A phone call to Tony Brady caught him off guard but willing and able to contribute. Some quick-fire questions followed, not allowing Tony much time to compose his thoughts (but the sustenance at lunchtime helped). Tell me about a good day… left Tony thinking “what a stupid question,” followed by a reply, “most days are a good day, that’s why we do it. There’s nothing like perfect weather, perfect posting conditions, the meters churning out”.
Tony’s been fencing for 37 years, so that speaks well for fencing as a career choice. Having started out by lending a hand to another fencer in Pleasant Point after flood damage, Tony started his own fencing business in 1993 and has never looked back. Tony fences with Massey Ferguson tractors and Kinghitter post drivers, having recently purchased a Kinghitter Terminator Series II. Tony currently has himself and two other workers.
The question ‘what about a bad day?’ had a more instant response: “Well, there was the time…”
Having brought a second-hand SAME Explorer from a North Island dealer about five years ago, Tony found himself involved in a long litigation saga that he’d really like to forget. Thinking he’d asked all the right questions when going through the purchase process and having received quite a few phone calls of reassurance from the dealer when the tractor arrived, it had a lot more rust than the dealer had indicated, leaving Tony aggrieved and disappointed in the sale.
“It got to the point – months later – after not getting anywhere with recourse with the dealer, I thought ‘stuff it, I just wanted to get on with life’, so I got the SAME set up for fencing and one of the first jobs was fencing around a duck pond.”
Partway through the job, the landowner decided he wanted some posts driven for his maimai. ‘Not a problem’ thought Tony. Cutting through the inside of the electrified portion of the fence, he headed for the proposed location. He casually drove across a grassy bit of the pond, unbeknown to him that a clay portion was going to pull the tractor off to the right and into deeper water. The little maimai not-a-problem job, suddenly turned into a Big Problem Job, as water started filling the cab floor on one side. With no cell reception, Tony had to climb a hill, with luck being that he knew a neighbour had a 22-ton digger. Some considerable time later, the excavation began by stropping up the tractor to half lift, to partially slide it back onto firm ground.
Tony’s crew still say five years later that they’d never seen him so stressed, so that’s a good indicator that the good days outweigh the bad days. Keep that in mind the next time the job doesn’t quite go to plan, it rains, or you have a breakdown.
Don’t we all know it?
Article written by Debbie White.
Published in the A week in the life of Feature in WIRED Issue 69 / June 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
Being fluid and ready to change tack in any given work day is a key part of success for Gisborne-based horticultural fencing contractor Roger Hyde.
There’s no typical week for Roger, who has been running the business for 25 years, and his team of four. On Sunday, he’ll have work lined up for the week, but will usually get a few calls from clients needing something sorted at short notice.
“So often there’s a juggle before Monday morning even starts.”
For example, recently it was all hands on deck when a long-term client at Te Karaka was hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle and lost almost everything; the house, the vehicles, the tractors, and the forklifts. “Two days after the cyclone hit, we were on his block, knee-deep in silt, standing up grape posts and plants and fixing fence lines. “We also sowed grass and oats in the silt to assist with the pending grape and kiwifruit harvest. He managed to harvest both his grape and kiwifruit crops after the cyclone, and I am proud our team played an integral part in making this happen for him.”
He’ll also spend time Monday morning sorting out where staff will be heading for the week. He admits staff management had been a massive learning curve and the source of the most stress related to running his own business. He started out with two staff, and as the business grew the staff numbers increased to 14, but more recently he has happily reduced to a team of four.
“Some staff are a dream to have on board and others seem to go from one drama to another. Last minute absences are the hardest thing to manage and can often require a complete reshuffle of the day’s or week’s plans.”
Throughout the week he is thinking ahead as to what materials are needed, and where. This has become harder as materials have been scarcer. “In the last couple of years, I have found sourcing materials has changed and forward planning has become critical. Our local suppliers no longer carry many items on the shelf, so being organised and ordering in advance is vital. I find having good relationships with suppliers important. Loyalty has served me well.”
The secret was being adaptable and flexible, he said. “The horticultural industry is fluid, and as a contractor, I need to be too, in order to service the demands as they change.”
