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“Shall we hike the Queen Charlotte track during our summer break this year?” I kind of pleaded with Shaun.

It had been a hard year in business with the recession. I’d watched him work so hard, and stress so much and I knew he needed a damn good break.

Now, Shaun and I have very different ideas of what ‘taking a break’ looks like. He prefers the ‘Stay At Home’ model, where he still gets up at 5.30am and does his usual routine of cigarette, cup of tea, porridge, poo, and then has the freedom to do whatever spontaneously calls him that day.

I, on the other hand, class a good break as something fun; often with friends, making memories, usually away from the farm – our dear farm with relentless farm jobs, where there is always something to do, and from which Davies Fencing is run.

In our 28-year relationship, I have usually won when it comes to choosing what to do for our summer break. Except for last year when Shaun won, and we stayed home. It was incredibly boring (for me) because he ended up spending most of it spraying gorse – alone, which to be honest, he does enjoy.

This year, I chose the right moment to ask, put my best nightie on, and initiated a moment of passion. Not my finest moment of integrity I’ll admit. I thought I’d grown out of manipulation styles but there you go. He replied that it would probably be boring to walk in the bush and not see any deer or have a rifle but that yes, he’d come with me and our good friends.

I began training immediately.

The Queen Charlotte track consists of 17 km on day one, 10 km on day two and 27 km of mostly uphill on day three. Shaun’s training was zero.

“I’m fit as, I walk fence lines all day, I hunt, I’ll be fine.”

I’ll admit, I was worried about his lack of training, but this wasn’t your usual DOC-like tramp with huts, bunkbeds, packets of dehydrated food, long drops and strangers snoring next to you. This was the créme de la créme of hiking. Staying in lodges, white linen, restaurants, and backpacks water-taxied for you to your next destination. This was a Shaun-Break of course; I wanted it to be as relaxing and enjoyable as possible for his first hike.

We hopped on the ferry, met our friends and began our hike.

It didn’t disappoint. The tracks were phenomenal; stunning vista views around every corner, bluebird days, luxurious accommodation, beautiful food, soul filling laughs and banter with our mates. It was working! Shaun seemed at ease, happy, relaxed – in a ‘my body is sore, but I’m enjoying it, hiking’ kind of way. The break away was doing him good.

Towards the end of the third day, about 20kms in, we had reached the top of a mammoth hill, my friend and I pant-chatting, I looked up and saw Shaun and his mate give us the ‘shhh’ sign. Initially, I thought Shaun had finally had enough of people talking and needed his quiet alone time, but then he then pointed to the bush. There, about 5 metres away, was a young red deer, casually chewing leaves. I was astounded. In 15 years of hiking, I had never ever seen a deer on any track. But there it was. And there was Shaun, with the hugest smile. His tank was full.

On the ferry on the way home, he put his arm around me and whispered, “Thank you so much for organising this,” and kissed me on the cheek.

It’s easy to fall into thinking that a ‘good break’ has to be a certain way, but I think a break just needs to fill the gap in whatever you’re missing at the time. If you’re missing alone time, do that. If you’re missing rest, do that. If you’re missing fun, do that. If you’re missing exercise, do that. If you’re missing connection, go hang with people.

And if you’re not sure, go ask your wife.
She’ll know.

Written by Angelena Davies

Angelena Davies is a wife and mum who happens to have a Masters degree in Social Sciences. Alongside running Davies Fencing she is also a coach, facilitator and author helping children and adults to access “flow” so their lives are easier and more fun.

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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The FCANZ Board plays a critical role in the governance of the Association with a focus on the ‘bigger picture’ areas of organisational purpose and strategic direction.

Three of our seven Board members reach the end of their two-year term at the AGM in August this year. Two of these Board members have confirmed that they will not be standing for re-election, therefore we are seeking nominations to fill their positions.

Being on the Board offers an attractive opportunity to grow personally and professionally. You’ll develop skills and gain irreplaceable experience while having the chance to drive and influence the decisions and direction of the Association. As part of the team, you’ll be happy to commit for two years to make improvements for the industry and our members.

You’ll not only be aware of the ins and outs of the industry, you’ll be passionate about making it better for professional fencers. Being reasonably tech-savvy is a plus, as much of the Board’s work is carried out online. Board members contribute to regular meetings, attend events as FCANZ representatives, and always demonstrate organisational and industry best practice.

The application process

Nominations for the FCANZ Board need to be completed online (www.fcanz.org.nz/board-nomination) and submitted by 5pm Monday 30th June 2025. Nominees will be sent information about being on the Board and be asked to complete a short form providing some information about themselves. Both the Nominee and the Nominator must be paid-up members of FCANZ.

The election process

The FCANZ Board has a maximum of seven elected officers and, in the event that the Association receives more nominations than there are positions available, a Board Officer Election will be held at the AGM (Thursday 7th August 2025) at which time the members in attendance will vote for the nominees they wish to represent them on the Board.

