The Northern Employers & Manufacturers Association has congratulated the Wellington based Employers & Manufacturers Association, EMA Central, for its plans to join forces with the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The President of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce Jo Bransgrove and the President of EMA Central Peter McKee yesterday announced they are seeking terms to combine parts of their operations to achieve better services and lower costs to members.

"EMA Northern is not in any similar discussions with the Auckland Chamber of Commerce," said EMA chief executive Alasdair Thompson.

"It's not something we need to do at present, and isn't on EMA's agenda, though we work closely with the Chamber in several areas such as Auckland transport and local government reform. "Both the Chambers of Commerce and EMA (Employer, Manufacturer, Exporter and Business) brands are valued by our respective members, and in my view they should be retained were a back office type merger ever considered at some time in the future."