Daily health and safety checks are carried out through a local company called ThinkSafe, which guide Roger and the team through operating sound Health and Safety systems. This allows them to handle site inductions, toolbox talks, inspections, and reporting via an app. “The team meets up at the workshop each morning for a toolbox meeting. We go over the jobs for that day, covering the tasks, risks, and hazards. “We check over the tools, recording any repairs and maintenance required, and then pack up the utes.”
Conveniently, most of their corporate clients use OnSide, which is app based. “We are required to sign in when we enter their site, read through their risks and hazards on the worksite, it also enables us to see who else is working on the site and then sign out at the end of the day.”
On Sunday night there’s often invoicing to be done. “We have good systems in place, but there are still some late Sunday nights spent working on quotes and invoices.”
“A couple of years ago, we moved to seven-day payment terms for our invoicing which has improved cash flow. Being a small business, we understand the importance of cash flow and make a point of paying our bills quickly too.”
When it comes to administration, Roger suggests outsourcing. “My wife Suzanne has a background in horticultural administration and finance and manages that part of the business. If you are like me and do not enjoy admin, then employ someone who does early on. You can work as hard as you like on the fence line, but if you do not have the books in order, you are not going to progress very far.”
Outside of the week’s working hours, Roger says he is getting better at relaxing and enjoying time with family. “As I was building my business, life after work for me used to be more work! Breaking this habit has been hard for me, as I still love what I do.
“However, as I move closer to 60 and am now a proud grandparent of one (soon to be two). I make time for the fun things in life like family, relaxation, and travel.”
Article written by Rosa Watson.
Published in the A week in the life of Feature in WIRED Issue 69 / June 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
The Board of the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) have announced the appointment of Jaime Bigwood BBS as the Association’s new Executive Director.
Incumbent part-time Marketing and Communications Manager Jaime Bigwood was one of five applicants interviewed for the role. Bigwood has a wealth of knowledge in the marcomms space and strategic planning and execution and has previously worked alongside NGOs and other public sector departments.
“Jaime has been with the Association for more than 18 months now and has a really solid understanding of the industry and the challenges it faces. We welcome her into the role and look forward to her achieving great things alongside the Board and our Administration Manager,” said Phil Cornelius, FCANZ President.
Bigwood will be responsible for the implementation and delivery of the FCANZ Strategic Plan and will continue to manage the Association’s marketing activities to raise awareness of fencing as a career and a professional trade.
“The Association has some lofty strategic goals that will benefit the industry as a whole. I’m looking forward to delivering on these and seeing the industry, and those connected with it, thrive while facing unprecedented economic and environmental challenges,” Bigwood said.
About FCANZ
Established in 2006, Fencing Contractors Association NZ aims to raise the profile and standards of the fencing industry, growing the market for fencing contractors and others associated with the industry and ensure FCANZ is the first port of call for those seeking a fencing contractor.
FCANZ keeps members in touch with the latest fencing products, technical information, trends and developments, including access to best practice guidelines, templates and codes of practice. The Association also hosts a variety of informative and networking events throughout the year, including an annual conference and Fencing Best Practice Days throughout the country, which provides information on new fencing techniques, health and safety, product feedback, pricing and technical information.
My name is Belinda McCreedy and I am 30 years old. I grew up in Morrinsville in the Waikato, one of six children from a dairy farming background. Fencing was always part of farm work, and having been brought up in the rural industry, the transition to a fencing lifestyle was relatively easy.
I am based in Aka Aka rural Pukekohe, in the Franklin area with my partner Ivan and two children, Declan 5 years old and Ruby 11 Months.
I am employed by Farm Force Ltd, which is owned by my partner Ivan Wrigley. Farm Force was initially started in 2010 as a one-man band Fencer based in Pukekohe West and has since expanded and diversified to include fencing, firewood, BBQ tables and wooden gates. We have further expanded with the construction of a large gate manufacturing shed and administration office block.
I moved to Pukekohe 8 years ago and am currently working full time for Farm Force, a position I have held for the last 18 months. At Farm Force, I am the Office Administrator, where I take care of all the accounting, payroll, customer inquiries, quotes, invoices, and booking of jobs, basically all the important behind-the-scenes work. I also organise the day-to-day running of our wooden gate business where we build wooden gates – from your standard farm gates to your fancier entrance way gates – we ship our product around the country. I’m in charge of all the customer gate orders, quotes, and invoices.