Head to www.fcanz.org.nz/board-nomination to read about what is involved in being on the Board and to submit a nomination. If you have any questions regarding the nomination process, or the role of a Board member, please get in touch with Jeanette Miller (027 432 2033) or FCANZ President Phil Cornelius (027 274 4188).

All Rural Fencing Ltd started back in 2002 when we moved to Snells Beach after selling our 700-head dairy farm.

However, before going dairying, I realised I needed money to buy a herd, so, at the age of 18 years I went fencing in the Maungaturoto area. I built my first post driver during that time.

Both in dairy farming and fencing, I have always looked for ways to improve and make the way we do things easy. So many others just do what they have been taught and don’t improve.

So often, it’s the simple things that make a difference. I mounted a box on each side of the tractor bonnet to hold tools and things we need in our daily work. It saves having to either go back and forth to the Ute or drag a trailer over rough ground.

Wire spinners are mounted on pipes attached to a front-end loader bucket. The wires spin off these, go through guides down the side of the tractor to the post driver and run out behind the tractor. When setting up to fence, we drive the strainer post in, then attach one wire and drive down the fence line, putting in corners to the strainer at the other end.

We strain this tight, and it becomes the single guide wire. Next, we walk along the line, spacing out the post positions with the plumb bob string touching the wire. We allow the plumb bob to touch the ground and carefully spray a line which will indicate where the wire side of the post will go in. This allows us to take tension off the guide wire and drive along the line post driving without the guide wire getting in our way. This method is quick and efficient.

Once all the posts and stays are in, we attach three wires to the end strainer, drive down the line to the other end, cut and tie them, then turn around and go back. All seven wires are ready to be put on.

Next, using a wire threading tool that I designed and made, we walk along the line, stapling all the wires in the correct position. Then, we strain in the middle of the line using a tension gauge and permanent wire strainers, which completes it ready for battening.

Over the years, my fencing has included deer and construction site netting, using my designed netting unroller/tensioner attached to the post driver.

We also pull out a lot of fences, some of them very rubbishy, using my designed V-lifter for lifting posts, and a hydraulically driven old fence winder, which winds up old fence with wires and battens still attached.

Using my specially designed drill bit, we put in and pull out vineyards, enabling the planting of new vines.

When pulling out vineyards, we use our wireless remote controlled tractor mover and a special lifter for lifting out vine plants and posts. As the tractor moves down the line, and when hanging gates, we use my counter sinking drill bit.

Our business has diversified in many ways and continues to do so. Over the years, we have fenced and/or developed a children’s playground, rose arbour (80m x 4m), wedding arbour with grape vines over top, retaining walls, cattle yards, the list goes on.

Written by Malcolm Webster

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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A long serving, and now retired, Board member for FCANZ, John Noakes (‘Noksee’) was the recipient of the inaugural FCANZ Legend Award at last year’s annual awards. The honour was a surprise that caught him off guard, but he was “stoked and very humbled”. He shares a yarn with Alice Scott …

They say variety is the spice of life and this could not be truer for John Noakes (or Noksee as he is known to most). An infectious laugh that lights up a room and a seemingly endless supply of positive energy, Noksee maintains people should do a job they enjoy. “When you’re doing something that gives you satisfaction, then you will be become very good at it,” he says.

Nearing the age of 70, the fencing contractor from Motueka reflects on a busy working life; up before the crack of dawn seven days a week, he thrives on getting stuck into a job – whatever that may be. “I was the eldest of six kids and I always seemed to have a strong work ethic. I was quite independent and very driven.”

He grew up on his family’s dairy farm at Pahiatua. He recalls always heading off on an adventure possuming and fishing. “As soon as I could walk, I was gone,” he laughs. He has memories driving tractors at around age eight and was tasked with building a permanent electric fence at the age of 11 or 12. In those days they made many of the fencing materials from scratch.

“We worked in a syndicate with our neighbours building fences and making hay.” He recalls helping pour concrete into moulds for posts and cutting and splitting totara trees with a black powder splitting gun, “they were very strong posts, some of them I am sure will still be standing today.”

As a teenager Noksee had a strong numbers mind. He can recall getting in trouble at school when there was a change to the way maths was taught, moving from arithmetic to algebra. “XYZ doesn’t add up to me, I would bypass all that fill-in-the-blank stuff and just come back with the answer, which didn’t impress the teachers much.”

He left school part way through his fifth form year (year 11) at the age of 15 and got a job working on a sheep and beef farm. “I did all sorts of work; fencing, crutching, woolpressing and rousying and I learnt to shear; I was always doing pranks in the shearing shed and would get chased out of the shed with a shearer hot on my tail!” he laughs.

