ALL BLACKS VISIT TE PUKE 09/09/2011

On 2^nd September, 2011 more than 3000 people greeted All Blacks Dan Carter, Richard Kahui and Isaia Toeava in Te Puke. Fans of all ages had the chance to play ripper-rugby and get autographs from the trio as they spent hours in Te Puke as part of the "All Blacks coming to a Town Near You" campaign. See article and photos at: http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/all-blacks-in-te-puke-friday/1090642/

The All Blacks visit to Te Puke was ahead of a six-week Rugby World Cup festival designed to showcase the region's characteristics and cultural identity to thousands of locals and visitors to the region. The REAL Tauranga Festival will be held in downtown Tauranga from September 9 to October 23 and will be a celebration of Tauranga and the greater Bay of Plenty region for the duration of the Rugby World Cup.

BAY ON DISPLAY 19/09/2011

Priority One, in partnership with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, is taking the opportunity provided by the Rugby World Cup to stage an event to showcase the Bay of Plenty’s most innovative businesses. Bay on Display will target the international business community in New Zealand for the rugby, promoting Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty as a desirable place from which to do business. Bay on Display will show a mix of rugby, culture, food & wine and innovative business. The guest speaker has been confirmed as Gordon Tietjens, coach of the NZ Sevens team and the most successful Sevens coach in the world. Bay on Display is being held on the afternoon of 19 October and is by invitation only. For further information, email annie@priorityone.co.nz.

BAY BUSINESSES ON TRACK TO RECORD PROFITS 19/09/2011

Business in the Bay of Plenty is thriving as highlighted by the record profit success of 3 of our largest businesses. Port of Tauranga has strengthened its position as the country’s largest port after reporting a rise in trade and a record net profit after tax of $57.9 million. This is a 17.2% increase on the back of an increase in trade volumes of 12.4%. Container volumes have risen by 15% and container transhipment volumes rose 52%. The increase in trade volumes included 78% more international volume and more than three times the export volume of Port of Tauranga’s nearest competitor.

Mount Maunganui-based Ballance Agri-Nutrients, the country’s largest fertiliser producer, has reported a record profit following a strong year for the agricultural sector. The company which is a 100% farmer-owned cooperative, had an operating profit of $85.9 million for the 2010/11 financial year, tripling last year’s result.

Honey product company Comvita is reporting sales growth of 18 percent more in the last six months than in the six month period ending September 30, 2010.

Small business with high-value products are also standing out. Heilala Vanilla’s recent feature on Country Calendar has generated huge publicity nationwide for its pure vanilla growing and processing story. This can be viewed through the following link: http://tvnz.co.nz/country-calendar/s2011-e26-video-4381396

ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT  19/09/2011

The high speed broadband rollout in Tauranga is now underway with 60km of fibre optic cable being deployed and installed to 147 new fibre fed cabinets. Ultrafast broadband was launched in Tauranga in August, marking the start of a rollout which will transform the local economy. Minister for Communications & Information Technology, Steven Joyce, said that the roll-out was the most important infrastructure expansion since the electricity network was created and will help transform the local economy. “It’s about shortening the distance between our ideas, our entrepreneurs and the rest of the world, bringing real gains to the business community, schools and medical facilities in Tauranga and around the country.”

Deployment will cover a population of more than 118,000 including nearly 2,500 business premises, over 530 medical and other healthcare services and some 30 schools. Wholesale prices will be as low as half the price of current offerings for business services and residential customers will enjoy a vastly improved service for as much as they currently pay, or less.

For more information on UFB rollout in Tauranga visit: http://www.crownfibre.govt.nz

FOR UP TO THE MINUTE NEWS FROM THE BAY CLICK HERE