The traditional timber rail fence has been a mainstay of the equine industry for many years. The black rail look is one any rural traveller or worker would know well, but they also likely see the problems that timber rails show over time.
Like any piece of timber, a wooden rail fence degrades with time. It succumbs to rot, loses its colour and gets damaged by horses. This results in a weaker fence that requires continuous upkeep, putting a strain on your bottom line over many years. Waratah Fencing is here to tell you that there is a great solution for your equine fencing, and it is available to you right now.
Waratah Fencing Flex Rail Electric is the modern solution for your equine fencing needs, without the downsides of a timber rail system. It is made from 100% recycled plastic, is strong, easy to install and looks incredible. There is no better way to upgrade your equine fencing and save money in the process than with Flex Rail Electric.
Safety was of paramount concern when designing Flex Rail Electric. It doesn’t splinter and was even designed to be able to absorb impact, reducing the risk of serious injury to your horses.
“They can’t scratch or cut themselves on it, it is very safe for our horses compared to our old timber system”, said Chloe from NSW. If your horse does decide to test the fence, the small electric shock will be enough to ensure it is less likely to happen again.
Whilst safety is always a big concern, another benefit of Flex Rail is the reduction in maintenance costs. Gone are the days where long spells of wet weather will cause rot and weaken your fence. Flex Rail Electric only requires minimal upkeep and will not need repainting from sun damage and rain over time. This means that you don’t have to worry about weak spots in your fence building up over time, giving you peace of mind.
When it comes to installation, you will get a lot of your day back with Flex Rail Electric. No heavy machinery is required, and Waratah provides the whole system of accessories needed to attach, join, and tension your rail quickly and easily to
your intermediate and strainer posts. This makes your installation not only much faster, but much safer for everyone involved.
Flex Rail Electric is already gaining a lot of interest in New Zealand, and you can find out more today by giving Brendon a call on 0508 927 2824. Take your equine fencing to the next level today.
In response to the growing demand for a fencing solution that outperforms standard chainlink in both security and appearance, Edgesmith is excited to introduce Ngaru Mesh to the New Zealand market.
Designed with the needs of property owners in mind, Ngaru Mesh addresses common concerns about the vulnerabilities and unattractive nature of traditional chainlink fencing, offering a superior alternative that is both cost-effective and easy to install.
Why Ngaru Mesh?
Traditional chainlink fencing, though widely used, has significant drawbacks. It is easily cut, compromising security, and its utilitarian appearance often detracts from the visual appeal of the properties it surrounds. Recognising these issues, we developed Ngaru Mesh to offer a higher level of security while enhancing the overall aesthetic of the space.
Enhanced security and visibility
The standout feature of Ngaru Mesh is its superior security. The corrugated design of the panels eliminates the need for horizontal rails, making it more challenging for intruders to breach the fence. This design not only reduces costs by eliminating the need for additional materials but also enhances the panels’ overall strength and durability.
Ngaru Mesh’s anti-climb properties further enhance security. The tight corrugations prevent would-be intruders from gaining a foothold, deterring attempts to scale the fence. Additionally, the panels offer excellent visibility, a critical feature for areas monitored by CCTV cameras. The mesh’s design ensures that security cameras have a clear, unobstructed view, making it easier to monitor and protect your property.
Aesthetic appeal meets practicality
In addition to its security benefits, Ngaru Mesh is an attractive option for properties where appearance matters. The panels are hot-dip galvanised and powder-coated black, ensuring they not only look great but also stand up to the elements over time. The sleek black finish complements a wide range of architectural styles, making Ngaru Mesh an ideal choice for commercial properties where both security and aesthetics are important.
The absence of horizontal rails gives Ngaru Mesh a clean, modern look that stands in stark contrast to the industrial appearance of standard chainlink fencing. This makes it an excellent choice for applications where the appearance of the fence is just as important as its function.
Cost-effective and easy to install
One of the most appealing aspects of Ngaru Mesh is its cost-effectiveness. The elimination of horizontal rails not only enhances security but also lowers overall costs, making Ngaru Mesh a more affordable option than many other high-security fencing solutions. Additionally, the panels are designed for simple installation, whether face-fixed or side-fixed to posts. This ease of installation reduces labour costs and ensures that the fence can be quickly erected with minimal disruption.
The product’s popularity is already spreading beyond New Zealand, with schools in New South Wales, Australia, choosing Ngaru Mesh for its combination of security, aesthetics, and affordability.
The feedback from the FCANZ National Fencing Field Day in Rangiora, where Ngaru Mesh was showcased, was overwhelmingly positive. Those in the fencing industry and other visitors alike praised the panel for its versatility and suitability for a wide range of applications.
