United Machinists

22/05/2026

A big welcome to Iyla from Queen's High School , who joined us this week for her first Gateway placement at United Machinists!

We love being able to offer local students the chance to step into the workshop and gain hands-on experience. There's something really valuable about getting into an actual workplace, it makes career pathways feel real and achievable in a way that's hard to get anywhere else.

We're looking forward to having Iyla alongside the team and seeing what she takes away from her time here.

19/05/2026

The countdown to EMEX 2026 is on! You'll want to catch our own Sarah Ramsay and other industry leaders including Nic Blakeley, Secretary for Economic Growth and Chief Executive of Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment , Angela Huxford, Director Export Customers for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Catherine Lye, CEO of Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa - AMA , discussing innovation and growth in manufacturing on Wednesday the 27th at 1pm.

To learn more about the panel events, and pre-register your interest, visit the EMEX website here: https://emex.co.nz/event/epicor-knowledge-theatre/

After the panel, come find us at stand 1056. The team would love to chat about what we're working on. We hope to see you there!

EMEX | 26-28 May 2026

05/05/2026

Great to welcome the new Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing, Cameron Brewer, to United Machinists on Monday.

We showed him around the workshop and had a good chat about local manufacturing, the challenges businesses are facing, and the importance of investing in young local talent through pathways like our cadetship.

04/05/2026

🏆 What a result from the Indiana Drones!

After a smooth trip over and a practice day to find their feet, the team have come away with the Core Values Coopertition Award at the FIRST LEGO League competition. It's given to teams who show kindness, respect and real sportsmanship throughout the competition, on and off the field. Congratulations Indiana Drones!

30/04/2026

We're very proud to announce United Machinists as a finalist in the Minister for Manufacturing Awards 2026, Manufacturer of the Year (FTE under 50)!

A reflection of the hard work this team puts in every single day.

Congrats to all the finalists, and thank you to Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa - AMA for championing NZ manufacturing. See you on 27 May! 🏆

29/04/2026

Our clients don't have room for error, which means neither do we. Measurement and inspection are critical steps in the process, but the challenge is the time that this process demands.

The Flipper was built to solve that. It runs automatically with our UR Cobot and Micro-VU Vertex 312 HC, handling part flipping without any team input. 100% in-house, from the first prototype to the finished tool. 🔧

Read the full story here: https://www.unitedmachinists.co.nz/news/the-flipper-project-automating-precision-measurement

24/04/2026

It was great to welcome Immigration Minister Erica Stanford to our facility this week for a look at what we do and the growth we've been working towards. The visit was part of a wider conversation around investment in New Zealand businesses.

We're proud of what the team has built here in Dunedin, and excited about where things are heading. More to come on that soon!

📖 Read more here:

The so-called ‘‘Golden Visa’’ is returning golden results for New Zealand, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. The Active Investor Plus visa,...

04/02/2026

Meet James Hulyer, our summer intern from University of Canterbury

James (front, lying down) joined us over the summer break and worked predominantly on our anodising line as part of our anodising automation R&D project.

Over the summer, James did everything from learning how to anodise and complete chemical analysis and data collection, right through to using AI platforms to develop our second iteration of anodising workflow software with automated process calculations.

He's also had a large hand in helping to identify the path to automated testing of baths, real-time data visualisation of control charts and creating SOPs. Plus a few weeks in the machine shop doing machine tending and inspection.

James fitted right in, showed maturity beyond his years and brought solid technical skills, great communication and an awesome work ethic to the team. He's got massive potential, and we look forward to having him back during the semester breaks.

02/02/2026

A massive congratulations to the Otago Boys' High School Year 10 robotics team (Jack Orlovich, Ryder Greig, Stuart Scott and Declan Gimmell) on taking out the First Lego League national title in Auckland at the end of December last year. These Year 10 students are now heading to the United States this April to represent New Zealand at the FIRST World Championship.

Their winning project used 3D printing to create replica fossils that protect precious moa bones from damage during research. After collaborating with University of Otago's Professor Ian Barber, they developed a solution that tackles a real challenge in archaeology. Smart thinking that solves a real world problem.

We're proud to be backing these young minds at United Machinists, and we'd love to see the wider Otago and manufacturing and engineering communities get behind them too.

If you're keen to support their journey, donations can be made via contacting Jane Grieg at [email protected]

Advancing Manufacturing Aotearoa - AMA Business-South

21/11/2025

We’ve got some exciting news to share! We’ve been awarded the Excellence in Manufacturing award and The Grand Supreme Business of the Year award at The Grand Business South Awards 2025!

These awards represent the incredible hard work our team puts into every single project, showing up every day and giving their absolute best.

To our amazing clients and partners, local and worldwide, thank you for trusting us with your work. You’re the reason we do what we do. Here’s to learning, growing, and creating together. Thank you for being part of this journey!

Photo: Supreme Winner - United Machinists staff (from left) Mat Cramond, Jamie Hudson, Owen Young, co-owners Sarah and Alex Ramsay, Sharyn Anderton, Ronilo Hilis, Jared Sim (partly obscured) and Leo Lgaya. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Business-South