About Us

ABOUT THE INDUSTRY CAPABILITY NETWORK
The Industry Capability Network (ICN) promotes New Zealand and Australian industry through assisting with the development of competitive, world class supply chains in support of major New Zealand and Australian public, industrial and commercial developments, and procurement projects.

The ICN provides project owners, managers and purchasers with a free sourcing service to identify New Zealand and Australian manufacturers and service providers capable of supplying products and services that would otherwise be imported.

ICN NZ encourages capable New Zealand companies to participate in major projects in New Zealand and Australia, providing companies with a route to engagement in globally competitive supply opportunities.

As a business unit of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, ICN NZ helps companies realise their potential through access to local opportunities that grow their scale and capability. This, in turn, provides companies with a foundation for success in global markets.

HOW DOES THE ICN WORK?
The ICN works with New Zealand and Australian private and state owned enterprise, government departments and bodies to identify major project opportunities that can be fulfilled through competitive local supply.

The ICN assists project managers and their agents by identifying New Zealand and Australian industry capable of supplying competitive alternatives to products and services that are currently imported.

The ICN identifies possible manufacturers and service providers, evaluates their capacity to meet purchaser requirements, and nominates suitable, competitive suppliers to the purchaser.

The ICN operates within the purchaser’s time constraints and enquiries are handled in strictest confidence. The right of the purchaser to determine the supplier is maintained at all times.

The ICN services are free to both the purchaser and supplier.

AS A PURCHASER, IN RESPONSE TO YOUR ENQUIRY, ICN WILL:

Search for competitive local producers and service providers
Evaluate their capacity to meet production requirements
Provide an unbiased list of potential suppliers, based on assessment of capability
Provide information on sourcing opportunities while maintaining confidentiality
Assist suppliers to interpret the quality and technical requirements of a sourcing opportunity
Encourage the use of licensing agreements and other forms of technology transfer to improve the capability of suppliers
Advise suppliers on opportunities for new or increased production, linking suppliers into government programmes that can support investment.

THE INDUSTRY CAPABILITY NETWORK ACROSS NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA
The Industry Capability Network is an Australasian-wide network of independent industry consultancies that assists New Zealand and Australian industry with access to commercial opportunities. Through its extensive reach into industry across both countries it provides suppliers and purchasers with access to a wide range of project opportunities and industry expertise.

The Industry Capability Network Limited (ICNL) is the coordinator of activity across the ICN network. However, each ICN works with and manages projects on behalf of the industry base in its constituent country, state or territory. On behalf of the network, ICNL manages the Industry Capability Showcase, an internal database of company capability used as a reference by the network in its research.

ICN NZ proactively works to identify and promote Australian opportunities for New Zealand industry. ICN NZ will assist capable New Zealand companies by introducing these companies into projects and other supply opportunities managed by other parts of the ICN network.

WHY USE THE ICN FOR YOUR PROJECT?
The ICN looks for full and fair consideration of local companies. The ICN introduce project owners and their agents to qualified New Zealand and Australian companies capable of fulfilling project needs. This helps reduce the cost of accessing supply and increases awareness of local capability.

By using the ICN to source local suppliers, purchasers can realise significant benefits such as:

Reducing the whole of life cost through establishment of local supporting industries
Improving delivery time around key components of the project
Freedom from foreign exchange risk
Gaining access to innovation aimed at the purchaser’s specific needs rather than that of a generic global market
Supporting the development of an adequate base of skills and labour pool for continuance of a commercial project
Meeting aspirations around corporate citizenship.

The development of competitive local supply chains into major project opportunities has substantial economic benefit. A study carried out by BERL for the ICN in 2009 established that every $1 million spent in manufacturing activity in New Zealand generates an extra:

1. 10.4 jobs

2. $108,457 tax revenue

3. $207,762 of increased purchasing power

4. $128,685 saving of government welfare payments

Click here to download the electronic version of the BERL report

Engagement with the ICN and its projects also benefits New Zealand companies and the economy by:

Increasing understanding of competitive tendering processes
Encouraging investment in technology and innovation around product, service and process
Benchmarking companies to world-class standards through competitive, open supply chain opportunities
Increasing the confidence of New Zealand business owners and managers to pursue substantial opportunities
Building companies’ scale and capability in readiness for global markets
Engaging local industry with multinational project development companies and supply chains
Leading toward an innovative, open and dynamic economy.

ICN NZ
ICNNZ is an operating unit within New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.