Ngaru Mesh is more than just a fencing product; it’s a response to the evolving needs of New Zealand’s property owners. By combining high security, aesthetic appeal, affordability, and ease of installation, Ngaru Mesh sets a new standard in fencing solutions. Whether you’re securing a commercial property, a school, or a private residence, Ngaru Mesh provides the peace of mind and visual appeal that today’s market demands.
Strainrite Fencing Systems has just launched its innovative Durashield, a new snap-on insulator designed to offer exceptional on-farm performance at an affordable price.
One of the key advantages of the Durashield is its ultimate electrical retention in wet conditions. Through extensive testing and refinement, the Durashield has been designed to ensure outstanding operation in New Zealand’s unpredictable and challenging weather. Early prototypes tested on-site confirmed the impressive results seen in the test lab.
The Durashield is compatible with Strainrite’s Cliplock and XT1 wire strainers and can be purchased pre-fitted with Strainrite’s Cliplock permanent wire strainers or separately for use with new or existing wire strainers. This means you don’t need to replace your current wire strainers – instead, you can just snap on the Durashield and you’re ready to go.
In line with Strainrite’s commitment to sustainability, the Durashield is made from 60% post-consumer materials. This Ecoblend ASA ensures the insulator is strong, durable and UV-stabilised, providing long-lasting performance. Because the Durashield is retrofittable to existing wire strainers, if an insulator is damaged you can easily replace it with another rather than replace the whole wire strainer, helping to reduce future waste. The Durashield is 100% New Zealand designed and manufactured, ensuring premium craftsmanship in every insulator.
With a focus on product development, innovation and market feedback, Strainrite Fencing Systems is renowned for high-quality fencing products that withstand the tough and demanding farming elements. Strainrite’s Durashield offers a cost-effective, user-friendly option that enhances on-farm performance while supporting sustainability.
To learn more about Strainrite’s Durashield, visit their website: www.strainrite.co.nz
At the inaugural Otago Southland Clash of the Colleges held in September, the talented students of Otago Boys’ High School and Blue Mountain College took home the senior and junior awards, a testament to their hard work and dedication.
The Agri Futures Clash of the Colleges was designed to inspire the next generation into Food and Fibre careers. Established by the New Zealand Rural Games Trust, the event aims to provide hands-on experience and foster future leaders in agriculture – four Clash of the Colleges are held across the country every year.
The competition is a fast-paced, amazing race-style event. It challenges students to work in teams of four to complete 16 hands-on modules in just one and a half hours. The modules cover a range of rural skills and are led by experts in the field and supported by Otago University Agriculture and Telford students.
FCANZ Board member Craig Sinclair ran the fencing tie-off module, which offered students valuable insights and practical fencing skills. Blue Mountain College’s Addie McHutchon won a special award for her skill and speed at the tie-off.
Schools that participated included Aurora College, Blue Mountain, Otago Boys’, Southland Boys’ and Girls’, Maruawai, Mt Aspiring, St Peters, Taieri, Tokomairiro, and Central Southland. Unfortunately, the snow kept two schools from attending. However, the day was a success, with students rating the event highly and teachers realising the potential for more students to participate next year.
At the beginning of October, Phil Cornelius, President of FCANZ was invited to attend the Fall Fence Forum in Worthington, Indiana. Luke and Leslie Gibson, who own and run Farm Fence Solutions, hold this event, and hosted Phil and I for the time we were there.
The Fall Fence Forum is specifically aimed at contractors and the betterment of their businesses and the fencing industry in its entirety. There were 126 registered attendees, although due to Hurricane Milton about a dozen couldn’t attend – including three competitors – as the contractors stayed back to help the stricken areas they lived in. Shane and Joelene Bouskill also attended, and Shane competed in the three fencing comps that are run throughout the event. Strainrite’s Hugh Morrison was the main judge, along with Phil and a few of the American guys.
We left on the 1st of October and arrived in Worthington on the same day (bearing in mind you’re flying back in time to a degree). We stayed onsite where the event was held, at the Farm Fence Solutions headquarters. Day one of the event kicked off with the Joe Nickerson Memorial Doubles fencing competition with five teams, they had a great mix of competitors. One team, consisting of Ryan Gray and Logan Corbett (Logan had never fenced, ever), competed. Logan is a personal trainer and strength coach to many fencers and thought he’d give it a whirl. He took away so much from that event – you don’t know what you don’t know, and if you want to get better at something – do it more.
Day two was a best practice type day similar to what we do in New Zealand. Matt Warner from Empire Fence kicked the day off with a very high energy toolbox (Monday morning) talk even though it was Thursday. Matt spoke to the forum delegates and got everyone invigorated for the day. Shane Bouskill then talked everyone through stay assemblies and how we do them to best practice in NZ. This was very informative and had everyone enthralled. Shane demonstrated the manual install as they do on a competition line, then did a mechanised version of the same assembly.