He then worked in Eketahuna cutting tracks, fence lines and airstrips on a bulldozer as well as a wheel tractor doing ag work ploughing and discing. “The steeper it was the more interesting it got,” he says. Noksee worked big hours – usually around 110 machine hours in six days. “I didn’t need to operate on much sleep, back then I was usually running on
about four hours a night.”

He’s found he needs a bit more than that these days, but he still wakes for his day around 3.30am. “I try to go back to sleep but that’s it, once I am awake my brain starts turning and I need to get up.”

In his late teens and early 20s he worked in cartage, transporting stock around the lower North Island as well as bulk cartage from the rail head in Pahiatua.

A cheese factory was next. A six on, two off working week had him making cheese and also driving a milk tanker. On his days off he was never short of something to do; cheese deliveries, carting hay, working for farmers or helping a fencing contractor.

Dairy farming then beckoned and saw Noksee progress up the dairy ladder, starting on wages, moving into management roles and then sharemilking for a couple of years. “Then I did something really out of left field and bought a lunch bar at Warkworth.”

The lunch bar was early starts and early finishes so if he wasn’t preparing food in the afternoons, he was working for a small family abattoir. He was only a couple years into that business when he was approached to apply for a job working for former All Black Gary Knight on his dairy farm.

“What was just going to be nine months turned into three-and-a-half years”, recalls Noksee. He thoroughly enjoyed his time working for Gary and learnt a lot about business. “Gary had a very good business head and became quite a mentor to me in that respect.”

Dairying had him hooked this time and he spent more than a decade growing his holding with an equity partnership and then 50:50 sharemilking. It was also challenging times; he went through a marriage break up and “encountered a couple of ratbags” in his work, but he doesn’t dwell on these details for very long. “It is what it is, everything is a learning opportunity.”

Despite telling himself at the time of his breakup he “wouldn’t do that again”, fate had other plans. Two years later he met Carol on a blind date. “We’ve been married 29 years now; we are good friends; she is quite simply just a bloody great lady.”

Around the age of 50, when some are thinking about slowing down, Noksee decided he needed a change from dairying and made the move into fencing contracting. His work has seen him travel all over New Zealand and this writer needed to speed up when Noksee listed off what he has been kept busy with over the last two decades.

“Some stand out jobs have been down in Stewart Island, deer fencing to keep wild deer and other animals out; a dairy conversion over in Tasmania; and I have done a lot of work on the top of Takaka Hill and up the back of Nelson in the Grampians Reserve. I quite enjoy steep terrain; it gets a bit of adrenalin going and keeps you focussed on the job.”

He recalls putting in some house piles for a family that had lost their house to a fire.

“The family homeschooled their seven children and they were all involved in the job. They were very well-rounded kids that had an amazing ability to talk to adults.”

He also thrives in his involvement with the Best Practise Days and Field Days – helping out with the fencing competitions and networking with others.

“Those days stand out as I enjoy showcasing that side of the job. I am a people person, but I also find I need a

good week or so walking a fence line to recalibrate and find my rhythm again,” he laughs.

Noksee jokes he has a PHD in fencing. “It’s called Post Hole Digging. Which I have to say to council engineers from time to time when they’ve never worked on the coal face. It shuts them up and they’ll walk away shaking their head”.

Purchasing a Revolution Telescopic 180 post driver was a “game changer” for Noksee – requiring only one labour unit to operate both tractor and driver.

“And if I’m on a steep gradient, I can shift the weight very quickly.” Noksee laughs he probably does push the limits as to where he can get a post. “If someone starts questioning things, I tell them it must be time for them to go and have some lunch instead of worrying about what I am up to”.

He reckons it is a matter of gaining life experience and seeing a few mistakes to know the limits. “You can’t teach self-preservation, that comes with time on the job.”

Working on his own suits Noksee, he has a couple of other contractors he will call on if he needs a hand, and vice versa. Going solo allows him flexibility to see to his other roles he has within the fencing industry. He was a Board member of FCANZ for 12 years and has been heavily involved in training with other tertiary education providers.

“I will tell young men and women that are keen to give fencing a go the first thing they need to do is head to one of the major Field Days and watch the fencing competitions. They will get a very good understanding of the level of skill and workmanship required. They may not want to go that far themselves, but it sets a standard in their minds from the start.”

It is always very satisfying for him to see young fencers he has had a hand in training come through the ranks of the competitions and do well.

Noksee doesn’t see any reason to put the toolbelt down just yet, he continues to be involved in training and sometimes a client might need to wait the odd day or two if a hunting trip beckons.

The Whatever With Wiggy Charitable Trust runs the “Lean on a Gate and Talk to a Mate” mental health campaign, something FCANZ fully backs and promotes to its members. This awareness sparked a desire within Noksee to do his bit. He regularly takes groups to Stewart Island for an adventure trip, a trip which has been informally titled by some as ‘Noksee’s Scenic Safari Trips’.

