The economic contribution of engineering companies in Dunedin needs to be revisited for future assessments, following the release last week of the Dunedin City Council's new economic strategy.
Chairman of Engineering Dunedin Inc (EDI), which represents a wide range of Dunedin's manufacturing engineers, Hugh Smirk, said the council's assessment of about a $70 million contribution should in the future be revised to "at least $140 million".
While EDI's members fully endorsed the council strategy, particularly its focus on exporting both to other New Zealand centres and overseas, EDI wants the collective contribution recognised in the future, as a truer reflection, so the public can be kept better informed.
"EDI members are enthusiastic about the new strategy and are keen to ensure that the huge benefits of local manufacturing to the Dunedin economy, as accrued in the past from as early as the goldfield days, are continued into the future," he said.
The difference arose because the $70 million figure was based on a standardised economist's assessment, as opposed to the overall contribution to financial turnover and stimulus to the local economy, Mr Smirk said.
Dunedin's manufacturing sector was a key driver of Dunedin exports.Generally, one manufacturing job was considered to create three jobs in the local economy, Mr Smirk said.
He said the strategy had already been released and it was too late to change the published assessment. EDI was already in talks with the council to have the assessment upgraded for future use.