In the afternoon, Tony Thornton, the Executive Director of the Canadian Fencing Association (CFA) and also the Chairman of the American Fence Associations Education Committee (AFAEC), spoke to delegates on his Seven Strategies. Tony has a wealth of knowledge, his presenting skills are second to none, and his knowledge and passion for the fencing industry is admirable. I think to get this man to New Zealand to give Kiwis a taste of his knowledge would be worth every cent. Even though he brings a similar business-minded skill set to what we have seen and know, his presentation skills in bringing this information to contractors at a grassroots level is excellent and so absorbable you just want to sponge it up. Like everything in this vein, you either are doing it well or not. For those who are doing it well already, Tony gives you confidence that you are. Those who have something to learn gain motivation to do it better.
In the afternoon, Dan Wheeler, who specialises in chain-link installation, completed a demonstration on installing chain-link on an incline and cutting on the bias. He also has a podcast called ‘The Fence Industry Podcast with Dan Wheeler’. He and others compiled several podcasts throughout the event, and they are available to listen to on Spotify. It’s really quite easy listening.
Day three, Friday, saw the Single Action Showdown fencing competition, with the similar specifications to the Doubles, and seven competitors. This was really interesting to watch. Shane clearly won, with Luke following in second, however, the other competitors did so well. One guy had never competed before, let alone fenced to anything like the spec, he threw his hat in the ring the night before. Although he didn’t finish, his effort was admirable and the support and encouragement he received was unlike anything I have seen.
Saturday was the Shootout Machinery competition with 5 team lines in a doubles format; netting fence with an incline, single wire top and bottom. Dan Wheeler did his podcast throughout, talking to several well-known guys in their industry, including Ryan Gray (successful bronc rider), Seth Pottorff and Justin Nary. They spoke through the specifications of the competition and included Hugh Morrison – the main judge – and me in a discussion on the difference in Associations between NZ and USA. They also spoke to Peter Clark, CEO of the UK’s Association of Fencing Industries (AFI). All really interesting conversations, which was great, given the competition went for 5.5 hours.
One line didn’t finish, but this was due to them a) having never used the machine they were using, and b) having never used wood materials. So, they were purely having a crack and getting in the mix. They did an outstanding job given their experience.
Guns, tunes and spoons
Saturday evening, we had the conference awards ceremony; you’ll see pictures of the trophy guns. Shane Bouskill cleaned up.
An unsuspecting Hugh was honoured with Fence Man of the Year. And then Harvey Nix, a gentleman who was at the conference researching the industry, working out if he wanted to buy a particular business in his area, wrote and produced a song for the New Zealanders called ‘The Fence Builders Anthem’ by Harvey Nix. This was so unexpected and showed the appreciation the attendees had for the effort made by the New Zealand contingency during the conference and how much they valued having us there. Shane also treated us to a session on the spoons, that experience in itself was memorable.
Multi-national attendees
This brings me to the attendees; people came from everywhere. Charlie, Wayne and Peter from the UK; Pedro from Puerto Rico; a couple from Mexico; people drove for miles and miles to attend. There were guys looking at getting into fencing as a career or wanting career changes. When speaking to them, they loved the community that is being created not only in their own country but around the world, they loved the inclusiveness and the willingness to share.
Analogies from the likes of Ryan Gray, a World Class bronc rider with incredible contacts and connection in that sport (which he is still involved in to a degree) said the connection and lifelong friends made in the fencing industry is worth more than anything. You can call anyone, and they will help you out regardless of what the situation is. It was really humbling.
Meeting fencing’s next-gen
On the following Monday morning, Kate, Lukes’s daughter, was presenting international fencing at a school event where she is part of the local Future Farmers of America (FFA), and we all spoke about fencing around the world, to ag-kids coming through the different activities on the day. It would be fair to say she had the best presentation and keynote speakers. Later that afternoon, we went and shot the trophy guns and had a great evening at Luke and Leslie’s on the lake.
A refreshing change
The overall event run by Luke, Leslie and their team was like a well-oiled machine, the event is run for the sole purpose of upskilling the contractors – encouraging them to be the best they can be. Partners/Sponsors are showcased, thanked and given speaking time, but it’s not a sales forum. The sponsors accept this and are happy to just be involved.
Each of the days brought a new level of gratefulness, the speakers were empowering – giving attendees the confidence that what they’re doing is right and to keep doing it better – and each brought something unique to the conference which was 100% relevant to each component of the event. The other presenters, Matt Warner and Logan Corbett, were souplifting and passionate about building culture, being better and looking out for one another. It was great to see everyone celebrating successes, whether big or small, with no negativity or judgement. It was overwhelming to see, because it’s the absolute opposite of what we are used to, but need to replicate.
While the competition side is still in its infancy (some of the competitors were green as grass, with a few signing up the night before, just to learn), they want to be better and want to learn as much information on the fundamentals of fencing as we can offer, for the style of fencing they do.