I am the face behind the emails and the phone.
I love getting that phone call from Ivan that I’m required on the fence line; it just breaks up doing paperwork and office jobs
From time to time, you will find me on the tools on the fence line helping Ivan with post and railing, battening fences, putting up hot wires, driving the tractor, just lending a hand where it’s needed. It’s great getting out and about visiting different rural areas and farming districts and being able to see previous jobs I have been a part of. I love getting that phone call from Ivan that I’m required on the fence line; it just breaks up doing paperwork and office jobs. I enjoy all types of fencing, but my favourite would be putting up post and rail. It’s so satisfying at the end of the day to see a line of fencing completed and it is also gratifying to receive positive customer feedback.
There are definitely challenges to working in the fencing industry as a woman. Number one would have to be that I am as capable as any man. Often men and women on the phone fail to realise that I am intelligent and do have an understanding of the Industry and are often too quick to judge.
Working on the fence line in the wet weather would not be my first choice, and sometimes working and living with your partner can be a challenge but we make sure we leave work at work. Also, I am a Mum and I juggle my busy working life around school drop-offs and pickups while having my daughter with me.
I most certainly would encourage any woman into the fencing industry, either in an on-field or administrative position.
If you are thinking of getting into the fencing industry don’t be afraid to ask around for some hands-on experience. It is important that you seek out the right employer that meets your requirements and that you have a good working relationship. Fencing is a very demanding job, so you have to be mindful of your physical fitness and mental agility.
Girls rule the world at Edgesmith! Our roles include – CFO, Operations Manager, Marketing, Internal Sales Team Leader, Estimators, Fork lift operators, Accounts, Customer Service & Blissy, our Furry Stress Manager.
We are Maori, Kiwi, Australian, South African & Swedish.
Before we even think about work, we are feeding our 7 dogs, 16 sheep, 6 fish, 3 birds and one cat. Then it’s taking children to pre-school, primary school, high school, organizing birthday parties, weddings, looking after Grandchildren, celebrating Uni graduations, organizing meals. Oh the Hats we wear!
We love INK and between us we have 54 tattoos! We also have a Black Belt in Karate, been a professional Make-up artist, acted in Shortland Street, hiked to Mt Everest Base camp, been to Santa’s North Pole Residence in Rovaniemi, Finland, one of us is even working from a boat in Fiji.
We have traveled to Thailand, China, USA, England, Rarotonga, Fiji, Greece, Cambodia, Kuala Lumpa, Hawaii, Australia, Nepal, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Canada, France, Italy, Scotland, Amsterdam, Brussels, Venice, Germany, Netherlands and Czech Republic.
At Edgesmith we live by the 5 H’s:
Hungry – to achieve
Happy – in life & attitude
Humble – we are successful together
Honest – with each other and our customers
Healthy – Mind, Body & Spirit.
We all love our jobs and find Edgesmith both challenging and rewarding. All of us have started in Customer Service Roles and through hard work, research, and study at night time we have proven worthy of promotions.
Some of us have been with Edgesmith for over 10 years and our new colleague has been with us only a few months.
Our message is – never doubt your ability and always aim high.
I am Eliza Maher, aged 25 and based in the Wairoa region working for my father Bruce in the family business.
I first got into fencing from around the age of 9 when my older brother and I would go out to work with Dad every school holidays. It was always more fun than hard work, marking posts and carrying the spade earning my pocket money. Over the years I got more involved in the practical aspects of fencing. I went off to university and when time came for me to graduate in early 2020 I decided to take a year working as a fencer before heading on an OE. Of course due to Covid that didn’t exactly go to plan. Suffice to say it is 2023, I’ve been a fencer for 3 years now and have finally booked the ticket!
Early on in that first year we were about to start a long 7-wire electric fence and my skill with a hammer and staples was a bit average! Dad decided I was too slow and so we headed up to a FCANZ fencing day in Gisborne and got a Stockade 400i. That staple gun and I have seen a lot of work since then, Dad might have sacked me early on otherwise!
The majority of fencing jobs that I am involved in are rural, conventional fences. We install new fences, only occasionally having to repair old ones, and recently a lot of those have been fencing off waterways.
