New hub for process and rail safety down under!

Expanded facility strengthens customer partnerships and supports growth across Australia and New Zealand.

The official opening of the HIMA Group's new Regional Head Office for Australia and New Zealand in Perth was markede yesterday (8/9/2026). The new facility reflects the group's continued investment in local engineering expertise, customer support, and digital innovation across the region. It marks another milestone in HIMA Group's long-term commitment to Australia and New Zealand.

Established in 2003 as HIMA's second international subsidiary, HIMA Australia has grown into the Regional Head Office for Australia and New Zealand, serving customers across Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia.

LtoR: Jörg de la Motte, Steffen Philipp, Florian Philipp, Bhushan Sathe 

Steffen Philipp, Shareholder of the HIMA Group, said: "Since 2003, HIMA Australia has become a trusted regional organization with strong customer relationships and engineering expertise. As a family-owned company, we are proud to continue investing in Australia and New Zealand."

To mark the inauguration, the company celebrated the occasion with the HIMA Australia team and members of its global management. Customers and business partners were invited to a Safety Symposium held under the motto “Smart Solutions for the Digitalized Process Industry”. HIMA experts presented the company's latest innovations in digital safety, functional safety, OT Security, and lifecycle digitalization, while showcasing advanced application solutions such as turbomachinery control (TMC), burner management systems (BMS), Smart Migrations, SafeHMI, and the latest SILworX engineering capabilities.

“Dedicated to the Australian and New Zealand markets, HIMA Australia helps customers unlock the potential of digitalization across process and rail industries. Our new regional head office strengthens our ability to deliver smart solutions that support safe and efficient operations throughout the safety lifecycle,” said Jörg de la Motte, CEO of the HIMA Group.

For more than two decades, HIMA Australia has provided engineering, consulting, training, maintenance, and lifecycle services for customers in LNG, oil and gas, mining, and rail. Alongside the complete HIMA portfolio, including Safety Lifecycle Digitalization (SLD), the company has built one of the HIMA Group's most established lifecycle service organizations. The HIMA Experience Room enables customers to experience the latest digital and application solutions firsthand, from Safety Lifecycle Digitalization (SLD) and hima360 to Smart Migrations, SafeHMI, and advanced safety applications. Combined with expanded engineering, testing, and training capabilities, the new facility provides an ideal environment for collaboration, knowledge transfer, and solution development.

The relocation to larger premises in Perth's central business district supports HIMA Australia's continued growth and expanding customer base. The 460-square-meter facility includes engineering and training areas, a HIMA Experience Room for customer demonstrations, Functional Acceptance Testing (FAT) capabilities, and modern collaboration spaces. Its central location also improves accessibility while encouraging sustainable commuting through excellent public transport connections.

“The new facility enables us to work even closer with our customers while supporting the next phase of our regional growth”, added Bhushan Sathe, General Manager, Region Australia and New Zealand. “With a proven track record of protecting critical infrastructure from the nation's largest LNG producers and mining operations to national railway operators HIMA has established itself as a trusted functional safety partner in Australia.”

Having doubled its base business between 2017 and 2025, HIMA Australia continues to strengthen long-term partnerships with customers across the oil & gas, mining, alumina, rail, and critical infrastructure sectors.

Building on its strong position in LNG and oil and gas, the company is expanding into the mining and rail sectors while supporting customers in digitalization, OT cybersecurity, and the modernization of safety-critical infrastructure. Today, HIMA Australia employs 25 associates and is well positioned for continued growth in the coming years.

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#Hima #Safety #Transport #PAuto

Automation takeover in NZ.

After more than 50 years of successful cooperation, Endress+Hauser is taking over the process measurement division of EMC Industrial Group Ltd in New Zealand. The new sales office was integrated into the global network early in November 2025. Endress+Hauser New Zealand customers will benefit from more comprehensive support and additional offerings. Headquartered in Auckland with a a branch office in Christchurch, 14 experienced employees from sales, marketing and service have transferred to Endress+Hauser New Zealand.

“With the integration of this dedicated team, we can continue to provide our customers with excellent service and ensure a seamless transition,” says Laurent Mulley, chief sales officer at Endress+Hauser. He emphasizes: “This investment strengthens our market position in New Zealand.”

Ali Hafeez

Ali Hafeez, managing director of Endress+Hauser Australia, will head up the new sales office. The connection to the local sales center will enable the company to support customers in New Zealand with even greater expertise in the future and offer an even broader range of products – such as laboratory measurement technology from Analytik Jena or gas flowmeters and process analyzers from the strategic partnership with SICK.