Aligning with the US
There aren’t enough people in NZ to contemplate fencing the entirety of America. However, if we can align ourselves to aid the upskilling, that’s got to be a good thing. They are years behind in skills standards, but years ahead in attitude, positivity and overall thankfulness. Exchange programs and scholarships are being discussed and what we can do collectively for the people in our industry internationally.
New connections
FCANZ connections have been made with the UK’s AFI and Canada’s CFA, who both face similar challenges to FCANZ with member engagement and setting the correct standards. Knowing these people and having robust conversations with them on how they deal with similar issues will be invaluable. Peter Clark has grown the UK membership by 50%, and Tony Thornton has doubled the AFAEC membership in the time they have been on the committees, so they have valuable experience we will look to extract.
Final thoughts
Attending the Fall Fence Forum has really highlighted to me that New Zealanders can and should try to do better with our attitudes; supporting our peers, uplifting one another, and perhaps practicing a bit of gratitude and appreciation.
Hats off to Luke and Leslie and their formidable team. They are doing a fantastic job in their country.
PermaPine, a leading supplier of treated timber in New Zealand, has expanded its offerings to include Micronised Copper Azole (MCA) treatment. Unlike traditional CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate), MCA provides environmental advantages and better end-of-life options. MCA treatment will solve the problem customers – most notably vineyards and orchards – face with disposal of CCA treated posts.
As New Zealand’s leading supplier of CCA-treated posts, poles, and piles, PermaPine has long been committed to providing quality outdoor products for the New Zealand and Pacific Island markets.
PermaPine has recently commissioned a second treatment plant, which provides additional capacity and extends the capacity to “fixate” the timber preservative into treated product following treatment. Customers and end users benefit by receiving drier products.
Along with CCA treatment, PermaPine can now offer an alternative timber preservative called MCA. Micronised Copper Azole treatment will be offered to the market as an alternative to CCA treatment.
What is MCA?
MCA is a wood preservative with two active ingredients: Micronised Copper and Azole. Micronised copper is simply copper carbonate ground down to a fine size. The copper used is almost always from recycled copper metal. Copper is a common fungicide. Azoles are a family of synthetic fungicides originally developed for the human health and crop protection market. The azole used in MCA is also a finely ground particle.
History and use
The first commercial use of MCA was in the USA around 2007. MCA was accepted into the NZ Wood Treatment Standard (NZS3640) in 2012. MCA is commonly used to treat pine species in the US, and is also used in Australia. MCA provides protection for H3, H4 and H5 applications.
Why MCA?
MCA has some advantages compared to CCA.
MCA has various environmental certifications, including being certified by Global Green tag and National Green Building standard.
Recyclable at the end of life. Some industrial energy users now have consent to burn MCA treated wood in their boilers.
PermaPine MCA treated product is backed by a 50-year warranty against insect and fungal attack when used and installed according to industry guidelines.
But why still use CCA as a treatment?
CCA remains well-recognised and established as a preservative.
Its long history of use globally and widespread availability make it a reliable choice
CCA tends to be a more cost effective treatment compared to others.
Why choose WOOD?
As trees grow they sequest carbon. Trees are like mother earths liver, they filter out all of the Co2 in the atmosphere that is created through the production of products such as steel, plastic and concrete. When wood is preserved, this stored carbon is locked into the wood. Each wooden post sequesters approximately 30kg of CO2, while the production of a steel post emits approximately 7.1kg of CO2.
As winners of the 2023 Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Championship, the prizes awarded to Mark Lambert and Jeff Joines included entry to the Tornado fencing competition, held in July in the UK. Mark Lambert shares his experience with WIRED.
The day after arriving at Heathrow Airport, having caught up on some sleep and adjusted to the time change, we met up with our first contractor, JC Countryside Fencing, run by James Corbett and his brother Tom.
We met at his yard, looked at some machinery and talked all things fencing. After a lunch meeting with James, his wife Ruth, and son Archie, we headed out to see some of James’s current projects and more of his machinery. We ‘helped’ with (i.e. watching) installing a strain of netting with James’ Protech 220b with Bushpig netter. Later, we were joined by another contractor for dinner at a local pub.
James kindly hosted us for the night, and the following day, we went for a drive, visiting the famous Diddly Squat Farm Shop, which unfortunately wasn’t open, but it was clearly a massive tourist attraction. We then visited a couple of suppliers with James and Tom, the first being Batsford Timber Ltd, where they had organised a tour of their yard and lunch.
Batsford Timber supplies all things fencing, from timber and posts through to tools and wire netting. We even saw some well-known Strainrite NZ tools in their showroom. The next stop was to Stoag. This would be best described as a Farmlands crossed with a hardware store – it stocked everything agricultural and more. It was great to see more NZ made products on shelves.
