Connetics

Happy Diwali for 2024! Savita and Sanjeev, alongside their teams, were the driving force behind this year's Diwali celebrations, and our kaimahi/staff were able to learn more about the meaning and the ethos behind this special celebration across incredible kōrero and kai. Sanjeev reflects: 'Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of the most significant festivals celebrated globally, particularly within Indian communities. This festival symbolises the inner light that triumphs over darkness and ignorance. Known as the "Festival of Lights," Diwali gets its name from the tradition of lighting oil lamps, candles, and bright electric lights. Illuminating homes, temples, and public spaces represent dispelling ignorance and spreading knowledge and truth. For many in the Connetics team, Diwali holds the same cherished significance as Christmas does for others.' Our hope for the event is that this Diwali let’s share not only sweets but also the joy of togetherness. We believe it’s a wonderful chance to embrace the cultural richness that makes Connetics a great place to be. Shubh Diwali!

I've been reflecting on the incredible Connexis 2024 Annual Connection event from a little over a week ago, and how proud I am of our team and their contribution. The three-day event provides line mechanics and cable jointers from across Aotearoa/New Zealand a unique platform to test and showcase their skills, all under the experienced eyes of industry-leading judges. This year, Connetics were proud to support Ben Heasley, Jason Stephens, and Jono Turnbull in their role as judges; as well as Frederik Pieterse who gave it his all as a competitor too! We're really behind this event as it brings together the elements that we believe are critical in our industry: skills and competence; safety excellence; and, the world-class talent existing in our day-to-day mahi/work. I also wanted to recognise this year's hosts; the Waipā region's own Waipā Networks and The Lines Company which delivers solutions across King Country, Ruapehu District and Central Plateau. I'm also delighted to share that we, alongside Orion NZ Ltd and Electricity Ashburton, will be hosting the Annual Connections 2025 competition too - really exciting stuff.   Between Steve Macdonald (Orion GM Electricity Network) and myself, we want to say thanks to our team for representing The Orion Group in the best way possible, and of course, we're grateful for the mahi from Connexis and all the effort that went into making the year's event such a success!

One of the privileges of my role is being able to attend events / competitions like the Annual Connection and fly the flag for Orion NZ Ltd as well as the sector generally via my Electricity Networks Aotearoa Chair hat. It was in the context of my ‘flag flying’ role, that I lined up on a sunny Monday afternoon (along with the competitors, exhibitors, judges, event organisers and gate crashers like me) at Tokikapu Marae, Waitomo, in Ngāti Maniapoto’s Rohe, for the opening pōwhiri, and registration for the 2024 instalment of the Annual Connection. On point with the name of the event / competition, the “Annual Connection”, it has been an opportunity to connect and re-connect with people. Yesterday it was great to catch up and share a kōrero with Nicki Sutherland (CEO of EEA), Hayley Head (EEA) and the team at New Zealand Insulators Ltd. See photo of David Glackin (NZ Insulators), Chris van der Werff (NZ Insulators) and Dan Batchelor (Connetics). At the risk of overusing the word “great”, it was great to see (and have a kōrero with) people giving back via judging and helping with the pack in and pack out. A few shout outs from me: Jono Turnbull (Connetics) who is judging the cable jointing, Jason Stephens (Connetics) who is judging the line mechanic competition and Matt Southorn (Independent Line Services) who is a key organiser of the event and plays a key role in the pack in and pack out. Matt’s cable drum and insulator outdoor furniture is certainly a highlight and attracts a lot of comments! A shout out for the Waipā Networks and The Lines Company Teams for co-hosting the 2024 Annual Connection and the many hours of mahi, along with the team from Connexis that have gone into organising this fantastic event. A lot goes into organising an event such as the Annual Connection and so much of that mahi goes below the radar. Given the scourge of copper thefts in our industry, and the very expensive products and equipment on show, the ‘below the radar’ details like on-site security and security fencing become important, to single out but one example. Thanks also to Casey Te Brake, Anna Greenhill and Ashleigh Finlay from Waipa who kindly welcomed me into their stand / marquee. It was great to see Waipa Networks engaging with the community, as I sat in the back typing up a few emails. While I was doing the rounds it was good to see that TransNet NZ Limited had on display the new Orion Distribution Box. https://lnkd.in/etEe-x2W And finally, as a completely unashamedly biased Toyota fan, a special prize goes to The Lines Company for their Land Cruiser 70 Ute! What a star!