“We go hunting, fishing, snorkelling and take photos – it’s just as much about health and wellbeing as it is about catching anything.” He will organise, host and cook for around 12 people. “They come from all walks of life: young, old, men and women. Some of them go home a different person – realising what they want from life.” It isn’t a money-making
exercise for Noksee. “I just love doing it”, he says.

Noksee’s advice for those entering the fencing industry is simple: “If you stuff up, fix it. It’s that simple. We are all human and we all make mistakes. No one likes going back to fix someone else’s job – it’s easier to just own it, go back and sort it out.”

Maintaining a positive perspective on life is also important. “You can’t control what life throws at you, but you can control how you handle it,” he says. “And if you don’t enjoy what you do, then go and do something else. You can do whatever you put your mind to.”

Written by Alice Scott

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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I’m Donna Upton, and like the rest of the FCANZ Board, I volunteer my time to guide the Association’s development for the industry’s good. In my day jobs, I help run CPC Fencing with my husband, and I’m the NorthTec Training Coordinator for Fencing qualifications. There are some issues I’ve been mulling over since taking on the roles of Training Coordinator and FCANZ Board member, and some questions I’d love to know the answers to.

The evolution of industry training

Industry training in the last four years has been a massive learning curve for the industry. The Association is doing its best to emulate other better-established (and regulated) trades by supporting and delivering training in trade skills and business acumen. The Certificate in Fencing Level 3 & 4 training is available nationwide. It is delivered under the NZQA framework to help better our members and anyone who wants to take up fencing as a career – bringing fencing from old traditional business methods into the now. Training and courses like this will always be evolving and changing, and it is our responsibility as an industry and an Association to navigate the challenges of the NZQA system and ensure the training reaches a standard all should aspire to.

Not just a piece of paper

I absolutely get that workmanship is your best advertising tool, and having clients call you back repeatedly is your best accolade for continued business. But what about the consumers who have no idea what good looks like? I have said it before, and I will say it again: a fencer knows a good fence, and a fencer knows what good workmanship looks like. The average consumer has no idea and is engaging your business to carry out the work they want done; they don’t necessarily know good from bad until it is too late.

How do we reduce the complaints we see from these situations and educate the general public (including Councils and the like) on the difference, thereby improving the reputation of our industry?

Flipping the narrative

Speaking generally (not from a trainer’s perspective), it’s sad to see that a lot of the narrative has been negatively charged due to frustration. People are juggling the constantly fluctuating workstreams within their businesses, trying to better themselves, dealing with staff shortages, and managing their way through economic and global disruptions most of us have probably never seen in our lifetime.

Unsurprisingly, we often get caught up in a spiral of negativity, especially with so many aspects being beyond our control. My question is, how do we change that narrative? Having lived and worked in the rural sector all my life and, latterly, in the fencing industry, I have noticed that 9 out of 10 people you come across in the industry are brilliant and offer so much.

They are helpful, industrious, and forward-thinking, but they often don’t want anyone to know this about them. I’ve had many conversations with people regarding this, and they all agree.

So, how do we change the vibe around the fencing career and business pathway in New Zealand?

How do we change the direction of the industry so everyone is helping to make it better across all facets, not just the business side, but in its entirety?

How can we work together better? Our industry is the most underregulated, easy-to-enter industry there is. There is no problem with that, but how do we create an even playing field for our consumers to navigate?

What you think matters

Training has come on in leaps and bounds in the past three years, and we have achieved a lot in the very short time it has been properly available through NZQA. I am constantly working hard behind the scenes to tweak the Level 3 & 4 courses so that they work in and around your business better. We need help to help you, and for this, we need constructive feedback to keep the training tracking on a positive forward trajectory. We need to know from fencers why they may not enrol, or enrol and have problems completing the courses.

What changes or suggestions do you have for the courses that will maintain the best practice standards required to demonstrate to consumers the correct way to fence?

Getting ahead of the game

We don’t want to create unnecessary regulation by any means, but as an Association, we want to be on the front foot regarding what regulation there is and help you navigate it as easily as possible. We are seeing more and more Local Government entities seeking advice, direction and education from us about what a good fence looks like. In the coming 12 months, this will expand into a proactive educational programme with large organisations – and holding any of the industry qualifications or endorsements will stand you in good stead.

An exciting future

The fencing community is huge nationally and internationally, I have never experienced anything like it elsewhere. There are some awesome opportunities and fantastic people within it. Imagine what it would be like if we all helped each other to keep the industry on the right path and make it the best it can be, helping each other and anyone within it.

Level 3 and 4 courses are now open for enrolment (northtec.ac.nz/study/ fencing). These fencing courses have been leading the way within NorthTec’s primary industries pathway, and it would be awesome to see that continue.