Leaving James, we made our way to meet Mark Evans at ProTech Machinery for an organised tour. There are some impressive tracked post drivers being made there, which are now seen across NZ. That night, we stayed with Mark, met his wife Clair and children Emily and William, and enjoyed a BBQ dinner with Nic Quan, his wife, and a couple more contractors.
The following day, we followed Mark Evans into Wales to attend the Royal Welsh Show. I would compare this to a big Fieldays/A&P Show, but with 80,000 people through the gates a day – it was an eye-opener. Everything agricultural; shearing comps, timber sports, stock showing, Young Farmers rugby games – it has it all and doesn’t slow down at night, being a big 4-day party.
At the show, we caught up with McVeigh Parker Farm and Fencing Suppliers, who are the Strainrite importers into the UK. Jeff did some wire tying demos and chatted with some locals.
From here, we travelled up the island, where we arrived at Millom, the home of Tornado Wire. We enjoyed a presentation of Tornado’s history, followed by a factory tour. Tornado supplies all things fencing and manufactures various nettings, barb wire and staples on site. The netting machines were from NZ, which showed just how big New Zealand is in the worldwide fencing industry. They distribute across the UK, Europe and into America.
One big thing we noted here was the factory’s location, being out on the West Coast. Anyone who has been to the UK will know once you’re off the motorways, some roads can be quite narrow, and either have hedgerows on each side, or stone walls, so there’s no room for error.
We travelled back to Cumbria, where we had dinner with Rob Bell from Rob Bell Fencing and his workers that evening.
The next day saw us out on the job with Rob, helping with (observing) a couple hundred meters of netting fence getting built. This was put up quickly and finished around lunch. Rob runs a SoloTrak post driver, which is transported behind a tractor and low-loader transporter. Once he moved the machine for his boys to carry on, we drove further up into the Lakes District, where we walked up into the hills to see a job he was about to start. The materials had been helicoptered into the fence lines as access was limited. The job would involve a lot of handwork and walking. Using bulldozers to level lines and make access better seems to be frowned upon over there.
We spent another night in Cumbria, then headed back to Mark Evans, where we would spend the next two nights. Mark had planned a couple of activities for us, including a morning spent at Giffin-Lloyd shooting ground where we shot clay birds with his son Will, through a series of traps set out across a farm. You pre-buy the number of clays onto a card, then drive around and stop at various stations, where you insert the card and shoot as many as you want from different traps. As a full sporting-type shoot, it was an awesome facility, hosting major UK shoots.
This was followed by a well-earned roast lunch at The New Inn, a black and white pub dating back to the 16th century, in a local village. We were joined by Mark’s wife Claire, daughter Emily, and a fellow contractor Jono Bradley, from J.A. Bradley Services.
Later that afternoon, we looked around Mark’s yard and equipment. We were joined by Nic and started going over gear and the competition fence; this led into the next day, where we proceeded to get on the tools and have a practice in the paddock. It was definitely no Mystery Creek – digging, and the use of a borer was very limited; the ground was a combination of dirt with good size stones. We then raided Mark and Nic’s tools and marked out a few key measurements on the levels.
That evening we travelled to Tewkesbury, and while checking into our hotel we met with a fellow competitor (who could spot a couple of Kiwis), and then joined Lewis Knox and Graham Turner from Scotland for dinner. Graham also is involved, and represents the UK, in timber sports.
The next day we left the hotel, bound for the Tornado Wire Fencing Competition at Three Counties Showgrounds in Malvern. This was the 40th year of competition, and we were lucky enough to be given a line and represent New Zealand as the winners of the 2023 Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Competition.
It was great to arrive and have a pit crew made up of the MJ Evans fencing team lay all our gear out for us. We don’t get that in NZ! We arranged it a bit ourselves and talked through a bit of a plan, having seen the site. The strainer holes had been pre-drilled and then back filled. Looking at the stone in them and with the foreign tools we had been lent, it would be a bit different for us.
A quick briefing was held, we met a few of the other teams, and then the work began. The fence was approximately 50m long, had one angle about two thirds of the way along, and consisted of two diagonal stayed strainer assemblies with a tee foot, one plain wire at the bottom, an 8-wire Tornado netting, and two high tensile barbs above.
Even though the strainer holes had been pre-dug, it still took a lot of work to remove the fill. A good long-handle shovel couldn’t seem to be found in our shed-raiding of tools, but we got told “Use these” – a set of ‘spoons’ as they are known. They took Jeff a bit of getting used to.
Once the strainers and angles were set, we had the posts to put in. These were machined rounds, approximately 5.5 feet long, with points on them. We needed to drill a 50mm hole (some competitors bared their holes with a crowbar), followed by a drum of water to fill the hole, and then leave it to soak for a while as stays were done. We then used a sleeve hammer to install.