EMC has represented Endress+Hauser for over 50 years – longer than any other representative worldwide. Chris Gailer, second-generation managing director of the family business, sees the takeover as a step toward securing the future: “Our customers benefit from expanded resources and expertise without having to sacrifice the quality and personal service they are accustomed to.” In the future, he will focus entirely on the weighing technology business with EMC Industrial Weighing Ltd.

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@Endress_Hauser @Endress_UK @Endress_US #PAuto #New_Zealand

Automating large photovoltaic solar power project.

Support the national effort to decarbonize New Zealand’s energy sector.

Advanced automation solutions are to be provided to help ensure the safety and reliability of New Zealand’s first large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power project. Emerson’s renewable power generation expertise will help solar energy company Lodestone Energy quickly and safely complete its two 23-megawatt sites at Kaitaia and Edgecumbe— an important step in supporting New Zealand’s ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Solar PV – which converts sunlight directly into electrical energy – has become one of the fastest growing renewable energy sources. But efficiently generating and delivering solar PV power requires precise orchestration, integrating a wide variety of third-party systems with automation and control technology to provide operators with intuitive functionality and comprehensive visibility. Emerson’s advanced automation architecture will combine powerful control software and technologies with enterprise data solutions to create an integrated, scalable control solution to maximize output and profitability while simultaneously contributing to grid stability.

“New Zealand’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is an ambitious endeavor that will require many renewable power generation sources to be safely and rapidly brought online,” said Peter Apperley, general manager of engineering at Lodestone Energy. “Emerson’s expertise in automation software for power generation and sustainability will help us more quickly build a world-class facility, while also more seamlessly integrating with the national grid to drive successful, efficient operation over the lifecycle of the plant.”

Lodestone will take advantage of Emerson’s Ovation™ distributed control system and new OCR3000 controller to provide comprehensive control to minimize the impact of variability and intermittency in solar PV power generation. The same technologies will also make it easier for operators to quickly respond to grid frequency events. Ovation enterprise data solutions will provide secure monitoring of solar PV operations from the control room or mobile devices, measuring, monitoring and reporting key performance indicators to increase visibility of plant operations.

"Meeting New Zealand’s renewable energy goals will require power generation companies to rethink the way they operate, democratizing data and increasing visibility for everyone across the enterprise,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson’s power and water business. “Lodestone’s strategy perfectly aligns with Emerson’s boundless automation vision of an advanced technology stack leveraging integrated, scalable control to provide access to critical data not only across the plant and industrial edge, but also throughout the enterprise.”

Lodestone’s solar PV project requires multiple interfaces to third-party systems, including inverters, high voltage switchboards, weather stations, site security systems and grid authority remote terminal units. Ovation will act as a process orchestration tool to seamlessly connect these devices to provide fast and intuitive visibility for operators. In addition to providing flexibility and visibility of operations, Emerson’s Ovation platform is ideally suited to support compliance with New Zealand’s energy participation code.

@Emerson_News @EmersonExchange @EMR_Automation #Lodestone #Energy #PAuto #NewZealand

Good healthy brewing in New Zealand.

Many do not fully appreciate that CO2 is toxic. This is possibly because it occurs naturally in the atmosphere, albeit at very low concentrations – around 400 parts per million (ppm). It is used or produced in the brewing and pub industry both during production and in the bar or restaurant, and we even produce it when we breathe out. We breathe CO2 out because it is toxic, of course, and great care is needed when working in environments where it may be present at elevated levels.

“Products which are specifically designed to detect hazardous gases are widely used within the oil and gas, marine and steel industries, and a similar picture is developing in the brewery industry,” says Crowcon’s Melina Ho. “So, when Manukau-based DB Breweries approached us to provide a gas detection solution, we were delighted to support.”

Melina explains: “Brewery industry employees who enter drinks storage areas without adequate gas monitoring equipment are potentially entering a life-threatening environment,”

Crowcon was initially asked to provide a quotation by the company’s health and safety advisors, a trend which is increasing within the food & beverage industry as the industry is currently upgrading its gas detection policies. This, along with the New Zealand Government’s initiative to reduce workplace accidents in the manufacturing sector, is driving demand for a gas detection solution with food and beverage as it proactively addresses the potentially catastrophic outcomes of workers becoming exposed to dangerous levels of CO2 gases.

If workers are equipped with personal monitors before they enter a risk zone, gas levels can be monitored. In DB Breweries case, Crowcon’s single-gas Gasman CO2 IR was selected largely due to its infrared sensors. Infrared sensors tend to have a faster response time and longer active life than other CO2 sensor technologies, as well as performing better at the lower temperatures that can be encountered in cellars. As part of the gas detection solution, service and calibration of instruments is provided.

CO2 is heavier than air. It is a hazard throughout the manufacturing process, right through to packaging and bottling, and even to the bars and eating establishments where the drinks are served. If CO2 escapes, it will tend to sink to the floor, where it can form deadly, invisible pockets. It collects in cellars and at the bottom of containers and confined spaces, such as tanks and silos.