If you have constructive feedback and ideas to improve what you already have in place, contact Jaime at FCANZ (, or 021 2848 223).

We are here for you and will work with you to make your industry what you want it to be.

Written by Donna Upton

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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NZFC has been working on the development of a World Doubles Fencing Championship, bringing together fencers from different countries to compete at the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, to help highlight the New Zealand fencing industry’s strong standing in fencing competitions, and connect fencers from across the globe.

Coupled with this initiative is an overseas competition exchange program, whereby representative competition winners from different countries come down and compete in the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship. In exchange, the New Zealand winners, or highest placed New Zealand team, travel overseas to one of their competitions to represent New Zealand and our NZFC sponsors.

Work undertaken on behalf of NZFC by Nick Liefting with the U.K, and Debbie White with the USA can be attributed to the early development of the World Championship concept and connections.

At this years’ Fieldays, two overseas teams will be competing in the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship. Representing the 2024 Tornado Fencing competition in the UK is Si Gibbs, from HVB Fencing, and John Morgan, from Morgan Fencing. Comments Si, “We are both looking forward to meeting the best of the best and giving it a good go. Best to get practising!”

The winners of the U.S Platinum Strainers Doubles Championship, which is run at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galex Virginia, were Dylan Herndon (Georgia) and Deuce Brown (South Carolina). With Dylan unfortunately unable to make it for family reasons, Ed Struna from Hickory Nut Fencing Ohio is coming over as Deuce’s doubles partner.

Says Deuce, “I’m looking forward to competing in NZ. I’m excited to meet the other competitors and learn all I can to hopefully bring knowledge back to the States. Being able to compete at Fieldays is a real honour, and something I don’t take lightly.

I think one of the most understated aspects of competitions is the camaraderie that comes with it. After I competed at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry, I feel that I’m a better fencer for doing it. The biggest value is paying more attention to details that I’ve overlooked in the past, being more appreciative of the value of techniques, and its helped me bring an overall higher quality of fence to my everyday customers.”

2025 Exchange

The winners of the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship are travelling to the USA to compete in the US Platinum Strainers Doubles Championship, held at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galax Virginia, on 15-16 August 2025.

Along with competing, they will be demonstrating New Zealand techniques to the other attendees during organised demonstration times, and promoting travelling to New Zealand to attend the Fieldays and to meet New Zealand fencing contractors.

Any New Zealand Fencing contractors and their partners who would like to attend either the Tornado Fencing Competition, held at the Malvern Sheep Show in England, or the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galex, Virginia, USA and then meet up with fellow fencing contractors and do factory tours, can email office@nzfencingcompetitons. co.nz for further information.

Written by Debbie White

 

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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Mitchpine has been supplying quality fencing products since 1975.

It’s seen its share of challenges in the last 50 years, tried new opportunities (including, in the late 90’s, shipping outdoor furniture to Japan) and made many changes to get the business to be where it is today.

Lee Mitchell, the third generation of Mitchell to lead the Mitchpine business, took over in 2019 and has prioritised keeping up with innovation within the industry.

“We try to stay up to date with what is happening overseas. We import technology to keep our plant and machinery efficient. By investing in technology, not only do we get better products and the ability to use the right part of the tree for the right product we are also reducing waste and creating a safer workplace.”

50 years in the industry has seen a lot of change. But that will not stop.

“The industry is constantly changing and we want to keep changing to meet demands to ensure wood is the first choice.”

“For the past few years’ a big project we have been working on is a new roundwood mill. We are excited to open this, this year. This will help us be much more efficient and keep up with demand.”

“We are proud to have been supplying quality wood for the past 50 years and look forward to being a trusted supplier for many more.” says Lee.

For more information about Mitchpine and its products head to www.mitchpine.co.nz
Article supplied by: Mitchpine

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

You may also like: Adapting and evolving – JB Fencing’s story

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Ruben and Heather Connelly only need to look out the window to see how land use in Central Otago is rapidly changing. They live with their growing young family on a four hectare lifestyle block on the outskirts of Cromwell.

Their property was part of a sheep farm, but a few years ago the farmer sold up and a developer divvied up the land for rural residential use.

Ruben and Heather’s business, Precise Fencing, is increasingly responding to the fencing preferences of new property owners like themselves. The pair are rapidly becoming the go-to local contractor for installing stylish and functional macrocarpa fencing. Their clients are happy with the result, and ongoing jobs largely locked in via word-of-mouth marketing is proof of that.

“It makes a statement and lets property owners add value,” Ruben says.

“People see it on the roadside, and they talk to their friends and ask ‘Who does that?’, so that’s the main driver.”

It all started with a cherry orchardist, who had some macrocarpa fencing on his land and asked Ruben if his team could put some more in. That was three years ago. Now, similar work accounts for roughly one-third of business, with the remainder split evenly between farming and viticulture work.