There was a bit of a misunderstanding of the fence specifications, and we managed to put in 12 posts instead of 9, which we only realised once we had finished the fence. The advice was to not worry about time and just work on quality, as time points aren’t worth much. Competing on a 33-degree day with dry, rocky ground conditions and foreign tools – we were not the first off the line by a long shot.
Judging then took place, made up of fencers and industry people from the UK and New Zealand’s Nick Liefting. Competitors were treated to a few refreshments and pig-on-the-spit for lunch, while rubbing shoulders with fencers from across the UK. While enjoying the rest of the show and looking at the fencing equipment, we caught up with expat Kiwi Simon Dale and his wife, who lives and builds the SoloTrak post driver.
Prizegiving then took place, announcing only the top three. We were lucky enough to secure the top step, with some very close scores. Second place went to John Morgan and Si Gibbs, and third was Duncan and Rory Samson. John and Si will travel out and compete next year at the 2025 Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles competition at Mystery Creek. After the competition, we moved to a paddock where we had a BBQ dinner and ‘chewed the fat’ with the guys that had stayed on.
With only a few days left, we started heading South, and decided to go and catch up with Marc Preston. Marc is a fencer and engineer who owns and manufactures the Bushpig brand of fencing tools and runs Somerset Fencing. We had a tour of his workshop and went for a drive to look at a big job he was on. These ground conditions were extremely hard, and the job was being done with all steel. He runs a big tractor and Fencequip post driver. We were treated to another pub lunch and then had a look at a big cider factory before departing ways.
We carried on further South and met James Hill down in Blandford, where we also met up with Nick and Ngaire Liefting. We had a sunset dinner at a hut up the back of the farm, overlooking the countryside, joined by another contractor, Nick Green and his family.
James has been a fencer for many years and has always had NZ made post drivers. He has now moved his focus to the retail market and owns a business called Wire and Wood. He sells everything fencing and has developed his own gauge of netting, which is slightly higher than usual and results in less barbed wire required. We spent two nights with James, visiting fencing contractor NJ Green’s set-up. We were treated to breakfast, put on by Nick’s wife. Then, onto a roundwood producer, where they recycle old creosote power poles into strainer posts. They also supply chestnut posts and rails – these are a sustainable tree and give character to the fence, due to the posts being split with a wedge and maul not sawn.
The success of this type of business in the UK is due to the type of timber treatment they are allowed to use. The UK still use imported pine posts, but they seldom last more than 15 years, according to several contractors we met. One of the most common posts used in the UK are creosote posts – they seem to last the best, but are a real safety hazard for the fencer installing them, causing burns on their skin while handling or cutting them.
We enjoyed another gathering at a local pub with everyone we had met that day and were treated to a nice meal.
Our last stop was in Hensfield, Sussex, with Tim Bennett. We met Tim at a roundwood producer and looked at their systems for producing chestnut posts. It was quite similar to the last yard but on a smaller scale. They make charcoal on-site with some of the offcuts. We drove up into the hills to seethe forest where the chestnut posts are harvested. There is a set season for this, and generally done in the winter months. We stopped and had a look at a chestnut pale style fence and an interlock rail fence also made from chestnut. This site also happened to be where the TV show The Repair Shop is filmed.
Tim put us up for the night, and we were joined for a BBQ dinner by family and fellow fencers.
On our last day in the UK, we looked at a couple of Tim’s jobs and his machinery. Tim runs tracked post drivers and one fitted with a Revolution 180, plus another three Revolution Post Drivers that he owns. After a coffee with Tim at a local café, we departed for Gatwick Airport, to get into our 40-odd hours of travel home.
We would like to thank all the people who supplied accommodation and meals, and took the time out of their days to keep us entertained. We met a lot of new people, and hopefully we will see some of them make their way to New Zealand so we can return the favour.
Lastly, we would like to thank the sponsors that made this trip possible: New Zealand Fencing Competitions, Revolution Post Drivers, Strainrite, Stihl, Stockade, Fieldays, and FCANZ.
FCANZ Board members and Best Practice Day organisers Nick Terry and Craig Sinclair were thrilled with the spectacular weather for both Southland Best Practice Days held in October. Running from 9.30am—3pm each day, both morning tea and lunch were provided, and this, combined with the learning and networking, made for a really valuable day out.
Best Practice Days provide attendees with an unrivalled opportunity to learn new skills, see the latest fencing gear, meet industry suppliers and connect with like-minded fencing contractors in their area. Delivered across the country, FCANZ Best Practice Days are attended by fencing contractors, fencer generals, horticulture workers, farmers and those interested in a career in this fast-growing industry.
“Our mission is to raise the profile of fencing as a recognised trade that embraces best practice, adherence to quality standards and ongoing professional development. Best Practice Days go a long way towards achieving this – not just for our members, but for anyone who builds fences,” says FCANZ President Phil Cornelius.