One of the main challenges I have experienced being a fencing contractor is the weather! Being in Hawke’s Bay/East Coast you would assume it to be a sunny, dry place but in the past few years, all the major weather events have really made being able to go out and put in a full week’s work quite difficult! It has certainly meant sacrificing more than the occasional weekend to go and finish a job. It is heartbreaking to see what a sustained amount of rain can do to the landscape and makes working conditions very challenging. There are days in the summer heat or the winter cold when you push through but there has never been a moment where the sense of accomplishment and achievement I feel when doing my job hasn’t made it worth it.
Jobs making memories
Some of the best jobs that come to mind are the ones from my childhood. Back then we were based in the Taihape/Ohakune area and the majority of work was down the Paraparas (Parapara Road) and Whanganui River. They were some long, steep fencelines in the middle of nowhere fencing off bush or boundaries. I have fond memories of working out there, of the old houses we would stay in, and of the time I got to spend with my Dad in some beautiful places. We would stay in old cottages or shearer’s quarters during the week, with most of them having slight rat problems. I remember once staying in an old homestead and watching a rat that was almost the size of a cat as it ran along the wall of the lounge! It is the early life lessons he taught me back then that give Dad and me the basis for being able to work so well together now. I am sure there were some difficult jobs in the past but upon reflection none so bad as to outweigh all of the good ones.
“ One of the things I enjoy most about fencing is the sense of empowerment it gives me. Being fit and strong, knowing I am capable and good at my job. “
It gives me purpose, knowing what needs to be done and being able to achieve it. Being able to start a job from scratch and see what you have built with your hard work and time. Also learning important life skills and practical lessons that will help me for the rest of my life. You learn how to work with people, be a good teammate and learn how capable you really are. The physical aspect of digging a posthole, and walking up and down a fence line using a hammer and staples, are all things that might one day come in handy.
The more I see other women in male-dominated industries the more confidence I feel in my choice to be a fencer. All it takes is getting out there to give it a go and having a decent work ethic. I am lucky that I have been able to work with my family and get taught by my Dad about a job he loves and knows so well. Being able to go back to a place years later and point out a fence that we had built makes me so proud of this job I do.
Written by Eliza Maher
Published in the Women in the Industry Feature in WIRED Issue 68 | March 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
Waiau-based fencer Amanda Beckham found her way onto the fenceline after finding herself needing work and chatting to a local at the pub. And three years on it’s a career change she hasn’t looked back.
Having left a farm assistant job that wasn’t working out, she managed to get work contract driving, but it was only seasonal.
“So, when hours started running out, a local guy at a social event said he knew a fencer looking for some part time help for a couple of months,” she said.
She rang the fencer – Amuri Basin contractor Hamish Henderson – who told her to come see him on his lunch break.
“He put me straight to work, then at the end of the day told me to ‘be here 7am tomorrow’, and I’ve worked for him full time since then.”
That was nearly three years ago now.
She enjoys fencing because it is challenging mentally and physically. “I also enjoy being outside all day – although not so much in the rain!”. “It’s also very satisfying to see the complete fence that you built.”
She also loves working with and learning more about the machinery.
The biggest challenge was probably the weather. “(It’s hard) when it’s hot a lot and there is no shade.”
The physical work of lifting gear and posts was hard, “but you get stronger the more you do it”. There were gender stereotypes that she came up against.
“It can be frustrating when males think I’m just a girl and too small, and feel the need to try and take over.”
“But now most of the farms we work on I know the managers and they know I’m fully capable.”
One thing she felt would be helpful to draw more women into the industry is if stalls at shows and trade days included more females on their site.
“There’s been couple times at shows guys on stalls don’t talk back to me, just my boss and the other worker.”
In her first year Amanda completed a Certificate in Fencing Level 3 course, attended FCANZ best practice days, and competed in the Kirwee Field Day fencing competitions – becoming the first female in the South Island to do so.
“I didn’t realize this when I signed up. We didn’t place anywhere but it was fun and I learned so much. All the guys were very encouraging.” Amanda is excited for the future in the industry, and where it could take her.
“I’d like to travel a bit so maybe a fencer general job in a new part of the country and hopefully one day my own business. My boss jokes all the time about when am I going to buy him out.”
Her boss, Hamish, is quick to sing her praises as a worker. “She has patience, hungry for the knowledge on how to fence. She has good communication skills with myself and clients to get jobs done.