Ruben says the shift has involved a learning curve, but it hasn’t been as steep as it could have been thanks to the skillset of existing team members. While fencing crews are generally comfortable behind the wheel of a tractor, a digger with an auger attachment is needed to make short work of getting the square posts of a macrocarpa fence in the ground.

Despite having employees capable of operating the machinery, there was still a bit of trial and error to begin with, and Ruben says, “the installation process is a bit slower than for your traditional rural fence”. But it is worth the effort.

“The margins are better, it adds some variety to the work that our guys are doing, and it’s really satisfying work when you install it and look back on it.”

Developers are showing an increasing interest, and Ruben and Heather are optimistic that some bigger contracts are around the corner.

“A new subdivision could be six months of work at one site,” Ruben says.

Precise Fencing has developed a solid working relationship with Pankhurst Sawmilling – another husband-and-wife­led family business in the Deep South. This is not a ‘buy-off-the-shelf’ product, and Pankhurst Sawmilling produces the quality macrocarpa posts and rails Ruben and Heather need to get the job done.

It feels like the right time to invest further. To date, Heather and Ruben have been hiring a digger and auger, but they have just purchased their own machinery. It isn’t the only thing on the way – Heather is expecting the couple’s fourth child in a matter of months.

While she has been handling a chunk of the company’s administrative work, a contractor has recently been brought on board part-time to help out. The new role will involve some marketing work too – Heather says business colleagues are reporting success with marketing on Facebook and Instagram, and she is keen for Precise Fencing to develop more of a presence online.

She is midway through a rebranding exercise – there are already uniforms with a refreshed logo, and company Utes and other kit will follow suit. Heather recalls breastfeeding baby number three as she played around sketching ideas for the logo. The result – a bold ‘P’ and ‘F’ that resemble the stout lines of a macrocarpa fence.

“We’re wanting to have a more professional presence, so people recognise our logo and trust our brand.”

Heather is confident diversification makes good business sense in a climate of change. She thinks tech innovations will continue to provide farmers with new options for retaining stock, and in some cases, traditional wire and strainer post fences may become obsolete.

Her plan is to future-proof the family business.

The ability to upskill and pivot isn’t new for those behind Precise Fencing. Ruben moved to Cromwell from Canterbury close to a decade ago, after an opportunity to merge his business into an existing established fencing business arose. Ruben had been dairy farming, but the regular hours and business opportunities offered by fencing lured him away. At that time, the Central Otago­ based business had built up steady work with the growing number of grape growers in the Cromwell basin, converting farmland to vineyards.

“They were creating the rows for the vines to grow up – a trellis type system,” Ruben says.

“So that was a big part of our work through the spring, and the rest of the work was mainly on farms, doing stock fencing.”

It wasn’t long before Ruben crossed paths with his new business partner’s cousin, Heather, who was working in the business. The rest, as they say, is history. Heather bought her cousin’s share of the business, and Ruben and Heather became more than just business partners.

According to Ruben, balancing business and family life is a work in progress.

“Sometimes, when I’m on my way home, I actually pull over on the side of the road and make a couple of calls or do some admin, so then when I’m at home, I’m not thinking ‘I need to do this, I need to do that’ and I can put my phone on the shelf and just forget about it and be present.”

This year, he would also like to shift the office from inside the family’s house – there is plenty of room for a prefab building on their section.

“I can have the kids coming in when I’m on the phone.”

Acknowledging that their employees also have lives outside of work is important for Heather and Ruben too. Staff numbers have grown from two to five during their time in charge of the business, and looking after employees is a priority.

Work Christmas parties are becoming the stuff of legend – this year’s involved whitewater rafting, with the challenge each year to top the adventure of the one before. But the small day-to-day things are just as important.

“I know how hard they work, especially through quite demanding conditions, whether it’s really hot or really cold,” Ruben says.

“We make sure they’ve always got the best machinery and tools, uniforms and good boots… electrolytes in summer. If they want time off, I’ll make it work. On weekends, I want them to go out and have fun and do their hobbies, so then they come back ready to kick into it again for another week.”

Looking back over his fencing career, Ruben acknowledges business opportunities have come from people he knows, so it is a no-brainer he places value on getting to know people.

He says when he heads out to meet a potential client or new supplier, he never treats it as just a business transaction.

“I always take the time to actually learn about the person and understand them. I get a bit of a kick out of meeting new people and just finding out about their lives a little bit.”

Written by Kim Bowden and provided by Precise Fencing

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

You may also like: Adapting key to creating a diversified fencing business

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North Canterbury fencing contractors Andrew and Claire Osgood are no strangers to change and believe being open to diversification within the industry and upskilling are key to maintaining a strong and viable business. They share their journey with Alice Scott…

Andrew Osgood has worked in various fields of fencing over the 30-plus years he has been in business. After leaving school, he worked for a fencing contractor in North Canterbury. He then moved to Western Australia where he ran his own fencing business. “I did about 100km of fencing on the Nullarbor Plain.”