The stunning weather was a treat not only for attendees but also for the Association Partners who attended, sharing their knowledge with attendees, and in many cases providing material or gear for the demonstrations. Attendees heard from FCANZ PartnersWaratah, Gallagher, Beattie Insulators, Strainrite, Farmlands, Bunnings, Bayonet, Summit, Point Lumber and Milwaukee about how their products are used for the best quality rural fencing.
MC for the two events, Nelson-based FCANZ member John “Noksee” Noakes added, “I love the social side of FCANZ events, catching up with like-minded people, having a yarn, running ideas past people, getting opinions, not to mention making new friends who you can ring for advice when needed.” He continued, “It’s such a great industry to work in. To be able to step back at the end of the day and see what you’ve physically accomplished is so rewarding.”
Te Anau – Tuesday, 15 October
The Te Anau event focused on rural fencing, particularly the installation of netting on slopes, with netting and wire supplied by Bayonet. Electric top wire was run as a lead-out from the unit, and some good lessons were learned about the importance of using good-quality wire to feed the rest of the fencing around the farm. Using quality underground cable and pipe to connect is a must, with clamps or crimps for joins.
Thanks to the Custom Fencing crew for the pre-event post-ramming and helping with the hard yakka on the day, and Donald Cornwall for giving us his paddock to work in. Big thanks also to the Great Southern Group team for assisting with the barbeque – there were a lot of sausages!
Invercargill – Thursday, 17 October
The Invercargill event was held at the Invercargill Rodeo Grounds and resulted in the installation of some permanent fences for the group. Demonstrations included installation/construction techniques for equine, paling and electric fencing. There was also a session on riparian fencing using Waratah Jio posts, specifically for the coastal conditions we were working in. Thanks to Waratah for the Jio posts, Beattie for insulators and Point Lumber for posts.
After lunch, Brendon Crequer from Waratah demonstrated the installation of their Flex Rail equestrian fencing with the construction of some permanent holding pens for horses. This was followed by Nick Terry demonstrating the construction of a paling fence to provide shelter for the rodeo ground bar area, with materials thanks to Bunnings Trade Invercargill.
Thanks to Foster Price for assisting with the organisation of the event and Craig Sinclair and Nick Terry for their hard work on the day.
A farmer’s innovative solution for electric fence insulators more than 65 years ago went on to create a family legacy that remains strong today.
It was in 1958 at ‘The Haldons’ high country station in Seddon, Marlborough, that Doug Beattie embarked on his life-long innovation journey. The 3000-acre hill country farm he managed required extensive development, and Doug was up for the task.
A key component of hill country development is good fencing. Doug had ordered 1.5 miles of Barrier chain electric fencing that used a porcelain insulator top and bottom on a steel Waratah post, with a chain running between them. But there was a seven-month delivery time.
“This set Doug’s mind going – ‘There has to be a better way’,” Ivan Beattie, Doug’s son, told WIRED magazine.
With the dry Haldon Range hills, there had to be an earth return in the fence, which couldn’t be achieved effectively with the Barrier chain system.
After a number of prototype models, the resulting invention was a plastic insulator with two lugs that bolted onto a steel ‘Y’ post.
“Doug coined this the ‘alternate earth/electric fence system’, ” Ivan said, where livestock made contact with both an electric wire and earth wire creating a completed circuit.
With three young children and on a farm manager’s salary, Doug turned to the bank to fund the product, and after much badgering, managed to secure funding. A plastic injection mould was commissioned, and the patented Insulators were custom-manufactured in Christchurch.
The budget was to sell 100,000 units to pay off the die – however, in the first year 250,000 units were sold. This gave Doug the confidence to go on and produce a greater range of insulators, Ivan said.
He soon went on to patent the Pinlock Insulators that fitted both ‘Y’ and wooden posts, later lamenting when the patents ran out, that he hadn’t copyrighted the name Pinlock. Over his lifetime Doug took out over 35 patents.
The permanent and temporary insulators were the first Beattie insulators, and the permanent insulator was originally made from high-density plastic.
Doug had noticed in those early years the material in the permanent insulator was losing its black colour and becoming brittle, while the temporary insulator made from low-density polyethylene remained completely unchanged.
Temporary insulators have been on fences for over 65 years without any signs of deterioration. The permanent insulator has now been manufactured in low-density polyethylene for 55 years.
While Doug continued to manage The Haldons, fitting in a nationwide sales trip each year with his wife Dawn, the insulators were packed and distributed by Dawn’s parents from Christchurch.
In 1964, Doug and Dawn purchased a farm in Kaikoura, moving the packing and distribution part of the business to their new home.
Upon leaving school, their sons Ivan and Roger joined the business, helping with the odd sales trip and working on the farm. They were later joined by their sister Linda, helping Dawn in the office and packing.