“The day she met me for an interview, I gave her some staples to help me with a job. As I went down the line, she had turned all those staples to face one way which made grabbing them from her easy. I knew just from that simple task that she was going to be worth putting time into. As I worked, we talked and the more we talked the more she worked. She spent the whole day helping me put up a fence line while at an interview”.
Amanda was now taking on more responsibility as his 2IC. “So, if for any reason I’m not available, she is organising jobs. She also keeps up with paperwork, ordering materials, machinery maintenance and organising staff.”
He feels there’s room for more women in the industry and encouraged other contractors to “give everybody a go”.
Written by Rosa Watson
Published in the Women in the Industry Feature in WIRED Issue 68 | March 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
During her 40+ years on the fenceline, Horowhenua-based fencing contractor Maria Clement has seen a lot of changes.
Fencing is a career that Maria is still passionate about, more than four decades since she entered it, and she has no plans to retire any time soon.
From the shed to the fenceline
One of four girls, Maria was never a child for being indoors and could often be found in the shed with her father’s tools. “Dad was an engineer, mechanic, carpenter – a jack of all trades. I adored him as he always encouraged me to learn and grow in an untraditional girlish way, either working with him or embarking on my own projects and learning experiences.”
On more than one occasion Maria could be found hiding in her room after a mishap. Incidents like sneaking one of her dads very sharp chisels “which was only to be used under his watchful eye” and badly cutting her hand, or when green roof paint covered the brand-new cream skirt her mum had just proudly made.
Maria’s initial entry to the fencing industry was the 5 years she spent working for Speedrite Electric Fencing, who were based in Levin at the time, making components for electric fence units. When she married her (now former) husband Colin they embarked on their fencing career together as a team, which allowed Maria to transition onto the fenceline. “I knew that I always wanted to work outdoors with my hands. I’d finally found my happy place as a fencer”.
Family and fencing
Beginning a family in the early 80’s didn’t slow Maria down. In 1983, with 7-month-old Sarah on her hip, Maria was one of the few women competing in both the Golden Pliers and the Gallagher team’s electric fencing competition (with Colin). Luckily babysitting was eagerly offered by fellow competitors’ wives while she competed. As the family grew, babysitters for 3 toddlers wasn’t so easy, so competing took a back burner.
Back home their trusty Land Rover also doubled as a fenceline creche, set up with a playpen and a bed, and it was always parked within close reach. “When they were babies, I’d work for 2-3 hours then stop for half an hour or so when they needed feeding, changing and attention. As each outgrew the back of the Landy it was off to Nana’s, Grandad’s, and day-care.”
Baby number four added an extra dimension as he despised day-care which meant he hung out on the fenceline for much longer than his older siblings. Most of his time was spent playing in the post hole dirt, returning home with an ever dwindling supply of cars and trucks.
“On one forestry job I was head down digging and Leon was playing in the dirt when we were suddenly surrounded by army soldiers – in full camo. They managed to sneak right up to us! We laughed and chatted and one gave Leon a rat pack chocolate bar, the highlight of his day. All four of our children spent a lot of their childhood with us on the fence line. Times were very different then.”
Pathway to success
After about 6 years of fencing, Maria soon started picking up her own fencing clients, finding that many female divorcées or widows living on smaller farms or lifestyle blocks felt very comfortable with another female being on the property, offering advice, suggestions and then doing the work. “Many times, I’d end up doing other jobs for them like fixing leaky taps, repairing clotheslines etc”.
As a sole contractor, Maria enjoyed the smaller jobs that the bigger gangs passed up, many of which involved repairs and maintenance of existing fences. She took pride in making a tired baggy fence, stockproof and tidy again, which often meant new end assemblies, wires, posts and battens. She also picked up contracts with Electra reinstating fences behind the vegetation team, and FOMS repairing fences, gateways and strainers damaged by logging trucks. The majority of this work was done the hard way – hand digging and crowbarring because of tree roots and rocks. When longer fencelines or better ground conditions permitted, Maria would make use of her post hole borer and use a post rammer.
It was the willingness to take on these extra projects that saw Maria diversify into residential landscaping construction such as retaining walls, decks and wooden fences, alongside her agricultural fencing. “Having high standards for and pride in my work is so important to me. I’ve never had to advertise for work – it’s always been through word of mouth.”