The heat of the day dictated his working hours, often starting before dawn, knocking off when the temperature got to 36 degrees and then going back to the job in the evening when it had cooled down again. “It definitely had its challenges, snakes and ants being some of them.” Andrew’s wife Claire was also working on the fence line and she laughs as she recalls a terrifying encounter with a tiger snake. “Instead of picking up what I thought was a black waratah, I nearly picked up the snake. It gave me a hell of a fright, much to the amusement of the guys working the line ahead of me.”

After 20 years in Australia, the couple decided to move home to North Canterbury and Andrew went farming for 10 years, “I found I could only get so far with farming though, so I moved on and worked for a silage and baleage contractor.”

When the Canterbury Earthquakes hit, Andrew could see there was an opportunity to get back into fencing, and he and his business partner, also called Andrew, set up Andrews of Canterbury and focussed on residential and commercial fencing jobs around the city of Christchurch.

Starting a business from scratch meant the duo had to be proactive and motivated to find the work. “I always kept a high vis and a hard hat in my truck, and if I saw a worksite, I would stop in and introduce myself and give them my card.” While some find the hustle of cold calling  a challenging aspect to drumming up business, Andrew says he never had any problem doing it, “it has never bothered me, I guess it comes down to how passionate and motivated you are about what you do,” he said.

Over the years, the business has continued to evolve to keep abreast of the different scope of work they have taken on. They now offer a broad range of services: residential fencing, farm fencing, commercial and corporate fencing, retaining walls, pool and security fences and decking.

Staff personnel has also changed, growing from two to eight staff three years ago, and currently, they have 15 staff on the payroll. “The other Andrew has moved on, but we have grown quite rapidly in the last few years.”

Following the COVID pandemic, the shortage of building materials became a well-known issue for many contractors in New Zealand. “We hadn’t lost our staff as we were classed as an essential service, but a lot of mills had been closed, and when they reopened, they had staff shortages.” A few phone calls later and Andrew managed to solve the problem with ITM Kaipoi, where a few of his workers would each take turns doing two or three weeks of making palings and other fencing materials. “It meant we had first dibs on the materials, and we also picked up a bit of work as well.” Working at the mill wasn’t hugely enjoyable for his workers however, “they definitely found a new appreciation for fencing; working
outside and having variety in their day,” he laughs.

Andrew also credits his business’s growth to engaging the services of Chris McBreen of Strategize. For those familiar with the television programme Clarkson’s Farm, Andrew jokes that Chris is the “Cheerful Charlie” to their business. “He got us to take a good look at our business model, improve the HR side of our operation and ensure we are fully compliant with all the health and safety requirements and a member of SiteSafe.” While it was an admin-heavy undertaking, it has given the business a strong level of professionalism. “We have been successful with tenders for the likes of Kainga Ora, the Ministry of Education and Otautahi Community Housing Trust. Having all your ducks in a row gives you good clout when it comes to tendering to these types of organisations.”

They also travel South Island-wide. “We have done jobs all over such as Queenstown, Dunedin, Harihari on the West Coast and Havelock. “Most of our workers are in their 20s and don’t mind staying away the odd time.”

Andrew will also be called in to undertake small “tricky” jobs where security or vandalism might be an issue. “We recently had a job at Riccarton Mall where we needed to come up with a solution to prevent graffiti on an advertising screen outside the mall. That was quite an interesting job. I enjoy coming up with solutions to problems like that.”

While she did pull a few wires for Andrew when they were living in Australia, Claire has since been busy raising their family and worked as a registered school teacher. This year, she has finished in the classroom and taken on a full-time administrative role for the business. “She’s on a three-month trial period as my office lady”, Andrew jokes. The business has Andrew pulled in many directions on any given day, and Claire’s support will relieve some of that workload. “My strength is dealing with clients and being out on the jobs, not so much in the office and dealing with the paperwork side of things. Claire is much better at that than me,” he said.

Written by Alice Scott

Pictured from left, back row: Kaihi Rupene, Ollie Stanley, Andrew Osgood, Hamish Joblin, Tyson Barnes, Mikaere Ceson, Chris Conlan Front row: Wiremu Brown, Carlos Lancaster-Bartlett, Karika Tuake, Jonty Box, Reid Exton, James Wagstaff, Brock Brown and Claire Osgood Absent: Kruz Anderson, Deyell Turnbull.

Andrew Osgood on a job with staff member Ollie Stanley

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

You may also like: Adapting and evolving – JB Fencing’s story

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© Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ)

 

Bold decisions and some leaps of faith have carried post-driver manufacturer FENCEQUIP through tough times in recent years.