With Beattie Insulators being run in conjunction with the farm, the development of any new products was thoroughly tested before being presented to the market.
“Doug’s catchphrase was ‘designed by farmers for farmers’,” Ivan said.
As Doug and Dawn became less hands-on in the business, Linda took over the management role and was later joined by her son Matthew in a sales and marketing position. Doug remained actively involved in developing new products.
After Doug’s death in 2014, brothers Ivan and Roger bought out Linda’s share in Beattie Insulators. With the efficiencies of manufacturing and distribution in the same location, the business was moved to a dedicated manufacturing and distribution site in Christchurch in 2017. Today, over 90 percent of Beattie products are manufactured in-house.
All Beattie products are manufactured in New Zealand.
“As Beattie Insulators have total control over the complete manufacturing process, we have the confidence of placing a 50-year guarantee on a permanent range of Insulators.”
Ivan is involved in the day-to-day running of the business and manufacturing, and Roger, along with farming and other business interests, is involved in strategy. With two farms on the Banks Peninsula, this makes it the ideal ground for testing new products.
“Actively running a farm helps Beattie Insulators ensure we have products that work in practice and last, proof of which time has shown,” Ivan said.
Roger’s son Andrew, an economist, has been assisting in the financial direction of the business, and Ivan’s son Hamish, a mechanical engineer, has helped at times in product design. Both Ivan and Roger’s daughters have also helped in the business while at university.
Ivan and Roger work closely together on the division of labour, supplying staff on contract to Beattie Insulators.
A big swing to automation in the manufacturing process and an efficient distribution process has meant that staffing numbers have been reduced, Ivan said.
“We now mainly employ part-time staff.”
Today, the company’s wide range of electric fence Insulators and electric fence products is impressive and includes unbreakable gate handles and other gate accessories, fence reels with unbreakable bobbins, underground cable, pigtail and wire outriggers, a large range of HotTape, HotWire and electric bungi, the original Sprong electric fence gateway for centre pivots and motorbikes. It also supplies the KG prill applicator for applying prills or granules in weed control.
Under ‘Beattie Plastics’, Ivan has acquired new state of the art equipment to manufacture the Beattie products.
Ivan and Roger aim to grow the business and develop new products, along with continuing the strong relationships they have built with farmers and fencing contractors over the years.
Fencing has been running through the veins of the Collins family for at least three generations. Steve started fencing alongside his father John, as a young boy trying to avoid doing his schoolwork. John still fences today with Steve’s sister.
Steve worked with his father fencing for many years before deciding to take a break, where he went spray truck driving for two years. During this time, he met me, his wife, Sarah. Just before our wedding in 2011, we needed some extra money to help pay for our wedding. A good friend of my sister needed some fencing, so I spoke to Steve, and before you know it, we had our first client. Steve then mentioned to a few others he might go back fencing, and before the end of the week we had about two months’ worth of work ahead of us.
I decided I had better come up with a business name. S & S Fencing Contractors Ltd was officially brought to life here in Reporoa. We now have 2-3 teams and cover the Taupo/Hawke’s Bay region. We focus on all styles of rural fencing, as well as doing the odd town pailing fence. You just can’t beat a good post and batten fence from the top of a hill, overlooking the hills towards the sea.
At that time, I was trying to run a home-based childcare business, as well as doing our office work. I remember the first time I offered to try to help on the fence line; Steve gave me a hammer and some insulators and post staples. I’m pretty sure I left in tears, as it took me quite some time to get a staple in, and even then, it still did not look right. Clearly, somewhere in the last six years, my skills have improved.
We had been in business for about two years when my younger brother Hamish asked for a job. Hamish became our first staff member. He worked for us for about 18 months before completing a Bee apprenticeship and was fencing every opportunity he got. Before we knew it, Hamish had started his own fencing business in Te Awamutu.
Having a brother who can fence has added bonuses, especially if you’re on a big job and need an extra set of hands. Having someone who knows your standard of work and how you operate means you can get job site flow straight away. It also means you can run different ideas past each other, and give feedback – the good and the bad. It helps to keep a high standard. Having family you can call at the drop of a hat to share how you came up with a way of making a job more efficient, or poaching that new tool to test it out before you decide to buy one, definitely has its plus sides.
While my dad has done the odd bit of fencing on the farm growing up, he took on a career as an accountant which is also a great advantage, as he is able to help with all the niggly tax obligations, as well as providing advice at the drop of a hat. I should also mention the support that both our mums have given, from endless encouragement to us to get started, babysitting so we can work away, or just being able to turn up and dinner is made. All these things make a big difference to our lives.
The downside is, you live and breathe fencing. There is always some job on the go that you’re talking about, or discussing who needs to organise what in the evenings, or how we can grow or adapt to the market.
I feel privileged to have the family that I have around us to support us with all the highs and lows of fencing.
