Professional Services

Financial and business services, contribute just over 20% of our Christchurch estimated GDP. Quality education also a key strength with the University of Canterbury, being the second oldest University in NZ opening in 1873. There is enormous potential for growth and economic development in this sector due to the city re-build both from local activity and from off-shore markets eager to learn from our experience particularly in engineering, urban design, architecture, planning, project management and capital venture.

Professional services are a significant employer in the Canterbury region. There are 4,470 businesses in Finance and Insurance, with 5,270 employees not including working proprietors. This is made up of 2,660 Finance businesses (2,720 employees), 104 Insurance businesses (1,170 employees) and 781 Services to Finance and Insurance (1,390 employees). There are 24,770 businesses in Property and Business Services, employing 29,270 people. Business services is the biggest component, with 4,430 working in Marketing and Business Management Services, 3,780 in Legal and Accounting Services and 3,520 in Contract Staff Services. The Education Sector employs 20,390 people- with Post-School education employing 5,280 people, primary employing 5,020 people, secondary 4,350 people and preschool 2,650 people.

Professional Services is the biggest contributed to GDP. Infometrics estimates in the year ended March 2011, Finance, Insurance, Property and Business Services contributed 20% of Canterbury’s GDP ($2,975 million). Education contributes a further 7%.

Contact: Emily Branthwaite
Phone: (03) 353 6859
Email: emily.branthwaite@cdc.org.nz

Food & Beverage

We are a leading producer of meat products, seafood, baked products, dairy foods and wine, these products are exported throughout the World. Well renowned companies based in the region include ANZCO Foods, Verkerks, Hellers, Synlait, Cookie time, Independent Fisheries and Pegasus Bay Winery. In addition we have a number of small artisan companies (Airborne Honey, Harrington Breweries, Barry Bay Cheese) that are utilising the highest quality natural ingredients grown in the region and launching new exciting gourmet products.

In 2010 there were an estimated 353 businesses (and 11,750) employees in food, beverage and tobacco manufacturing. The biggest components were meat product (55 businesses, 5,370 employees), Dairy production (24 businesses, 1,070 employees) and fruit and vegetable processing (17 businesses, 1,010 employees). Additional there were 2,010 employees in other food manufacturing (mostly seafood).

Infometrics estimates that Food, beverage and tobacco manufacturing contributed 5% of the regions GDP in the year ending March 2011.

Contact: Blair Cottam
Phone: (03) 378 0094
Email: blair.cottam@cdc.org.nz

Agribusiness

We are considered an important agricultural production centre making a significant contribution to the New Zealand economy. There are grass-based farming systems at Lincoln University and surrounding research centres. Also an operational dairy research farm and numerous other research operations in areas such as seed production, global warming, dry land pastoral productivity and a world first development of “Eco-N” a new nitrification inhibitor that reduces the environmental impacts of agriculture and increases productivity and sustainability in farming.

There were an estimated 11,090 Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing companies in Canterbury in 2010. The majority was agriculture (9,230) within which Sheep (1,920), Dairy Cattle Farming (1,390) and Beef Cattle farming (1,300) were significant. These businesses employed an estimated 13,990 people, although this does not include working proprietors, for which there would be a large number. There were a further 310 businesses and 2,370 employees in wood and paper product manufacturing.

Infometrics estimates that Agricultural contributed around 8% ($1,166 million) of Canterbury’s Gross Domestic Product in the year ended March 2011. Additionally Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing produced a further 2%.

Canterbury has over half (53%) the pigs in the country with 177,520 pigs. The region also has 28% of the country’s deer (319,910). There are 486,390 beef cows (12%), 938,450 Dairy cattle (16%0 and 5,652,100 sheep (17%). 38% of the country’s hectares dedicated to growing potatoes are in Canterbury.

Contact: Jim Grennell
Phone: (03) 378 0090
Email: jim.grennell@cdc.org.nz

ICT

We consider ourselves a NZ leader in the ICT sector having both a history and pedigree of software and electronics firms. Utilising embedded software a Canterbury company developed an unmanned aircraft used for meteorological and atmospheric research. This is just some of the incredible technologies that are being developed right here. There were an estimated 920 ICT companies in the city in 2010. The businesses have around 5600 employees (not including sole traders). The largest component is Computer Consultancy services, which employs around 2,500 people.

In Canterbury there were an estimated 1100 companies. The businesses have around 5,800 employees (not including sole traders). The largest component is again, Computer Consultancy services, which employs around 2,600 people.

Contact: Lee Sinclair
Phone: (03) 378 0096
Email: lee.sinclair@cdc.org.nz