Manufacturing Workforce Supply. Consistent. High-Volume. No Gaps.
We're New Zealand's Sourcr Manufacturing and Warehousing Agency of the Year 2024 — National. Trade Assist supplies production line operators, food processing workers, quality controllers, packhouse operators and machine operators to manufacturers across New Zealand. High-volume, consistent and vetted supply. We run the accounts that operate Monday to Saturday without gaps — HEINZ Watties, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Foodstuffs South Island. These aren't one-off fills. They're long-term supply relationships built on reliability.
Request staff for your next project
You need production workers
Submit a brief — production volumes, shift structure, environment type (food-grade, chemical, general), any specific licences or site induction requirements. We supply everything from individual fills to high-volume ongoing accounts. Call 0800 999 599 or brief us using the form below.
You're looking for manufacturing work
Register with your production experience, shift availability, tickets and location. We place across Hawke's Bay (HEINZ Watties, packhouse season), Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington in food processing, FMCG, packaging and light engineering.
Why Manufacturing Employers Choose Trade Assist
Sourcr Manufacturing & Warehousing Agency of the Year 2024 — National. 
This award is based on real ratings from real clients and candidates at the consultant level. It covers both production and warehouse supply. Our track record in manufacturing is independently verified — not self-reported.
The accounts that can't have gaps.
HEINZ Watties. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. Foodstuffs South Island. These are not accounts you fill with whoever's available. We run a committed production supply model — you have a daily forecast, we have a committed pipeline. Supply consistency is the only metric that matters on a production line.
Food-grade and chemical environments — workers prepared before day one.
Every candidate placed in a food-grade environment is briefed on hygiene protocols, PPE requirements and HACCP awareness before arrival. Workers who haven't worked in food safety environments before don't go to a food safety environment unprepared. This isn't an induction item — it's a pre-placement requirement.
Seasonal surge and steady-state — we manage both.
Harvest season in Hawke's Bay and Canterbury (April–July), Christmas FMCG surge, new product line ramp-ups. We plan the calendar with you, not reactively to you. 4–6 weeks' notice for large seasonal volumes lets us commit a supply pool in advance. Reactive requests at peak season still get answered — they just have less lead time to work with.
Compliance & Safety Standards
Food Act 2014 (MPI)
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)
HSNO Act — Hazardous Substances
Health & Safety at Work Act 2015
Food Act 2014 (MPI)
All workers placed in food processing environments are briefed on MPI requirements, personal hygiene standards and food safety protocols specific to their role. Workers not meeting food safety requirements are not placed in food-grade environments.
Production lines don't wait. Neither do we. Consistent supply, prepared workers, no gaps.
HEINZ Watties — Hawke's Bay
We rely on Trade Assist for consistent production staffing across our Hawke's Bay operation. Seasonal volume, ongoing fills, short notice — they deliver. Workers show up prepared and we lose less time at induction.
Roles We Fill
Production Line Operator
Assembly line, processing line, packaging line — multi-skilled across fast-moving production environments.
Food Processing Worker
Food-grade PPE environments; slaughter, cutting, trimming, packaging and in-line QC roles.
Packhouse Operator
Grading, sorting, packaging and cartoning of horticultural produce. Seasonal and year-round.
Quality Controller (QC)
In-line and end-of-line QC; documentation, batch release, reject management and reporting.
Machine Operator
CNC, injection moulding, blending, extrusion, thermoforming — experience and machine class confirmed upfront.
Filler / Packer
Filling lines, carton erection, wrapping, labelling and palletising for FMCG and industrial manufacturing.
Forklift Operator — Factory
Counterbalance within production and warehouse environments. F endorsement verified before placement.
Assembly Worker
Light assembly, component fitting, electrical assembly, kitting and sub-assembly work.
General Production Hand
Multi-task production support, changeover, cleaning and line assistance.
Chemical Process Operator
Mixing, batching and formulation work. HSNO-aware workers for chemical manufacturing environments.
Maintenance Support
General maintenance assistance, lubrication and basic fault response under qualified maintenance staff.
Shift Supervisor / Team Leader
Shift management, line reporting and quality sign-off. Permanent placement most common arrangement.
Our Process
Brief submitted
Candidate matching
Pre-placement
Pre-shift briefing
Site induction coordination
Ongoing supply management
Brief submitted
Production volumes, shift structure, environment type (food-grade/chemical/general), any specific licences or site induction requirements. The more context on your environment, the faster we can prepare the right workers.
Opportunities you may be interested in...
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Manufacturing is our highest-volume sector
Trade Assist manufacturing consultants manage production accounts over the long term - they know your lines, your seasonal calendar and your quality standards. The same consultant handles your account for the life of the relationship. Not a rotating staffing desk.
Auckland
Alex Gorham
Recruitment Consultant - Engineering, Manufacturing & Warehousing
Christchurch
Hannah Stewart
Principal Recruitment Consultant - Manufacturing & Warehousing
Christchurch
Daniel Salamanca
Recruitment Resourcer - Logistics, Manufacturing & Warehousing
Auckland
Fi Siu
Recruitment Consultant - Engineering, Manufacturing & Warehousing
Hawkes Bay
Karen Douglas
Recruitment Consultant - Manufacturing & Warehousing
Hawkes Bay
Mate Dean
Recruitment Resourcer - Manufacturing & Warehousing
Frequently asked questions
What manufacturing sub-sectors does Trade Assist work in?
Food and beverage (FMCG, F&B processing), packhouse and horticulture, plastics and packaging, light engineering and metal fabrication, pharmaceutical support and industrial manufacturing. Our primary volume is in food and FMCG manufacturing — HEINZ Watties, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Foodstuffs South Island are active accounts across Hawke's Bay, Christchurch and Auckland.
Do your workers understand food safety requirements before arriving on site?
Yes — food safety briefing is part of our pre-placement process for every food-grade environment. Workers are briefed on the specific site's hygiene protocols, PPE requirements and HACCP basics before their first shift. We don't send workers into food environments unprepared.
Can you supply workers for seasonal production peaks?
Yes. Seasonal peaks — harvest season in Hawke's Bay and Canterbury (April–July), Christmas FMCG surge, new product line ramp-ups — are a core part of our supply model. Engage us 4–6 weeks minimum for large seasonal volumes and we'll commit a supply pool in advance. Leave it until the week before and we'll still try, with less to work with.
What are your response times for production line fills?
For most general production and pick-pack roles: 24–48 hours. For food-grade environments with specific PPE or site training requirements: allow 48–72 hours so we can complete proper pre-placement preparation. We won't place someone on your production line unprepared just to fill the shift.
Do you supply shift supervisors and team leaders as well as operators?
Yes. Production supervisors and team leaders for shift management across our manufacturing accounts. Specify the shift structure, required experience and any site-specific requirements in your brief. Permanent placement is the most common arrangement for supervisory roles.
Can Trade Assist supply workers for chemical manufacturing and HSNO environments?
Yes. For environments involving HSNO-classified substances, we ensure workers have HSNO awareness training, appropriate PPE and understand their obligations under the site's chemical management plan. Specific handler or handler supervisor requirements are confirmed before placement.