DB Breweries spokesperson, Hamish Clentworth, explains: “One of the key factors in selecting Crowcon was the flexibility of its device. The ability to select the alarm function to best suit the working conditions whilst ensuring safety, is paramount, as it ensured minimal disruption when our sales teams visited bars, restaurants or retail outlets. Furthermore, the response time when increased CO2 levels are present was impressive, which meant our employees are alerted of the possibility high levels of CO2 in good time.

“Crowcon is one of the most popular choices across New Zealand and Australia, specifically within our industry and this proven track record was a deciding factor in our selection. Ultimately, our company has a duty to protect our employees from exposure to hazardous CO2 gases. Early detection can be the difference between life and death.”

Even when gas detectors are deployed; maintaining protection for every employee can be a challenge as CO2 can be present in several areas; gas detection devices must be an integral part of an employee’s daily routine.

Crowcon concludes, “We understand DB Breweries has made it company policy that employees use personal CO2 detectors at all times and we are hopeful this vital safety practice will be adopted more widely across the entire brewing and wine industry in the future.”

@Crowcon #PAuto #FoodDrink

Tiger has a g'day down under!

Australian environmental consultancy, JBS&G has purchased another well-proven Tiger handheld volatile organic compound (VOC) monitor from Ion Science. This latest handheld photoionisation detector (PID) is being used on a major new project and was chosen for a number of performance benefits as well as the free extended five year warranty.

JBS&G is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading and most respected providers of environmental services, including contaminated land, groundwater remediation, impact assessment, due diligence, EPA accredited auditing, hazardous materials and occupational hygiene assessment. The company has worked on some of the largest and most complex environmental assessment and remediation projects in the countries.

Aaron Smith, Senior Consultant at JBS&G comments: “We use PIDs on a daily basis to help implement our many contaminated land projects. The company owns several VOC monitors, including Ion Science instruments, and often rents extra ones too to cope with the ebb and flow of business. We have been using the handheld Tiger detector for many years without a problem and found it to be a robust, reliable, fast, accurate and user-friendly solution.

“A major new project prompted the need for a further PID and we did not hesitate in choosing another Ion Science Tiger especially with the free five year warranty when the instrument is registered within one month of purchase.”

Ion Science’s Tiger is being used by JBS&G to detect the presence of airborne concentrations of VOCs emitted from soils contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons and other substances. The results are interpreted and used to assess potential health risk to site workers and the surrounding members of the public.

JBS&G’s uses the Tigers to monitor VOCs in a wide variety of applications, including contaminated soils (headspace and soil vapour), surface water, groundwater, unknown chemical compounds, under and above ground petroleum storage tanks, abandoned buildings, service pits, sewers, as well as other confined spaces.

JBS&G benefits from multiple PIDs within its business across all states of Australia. They are used on a daily basis during contaminated land investigations and other assessments of potential hazardous substances. Data is manually recorded on score sheets or downloaded to a PC where formal reporting is required.

Providing market-leading accuracy and run time, the Tiger’s PID sensor utilises advanced patented Fence Electrode technology, a three-electrode format with increased resistance to humidity (up to 99% RH) and contamination. This maximises accuracy and dependability by removing high backgrounds and false-positives in high-humidity environments. The anti-contamination design also reduces calibration frequency.

Aaron adds: “We use the PID to assess potentially contaminated land, air and materials which makes the Tiger’s anti-contamination design very important in providing the most accurate results possible.”

The Tiger incorporates the recently released MiniPID 2 sensor, which offers a raft of benefits to instrument functionality, including reliable operation at extreme temperatures and more repeatable performance.

Other advantages of the MiniPID 2 are lower running current, robust lamp illumination and more reliable operation at extreme temperatures. It gives stability, control and reliability benefits that are unavailable in other PID designs.

Extremely simple to set up, the Tiger is designed for rapid detection, with an unrivalled response time of just two seconds, and the widest measurement range of one part per billion (ppb) up to 20,000 parts per million (ppm)*.

It offers worldwide Intrinsic Safety (IS) certification and also meets ATEX, IECEx, North American and Canadian standards. Inexpensive disposable parts such as filters and lamps are easy to change, minimising downtime. Simple connectivity to a PC via the USB allows data to be downloaded quickly.

“The overall service from Ion Science has been excellent and we will definitely be using more of their monitoring instruments in the future,” Aaron concludes.

@ionscience #Environment #Australia

Data Centre order for New Zealand!

Rittal has received its first international order for its RiMatrix S standardised data centre.