Based north of Auckland, the highly regarded company underwent a complete restructure following the economic downturn brought on by the COVID pandemic hangover and has come out the other side winning.

The company, founded by Troy Knudsen, came about from a lifetime of work and experience in the fencing, engineering, manufacturing and motorsport industries.

“(This) combined with a growing demand for a new driver in the market was where I could merge my experience of post driver manufacturing with my fencing experience and knowledge of high strength materials from the motorsport industry,” he told WIRED Magazine.

In the early days, it was just Troy with a few friends helping out for short periods of time. But it soon grew to two to three full-time staff.

“Then, before we knew it, we were at 8 to 10 staff.”

FENCEQUIP began with its flagship post driver, the HD (heavy duty), before more recently, into the MD (medium duty). It also produces HD skid steer drivers for the US Market.

There were plans to make an economy model, the LD (light duty).

“However, we got a name for high-end machines, so we didn’t end up with that much demand for a light driver.”

But there was growing demand for an even larger driver.

“So, we made a SHD (Super Heavy Duty) that was designed for orchard and vineyard work.”

This was followed by its pile drivers for excavators and telescopic range, and more recently, the skid steer specific machines for the North American market.

“We have dabbled in a range of other products and attachments, but I am finding it’s better to be really good at a few things than be okay at a lot of things.”

FENCEQUIP ran for several years with a core group of six highly-trained staff with a few contractors and seasonal staff. At the time, it was an extremely hard time to get labour, Troy said.

In April 2022, they lost three of the core team of six in one day, with one moving to another trade and another moving to another local engineer, giving just a day’s notice.

The third crashed their motorbike on their way home, breaking their femur and wrist. This is where things got tricky, Troy said.

“We tried to rehire and get our staff numbers back up, but it proved very difficult rebuilding the team as the three core staff left now had to take on other people’s work, as well as help train any new staff where we could find them.

“It’s hard on a team environment when there are multiple people that need training, let alone the personality clashes you get.”

This caused another of the core to leave at the end of 2022.

At the same time, FENCEQUIP was a continuously growing in size, product range and sales.

And then in December 2022, the New Zealand market dried up almost overnight.

“We went from selling one to two machines a week on average to one in six months,” Troy said.

They were fortunate to get some export orders over this period, as well as finishing machines on back order due to reduced productivity from running with a less experienced crew.

“Unfortunately, we had to let some of the newer staff go. This was one of the hardest things I have ever done, letting good staff go because I couldn’t sell enough to secure their job. It’s hard enough letting someone go for disciplinary reasons, but this was much harder.

“Obviously, I was not alone with this, as a lot of our New Zealand customers were experiencing similar things.”

In a lucky break, a contact in the USA reached out, giving the company a new market to focus on.

“It wasn’t as simple as sending what we already made. It was a new market with different ground and different needs. Getting the drivers right for the USA was not going to happen overnight.”

But, with the local market quiet, Troy was able to focus on getting the new product right.

“Every container load we sent was different from the last. Not only did we continually improve the performance of the product, we also tried to simplify the manufacturing process as well as the packaging process.”

But just as the team felt they were back on their feet, other cracks began to form.

The cost of living was rising, and staff were needing more pay.

“We also still had a large workshop with only four staff, so our costs per machine had risen dramatically.”

And with a soft market, it didn’t feel possible to raise prices to cover this.

So, in early 2024, Troy made the decision to dramatically restructure the business.

The lease to the factory in town was released and the business moved to Troy’s home. The company went from working out of 700m2 to 200m2, and from four staff to one.

But the move has proved to be the right one.

“Now that we had refined our product and manufacturing processes, we no longer needed to raise our prices or have a large team to get machines out the door.”

It was then that the New Zealand market “turned back on”, along with the US market starting to take off.

“We now have enough work to keep 10 people busy, so we are once again changing how we do things,” Troy said.

Manual labour tasks are outsourced, and the team focuses only on doing the automation and highly technical parts and assembly, in order to keep complete control over the quality of the product.

Parts are sold on the website store to give Troy more time on the tools.

“We are also looking to try and implement lean manufacturing and focus on continual improvement of not only the product but also our processes and workspace.

Although the New Zealand market has come back, Troy feels it has changed.

“A lot of people are having to change how they work and sometimes where they work and with a different machine setup.

“It feels like what worked yesterday does not work today in business.”

Troy shares his story with many customers about what the company did to survive in the hopes it will help others.

He has also helped a number of contractors sell their specific setup and either buy another customer’s setup or re-invest in a new piece of equipment that better suits the current type of work.

“It’s definitely a mixed bag out there, but if you are willing to change and roll with the punches there is always a way through.

“We are looking forward to this new growth cycle and how we can grow to meet demand in a completely different way to last time.”

Article by Rosa Watson

Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

You may also like: Adapting and evolving – JB Fencing’s success story

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