In this episode of Talking Innovation, Jonathan Prince sits down with John Down, Managing Director and Owner of ENI Manufacturing, to talk about more than 30 years of building a New Zealand manufacturing business. John co-founded ENI in Christchurch in 1993 as a small sheet metal operation. Within six months, the business had grown to nine staff. Today, ENI employs around 140 people and works across sheet metal fabrication, precision engineering, machining, contract manufacturing, additive manufacturing, mechanical assembly, design for manufacture, and powder coating. John talks about how ENI has evolved by following opportunities, listening to customers, investing in new capability, and, above all, getting the right people around the table. He reflects on the role governance played in shifting ENI from a jobbing shop towards a broader manufacturing business, and how one early bus shelter project developed into work that ENI is still delivering around New Zealand nearly 30 years later. A strong thread through the conversation is people. John says ENI was founded on relationships, and that people, culture, and values have remained constants as the company has grown. One of ENI’s core ideas is being “better every day” - not just improving the business, but helping people go home better than when they arrived. He talks about developing young people, giving them opportunities, building a diverse team, and creating a workplace where families and life outside work matter too. The conversation also explores additive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, the future of New Zealand manufacturing, AI, and why John believes the sector needs to become much better at telling its own story. His message for future manufacturers is straightforward: experiment, be prepared to back yourself, look after your people, and show what New Zealand is capable of. John also shares his longstanding connection with Living Springs and the importance he places on contributing to the wider Canterbury community. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about manufacturing, leadership, relationships, continuous improvement, and what it takes to build a business that lasts.