Based in Christchurch, New Zealand, utility company Orion supplies electric power to the city’s 400,000 residents to make Christchurch’s power supply even more stable. Orion has been using Rittal’s IT infrastructure to support the operation and management of its’ entire electricity network since 2011.


Orion is to deploy Rittal’s RiMatrix S as a backup data centre to ensure maximum safety and robustness in this earthquake-prone region. The standardised facility will be installed in a container. Orion chose RiMatrix S for Rittal’s short delivery time, innovative climate control solution and no need for laborious planning, cutting both time and costs.

Meeting all of Orion’s requirements, the Single 9 version of RiMatrix S has eight server racks and one network equipment rack. Climate control is provided by a Zero-U-Space Cooling System (ZUCS). The air/water heat exchangers are located within the raised floor to avoid wasting server space.

Learning from down under down under

Studying automation at (very) long distance


Distance learning is one of the new ways of learning and IDC Technology have been in the forefront. Here is perhaps an extreme example in more senses than one. Extreme climate and extreme distance. So wrap up well and meet one of their students.

One of IDC Technologies’ engineering students, Steve Szekely, is based at the Australian Antarctic Division station on very remote Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean (No! I didn't know there was such a place either!). The base is a sub-Antarctic settlement of between 15 and 40 people located at the northern tip of the 34km by 5km island. The island is world heritage listed. We were curious about Steve’s life and work at the station and about how he managed his engineering study obligations, including joining the live interactive webcasts with students from other parts of the world.

Steve is studying the Advanced Diploma in Industrial Automation, which is offered by them via distance learning using the latest techniques.

Background:
What is your age, and do you have a partner/ family on the “mainland”?
I am 44 years old. My wife Julie and our three children are living in New Zealand.
What is your career background in brief?
My background is as a radio/communications technician mostly in the mining industry but also contracting as a technician in a variety of communications fields.

When did you decide that you wanted to do some Antarctic service?
I have always wanted to go to Antarctica since I was a boy. I grew up in Tasmania and was fascinated by the stories of adventurers and the extreme conditions they had to deal with.

What is your official job title, and what tasks do you have to do?
I am a Communications Technical Officer. I am one of two comms personnel, and between us we look after all the comms equipment on the island.
What are some of the unique engineering and technical challenges you have?
The things that can cause the most difficulties here are the ever present winds with salt spray, and the wild life. Wind chill can make it very difficult to do delicate wiring work outside. Zero degrees C may not seem very cold until you add 30 knots of wind. Once you take your gloves off you only have minutes before you lose feeling in your fingers and have to stop.

As far as the wildlife goes, Elephant seals can cause quite a bit of havoc when they decide to rub up or lean against your equipment enclosures. A large seal is quite capable of knocking down a 1.5m solid wooden fence.

Managing Study Obligations

Why did you choose this particular course (or what factors were part of the decision?)?
I have done quite a bit of work in the mining industry and I have always been interested in the automation and process control side of the operation. I thought that I would like to increase my knowledge in this area and diversify my skill set. The problem was that I could not attend classes in person. Everything had to be done remotely.

How long have you been doing it now?
I have been working on this course for about a year.
How many hours commitment each week is required for you?
On average I do about an hour and a half of study a night. Mostly reading text books and working on assignments.

Given your location, how do you manage with the online webcasts?
As the delegates are spread out all over the world, the question of setting a time for a webcast is difficult. I am given a choice of two or three different times during the day for each webcast and so I just find the one that is most convenient.

Others at the site must be studying too in down time, but what special challenges does the location bring to your study time?
I try to arrange field trips between study modules so that I can get away for up to a week at a time. If there are urgent repairs needed then that takes priority over studying and webcasts but due to the webcasts being recorded, I can catch up when I return to the station.

What’s been good, what’s been not so good with the course?
I have really enjoyed the work on PLC programming and control loop tuning as well as the chemical engineering module. It really helped me understand some of the processes that I had seen in the mining industry.
I love the flexibility of the study and the access to the lecturers. They have all been excellent at responding to email queries. I guess that there has not been any thing that I would call “not so good”. Some of the modules have been harder than others, but that just adds to the overall sense of achievement.

After your term is finished, how will the new qualification help?
When I return home I would like to pursue more opportunities in the process control field, in particular the oil and gas industry. I already have considerable experience in industrial data and communications and this qualification helps to bridge these skills into other fields.

And finally, what advice would you give someone who has a work commitment and is contemplating one of these courses?
To take on a commitment like this is a big task but if it wasn’t hard work then the qualification would not be worth anything. To help with this, the course has been designed with flexibility in mind. The varied webcast times and studying at your own pace can usually be juggled around work commitments without much, or any, interference on your work time. In my own case there was a period when I just could not attend webcasts or study but IDC worked with me to find a solution.

I have found the course to be very interesting and rewarding and I am very glad that I started.