Branded commercial services
branded commercial services logos
Landcare Research has continued to take a leading role in providing innovative solutions to business and industry via a range of dedicated branded businesses. Our goal is to add value to the New Zealand economy through commercially viable products and services, including transferring them to partners in the private sector and licensing to overseas partners where appropriate. Despite a tough trading year in the face of global economic caution, we are pleased with positive progress and overall growth.
Sirtrack – wildlife tracking solutions
Sirtrack is a high–technology wildlife–tracking–solutions business with 88% of its revenue derived from overseas sales. A sluggish market and the high value of the New Zealand dollar led to a first–quarter loss. Sirtrack responded to the challenge by streamlining its manufacturing processes, and resizing and refocusing its operations. As a result, it returned profitable quarters for the rest of the year. The company continued its marketing push launching a new brand and transitioning to a full range of high quality ‘standard’ products to replace products that needed to be customised for each use and each client. This year, 31% of orders were met with ‘standard’ products; the target over the next three years is to meet 80% of orders with the standard range of products.
While we continue to use their products in our research, Sirtrack’s business strategy has limited fit with Landcare Research’s core purpose. Hence Sirtrack has put considerable effort into developing a tightly focused business that is investor ready for future sale. www.sirtrack.com
The carboNZero programme
The carboNZeroCertTM programme had a strong year with an impressive 29% increase on net revenue from last year. The business operates in four markets (New Zealand, Australia, UK and Chile) and signed a second licensing partner in Australia. The business maintained its ISO 14065 international accreditation through JAS–ANZ. Since its formation in 2001 and across all markets, the programme has issued 528 GHG certificates, verified 44.6 million tonnes of CO2e (equivalent) emissions and offset 233,397 tonnes of CO2e. (To help get this very significant achievement into proportion, the verified emissions are equivalent to more than 60% of New Zealand’s total emissions for 2009, as announced in April 2011.)
Clients include Westpac, Toyota New Zealand, Flight Centre, Ricoh New Zealand and Villa Maria Estate. International clients include the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the UK’s largest listed water company United Utilities, the Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in Australia, Sleepmaker Australia and Vino Cono Sur Winery in Chile.
During the year, the carboNZero programme signed a licensing agreement with Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd (LRQA) Australia, entitling LRQA to provide CEMARS® certification programme to clients in Australia. This is the second licensing agreement in the Australian market. LRQA operates primarily in the manufacturing, transport, energy and marine sectors. LRQA is a member of the Lloyd’s Register Group and has a worldwide reputation for pioneering climate change services for its clients.
From 1 July 2011, the business commenced operating as a wholly owned subsidiary company, carboNZero Holdings Limited, with its own CEO and Board of Directors. With this independent positioning, the company is better placed to seek external investment and accelerate its international growth. www.carbonzero.co.nz
The Enviro–Mark programme
Enviro–Mark® is a five–level environmental management and certification programme with independent auditing at each level. Despite tough trading conditions, membership grew by 8% last year, to more than 180 organisations.
A recent independent customer–survey showed most members belonged to the programme because of the importance of the environment to their company culture (rated by 75% of respondents), the market competitive edge it provides (61%), the desire to achieve costs savings (45%) and to respond to supply chain pressure (35%). Members’ overall satisfaction with the Enviro–Mark programme was high, with 83% rating the programme 7–10 on a 10–point scale. The helpfulness of Enviro–Mark staff achieved the same 83% rating. During the year the team supported programme participants with 31 training workshops, seminars, drop–in sessions and member networking events. www.enviro–mark.co.nz
EcoGene – wildlife DNA diagnostics
The EcoGene® laboratory provides a range of wildlife DNA diagnostic services to New Zealand and Australian clients. The business has flourished with a 72% growth over the previous year. The strong growth was underpinned by a number of important research breakthroughs. EcoGene is now the key–provider of chytrid fungus screening in Australasia. In the last 12 months, they analysed c.1500 swabs as part of a programme to monitor prevalence of the disease in native frogs from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji. Another significant contribution was the pivotal role EcoGene played in helping MAF identify and develop their initial response to the disease outbreak in kiwifruit, and EcoGene undertakes ongoing PSA isolate testing.
EcoGene works with ESR, the New Zealand Wildlife Enforcement Group (WEG) and the New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine (NZCCM) to provide DNA forensic services to help thwart the illegal trade of endangered species at the border. This year EcoGene commenced a new contract identifying fish and shellfish species to help the Ministry of Fisheries monitor quotas and by–catch. www.ecogene.co.nz
EBEX21 – carbon farming
EBEX21® facilitates land–use change, typically of marginal land, so that landowners can earn an income through the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative (PFSI) from credits associated with naturally regenerating bush. PFSI leads the international arena for credible forestry–regeneration carbon credits. Retiring marginal land has other benefits for biodiversity, erosion control and moderating water runoff.
EBEX continued to work with a pilot group of property owners and MAF, with discussions focused on default sequestration rates and potential liability to participants who need to pay back excess credits at the time of field measurement. EBEX sold 4600 AAU Kyoto–compliant credits from three properties to carboNZero clients.
We also provided advice on potential carbon sequestration in regenerating forests through commercial contracts to a number of clients. www.ebex21.co.nz
Invasive Species International
Invasive Species International (ISI) consultancy services leverage both New Zealand’s and Landcare Research’s world–leading reputations in pest management. During 2010/11, ISI contracted work for our staff in 18 projects and workshops in Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Juan Fernandez Islands, Galápagos Islands, Chile, China, Taiwan, Germany and the USA. ISI also hosted two events in New Zealand, a Pacific weed biocontrol workshop and a visit from a leading US expert on sustainable financial strategies for conservation.
Clients included various state and national agencies, NGOs, and research organisations, with projects covering the feasibility of proposed invasive species eradication programmes, progress reviews for eradication projects, strategies for reducing the risk of eradication attempts failing, improved methods for monitoring and detecting invasive species, and research on invasive species biology and impacts (particularly in relation to climate change) and new control tools and strategies. www.isinz.com