The right tools for the job
Being a woman in a physical industry means you can’t always rely on brute strength – working smart is just as important. “Sometimes a helping hand would be great, but what I may lack in strength, 99% of the time, leverage and physics gets the job done.”
Maria considers having specialist digging tools also important, and the early days competing at Mystery Creek allowed her to form connections with prominent and well-regarded fencer Frank Prince. Frank was heavily involved in the development of the Master Fencer course in the mid 80’s, and also made a number of precision fencing tools for Maria. Her favourite spade “Huck” was recently retired and replaced by another Frank Prince spade, preciously stored away stored in the shed for “a rainy day”.
No plans to retire yet
“I love my life as a fencer, but I would have loved becoming a qualified builder, which was sadly unheard of in my time. However, I’m fortunate two sons are qualified builders, and my third son does automated gateways, so I’m often called on for the boxing and concrete work. My eldest daughter and I often fence together on her block of land. Fencing has been a wonderful way of life as a family, it certainly has given them great values and great work ethics.”
Recently Maria has secured additional subcontracting work with another fencing contractor. While she loves the work, she’s happy for someone else to run the business side of the projects. No quoting, no rounding up materials, no bookwork. “Subcontracting and working with others gives me the chance to pass on skills. I hope that the next generation of fencers enjoy this job as much as I have – and still do. I’m not ready to retire yet”.
Written by Jaime Bigwood
Published in the Women in the Industry Feature in WIRED Issue 68 / March 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
Most of our members work directly on the fence line and there are many whose partners pursue an independent career, while others work alongside in their self-employed businesses. The FCANZ Board currently has three women that work in fencing companies, so we thought we would enlighten members on their backgrounds and roles, and what skills they bring to the Board. Meet the leading ladies of FCANZ.
Debbie White
I never intended to get involved in Tony’s fencing business, with my first foray into self-employment being an export cut flower business, growing eight acres with 12 seasonal staff, whilst Tony was developing his fencing business and helping in both. With a university education and previous roles in fashion buying, marketing and merchandising, fencing was a world away. But realizing the potential and scope that the fencing business offered, I developed a growing realization that it was best to pay heed.
Over the years I have become involved with marketing, compliance, human resources (including hiring) health and safety, materials sourcing, administration (yuck, I hate filing, find it impossible!), monitoring finances and “approving” asset purchases a.k.a – reining Tony in. I thrive on strategic thinking and concepts, which works well with Tony’s ability for efficiency, design, and systems.
In a need to keep things interesting and because I suffer from a desire to overcommit, I’ve taken an interest in the wider industry, enjoying the genuineness of the majority of people I have met. I joined the FCANZ Board some years ago, helping to organize the first conference in Rotorua and going on to be a Board member for a further three years.
Interested in event organizing I went on to create “All About Fencing” and organized fencing events in both the North and South Islands within larger Field Days. With a desire to unite the industry and showcase industry best practice with top fencers skilled in various aspects, the formula worked well with exhibitors broken into different installation types and the demonstrators being carefully selected based on their outstanding workmanship and ability to relate.
When in his mid-40s, Tony took up competitive fencing, having watched it at the Fieldays for many years and finally deciding to give it a go. Finding it highly useful as a training resource and meeting a great group of fencers, I was happy to help with the formation of New Zealand Fencing Competitions (NZFC) and work within the newly formed committee to negotiate terms with the Fieldays and unite the various regional competitions that had been and still are, run by long standing individuals. Currently I am working alongside Nick Liefting who’s been successful in organizing a UK team to compete in the 2023 Fieldays Silver Spades. Our aim within NZFC is to create a New Zealand based global fencing competition. Tony and I currently organise the South Island Fencing competition, alongside Leanne Stanger and Nick Liefting.
I rejoined the FCANZ Board several years ago to focus on the fiscal management and help with strategic planning, while working on some new concepts for FCANZ like the annual survey and Webinar series. As a Board member I am a time poor volunteer, but I enjoy the challenge of helping to define the direction that the industry needs to move towards. My method is cautious and looking at things from all angles, not wasting resources but trying to keep an open mind to the need for change and growth.