Valuable connections were made with Connetics' CE John Thompson's visit to the Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' Substation. In the video, John and Aqeel B. discuss the importance of collaboration across the industry and globe and the shared journey toward delivering a zero-carbon energy future. Amazing mahi and a great story to share!

Congratulations to Abhishek Wali (Senior Design Engineer) who will present at the upcoming Starlight Conference in Tekapo! Ka rawe! The conference will be hosted by the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand and the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve and is supported by DarkSky International; and will include a variety of speakers from Aotearoa (and wider) to shed light on how we can preserve the night skies and protect the environment. Abhishek is a Road and Public Lighting Designer with over 15 years of experience on a diverse range of projects. His presentation, “Strategies for Minimising Light Pollution and Ensuring Safety” will be an opportunity for him to share his expertise and insights with a wider community. Abhishek is looking forward to bridging the gap and sharing knowledge with the audience consisting of Councillors, government organisations, wildlife, ecology, dark-sky enthusiasts and lighting suppliers. He hopes that the audience and wider community understand that good lighting design is required for safer public spaces and lighting designers can use the tools available to minimise adverse effects on the environment.   For more details about the conference you can visit https://lnkd.in/g2nGcQuA All the best, Abhishek!

The votes are in! The best presentations, poster and exhibition stand of #EEA2024 have been announced and we're so proud of Alex Mechen 🏆 Alex took out the 'Best Student Paper Award' AND (yes, and!) the 'Peoples' Choice Award'! Ka rawe tō mahi Alex - we're very proud and impressed with your amazing contribution and recognition 👏 and we appreciate everything you bring to Connetics👏, and do for our industry! 👏 And, a massive thanks to the organisers and everyone involved with the Electricity Engineers' Association of New Zealand 2024 Conference - we appreciate you too!

Are you, or someone you know, the next member of our award-winning team? I'm looking for a Senior Communications Advisor to join our tight tīma - I'm especially keen to hear from anyone who thinks that can bring their broader expertise, innovation, and awesomeness to the Connetics whānau. I've shared my whakaaro in the video below, but if you want to know even more, why not check out (or share..!) the link to the opportunity: https://lnkd.in/g9bU6UnC Together, we can help to deliver energy solutions for a cleaner and brighter future! #energy #yournextrole #communications #Aotearoa #newzealand #job #engagement

We're proud to get behind Smart Christchurch's upcoming Innovation Expo! Get ready for an inspiring weekend at the Smart Christchurch Innovation Expo, happening this Friday at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. This free, two-day event will take place on Friday 27 September and Saturday 28 September from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.   Explore the expo hall, where you can engage with groundbreaking innovations in robotics, energy, smart technology, and more. Meet a diverse range of exhibitors, from global enterprises to rising start-ups, all showcasing their immersive solutions.   All the best to the team and the exhibitors, and thank to the Smart Christchurch Team for bringing such a great event to Ōtautahi!

Our Team is ready-to-roll at this year's #EEA2024 and we can't wait! If you're in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, why not check out our kaimahi in the exhibitor's hall? You can even look out for Alex Mechen and Mark Lewis as they present their papers on how their thinking and work can contribute to lifting our industry 🙌 Ka rawe e tīma!

Last week, we partnered with HealthNow and EMA to host an insightful webinar on boosting business resilience through employee wellbeing. We delved into how investing in your team’s health not only strengthens resilience but also drives ROI and business success. Missed it? Catch the replay on our website (https://lnkd.in/gS4kEe5T) and access free practical resources from HealthNow to help you identify and execute key well-being initiatives. A big thank you to our expert panel for their valuable insights: 👏 Mark Lewis, Head of People and Culture at Connetics 👏 Nicola Taylor, Co-Founder of Tax Traders + Taxi 👏 Steven Zinsli, CEO of HealthNow #BestPlacesToWork #BusinessResilience #EmployeeExperience #EmployeeEngagement