who was to share her insights into the Government’s significant proposed reforms that we’ll hear about in detail in March 2020.
My main takeaway was her plain speaking manner and willingness to talk frankly around the subject of CodeMark.
In contrast to perceptions of MBIE
being an Oz-like, controlling, all- powerful, all-seeing entity, Anna admitted that, when it comes to CodeMark, MBIE needs to be (and probably will henceforth be) more closely involved in ensuring
that such a system does precisely what it should.
CodeMark will be more rigorously applied in future and its benefits also more widely disseminated, she said, expressing surprise at how many industry people had no idea about what’s meant to be a core element in a trusted system.
The “After 5” event also saw the public debut of Mitre 10 trade supremo, Derek Heard, as BIF Chairman.
As well as calling for improvements in productivity from the building products supply chain, Derek talked about BIF possibly aligning with other industry bodies in a market that boasts a staggering 180 professional organisations.
Looking towards the 2020 Hardware Awards, by the time you read this
we’ll have polled almost all of our key commercial and other partners about their thoughts on both this year’s programme and the next one.
As mentioned last month, I’m hearing good interest in our proposed new Digital Innovation category and lots of support to re-introduce an industry Hall of Fame into the main body of the Hardware Awards.
So – lots still to get signed off in 2019, but do have a great and super-busy Christmas and happy and safe New Year – we’ll see you again in 2020!
Steve Bohling, editor steveb@mpm.nz
2 NZHJ | DECEMBER 2019
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