Donna Upton
If I think back to the days when I was wondering what a career looked like for me, I was training to join the Police – I got as far as scope and went out on a few nightshifts and had to deal with some interesting characters. As much as I knew I’d love that as a job, I didn’t see that as a future family fit career for me. I worked for a few years as a Legal Secretary and then went into banking, working in the rural banking industry (namely for Rabobank) from 2005 right through till 2020, when I resigned to steer our business and, as it turns out, help the industry and Association.
In 2011 I met my husband Phil, who was then a one-man band fencer under his business name CPC Contracting, in Northland. Through our 12-year partnership, we have grown the business, changed entities to CPC Fencing Limited, increased the crew sizes, sometimes up to 6 crews and running 20 staff. Our staff numbers have reduced thankfully over the last two years to a manageable 9 (including Phil).
My part in the business varies, I manage with a H&S manager the Health and Safety, I complete all aspects of the paperwork. I am Phil’s sounding board and sometimes handbrake. We have three children at home also who are 6, 8 and 15. So with Phil always out sorting the crews it’s my job to oversee the ship. Some days I am out on a fenceline ferrying vehicles and machinery with Phil, other days I am sitting in the office from daylight to dusk.
Phil joined the FCANZ Board in 2019, the AGM before the COVID pandemic began. Through that 2020 lockdown year, I quit my job at Rabobank and focused on our business, the kids and the changing times we found ourselves in. I enjoyed the change away from banking and ended up helping quite a lot behind the scenes with Association related things. I then joined the Board at the 2020 Wellington AGM and have been helping a lot more behind the scenes on the training and industry pathway side of things.
At the 2021 FCANZ conference, I had a conversation with Jim Smith from NorthTec about how we could push the fencing qualifications along and streamline some of the training and the full pathway through for the industry. At that time NorthTec was struggling to find Tutors and Coordinators to manage the Level 3 courses. There was a lot of interest around the country to work into the course framework. Jim asked if I would contract to NorthTec as the National Coordinator and industry liaison between the Tertiary system and the Association.
The last 12 months or so (and prior with COVID frameworks and mandates etc to navigate) have been a massive learning curve, especially with the complete restructure and move toward Te Pukenga, the merging of New Zealand’s sixteen Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics under one umbrella organisation. NorthTec managed to run three courses in 2022, and each time we run them we learn better, easier ways to do things. We have some great tutors who go out of their way to help new and upcoming fencers.
I enjoy giving back to an industry that has been good to us. I enjoy the people, friends and connections we have made and are making along the way. It will be interesting to see where the new Fencing pathway takes the industry in the coming years.
Janine Swansson
Janine and David Swansson
Getting ahead and being the best that you can be in business has always been the motto for Janine Swansson, 46, who has recently joined the FCANZ Board.
Janine, with her husband David, started their own contract fencing business Bang It Fencing in the Tararua District just 3 years ago after selling their dairy farm, achieving a better work-life balance.
Janine and David had a successful career in dairy farming and from the very start of their careers became heavily involved in the dairy industry body now known as DairyNZ. The Swanssons went on to win the Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Sharemilker of the Year and Janine held many voluntary positions in the dairy industry. Janine sites the biggest benefit to being involved with your industry is the self-development, learning and satisfying networking connections made. Janine still retains a close connection to the dairy industry through her Senior Extension Partner role with DairyNZ.
Janine and David continue to farm beef and dairy grazers on 220ha, however the diversification into the fencing contracting business – specialising in rural and lifestyle – has been exciting for them all.
The moment the Swanssons started a fencing business, David was attracted to the FCANZ website and from there they have used all the information to help build their business. Janine admits after knowing the dairy farming practically, physically and in a business sense, fencing for her is like a new language – whilst for David it was second nature having done a short stint working with a contract fencer before full time dairying. Those fencing skills have been put to good use in all David’s years of farming and are now a true passion as he utilizes his creative and development skills fencing.
A highlight for Janine and David was in August 2021 (their first spring without any cows to milk) jet setting off to Paihia for the annual fencing conference. It was a surreal moment flying home and not worrying about calving cows. Janine’s workmates joke about her romantic getaway and winning a chainsaw. They thoroughly enjoy mixing with all the experience at these events as well as best practice days. The partners and sponsors of the events are also so beneficial to meet and play a key part in their successful business through valuable relationships.
Janine & David’s Bang It Fencing business is a family affair with their son Jordan working for them full time. They also have another young school leaver working with them. This year David and staff have completed the Level 3 Certificate in Fencing. Whilst it was not a requirement for David to complete Level 3 before doing Level 4 this year, Janine and David thought it was valuable to complete the course to best support his young staff going through the course. They think it’s invaluable for young staff to have the Level 3 Certificate to support them in the future if they decided to move on to a new part of the country looking for employment.
David and Janine complement each other in business with him out in the field and with her in the office. While Janine admits she won’t be swinging a hammer or ramming posts anytime soon, the fence line is not just a male affair with their daughter-in-law Emma and daughter Anna often seen out on the fence line.
Janine and David have enjoyed attending FCANZ events and Janine soon identified a place she could really support David in his passion for fencing and networking with other like-minded fencers was in the leadership of the Association. Janine is now taking the opportunity to learn even more fencing lingo after joining the FCANZ Board at the 2022 AGM.
Janine brings her current and previous experience from banking and consultant roles to the Board table to help a very active FCANZ Board continue to develop, grow, and achieve the goals of the Association for the betterment of fencers, partners, and the industry. Janine aspires to the work of the other Board members and especially the immense work being done by fellow female Board members Donna Upton and Debbie White.
Janine believes the Board has a great mix of gender and is spread across the country to serve the needs of its members. Sometimes it has been questioned, “what place does a woman have on the Board?” The simple answer is that we can all have a place at the Board table just as much as we have an opportunity and place in our own businesses.
While we may wish it wasn’t necessarily true, we live in a regulatory business space and the greatest opportunities will come to those that meet and embrace those standards. It makes sense to have FCANZ, to allow fencers to collaborate and work together to ensure quality and standards for fencers to be recognized as a professionally valued part of the Agriculture Service sector.
Janine is looking forward to taking part in organising the events FCANZ offers. Joining the FCANZ family for the Swanssons was a simple no brainer and instrumental in the success of their business.
Written by Debbie White, Donna Upton and Janine Swansson.
Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ), the industry body for fencing contractors, has partnered with rural mental health and wellbeing advocate Craig “Wiggy” Wiggins. Wiggy has stepped up as a patron for the Association in a move that is expected to bring greater support to those living and working in rural communities.
Phil Cornelius, FCANZ President, says that the partnership with Wiggy is important for the industry and the rural sector. “As an Association we represent the fencing industry as a whole, but our roots are very rural, and the majority of our members are still strongly connected with the rural sector. Rural mental health has always been a challenge, but even more so now in light of the unprecedented destruction caused by the extreme weather events of the first two months of 2023.”
Whatever With Wiggy founder Craig Wiggins is well known for his rural mental health initiatives including “Lean on a gate, talk to a mate” and his Whatever With Wiggy Facebook group. Established in response to the 2020 COVID lockdown, the Whatever With Wiggy Charitable Trust seeks to maintain and build connections within the rural community.
Initially Whatever With Wiggy consisted of a Zoom meeting every Thursday night, with up to 80 plus attendees, discussing everything from covid to politics, to mental health and all issues affecting rural communities. Now, as part of the ongoing advocacy work for mental health and wellness in rural communities Wiggy’s work also includes nationwide Rural Health and Wellbeing checks with the Carr Family Foundation, checking farmers’ overall health and wellbeing at rural events, and Agriconnect, providing mental health seminars for the rural service industry and rural professionals.
“Being invited to be a Patron for FCANZ is an exciting time. It allows us another way to connect with another important part of the rural community – and means that we can continue supporting those who need it. We’re already hearing about the stresses that rural fencing contractors are under trying to support their existing clients, while servicing all of the insurance assessments coming through – not to mention dealing with the impact that the Cyclone has had on their own personal and business lives. There are challenging times ahead.”
FCANZ has always had a connection with Wiggy, so this partnership is not unexpected. In 2022 Association members raised $15,000 for the Whatever With Wiggy charitable trust in an impromptu charity auction at their annual conference. “This level of un-prompted support shows just how important our members and industry partners feel Wiggy’s work is. We’re excited to have him on board as our Patron and we look forward to working with him further”
FCANZ will be holding a charity auction at their conference this year in New Plymouth and hope to meet or beat the $15,000 raised last year.
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