Wired Magazine

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

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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

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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

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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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In the face of tough economic times, many businesses are forced to adapt, innovate, and evolve to stay afloat. Our fencing business was no exception. While we have always been proud of the quality and reliability of our fencing services, the economic challenges pushed us to think outside the box and diversify.

Jesse Booker has been fencing since 2016, and in 2020, he decided to venture out on his own. Starting with nothing, working from the ground up and with a hefty loan from the bank he formed Jesse Booker Enterprises Ltd, AKA JB Fencing. Quickly realising, as the fencing jobs kept flowing, that he needed help, he employed a young labourer, and an old colleague who he had fenced with for four years prior also decided he would come and join the JB crew in 2021.

The year 2022 saw us rent a small gravel yard in Taupiri from friends, but very soon we outgrew this, as we needed to have more materials on hand, and increase productivity by being able to grab what we needed for our job the morning of, instead of waiting for our supplier to deliver to site. In 2023, the opportunity to purchase the property adjacent arose. Throwing everything we had at it, we were able to obtain a few acres, a house we could rent out and sheds to develop into what is now known as the JB Yard. We haven’t looked back.

The last four years have been a whirlwind, battling COVID lockdowns, wild wet winters and summer storms, high staff turnover (fencing is not for the faint­hearted) and most recently the change in economy. The arrival of a newborn in 2023 and another one in 2024 brought two children into the mix, with long and hard late-night hustles, it hasn’t been an easy road to get here.

We have spent hours developing the brand JB Fencing, as we believe it’s not only in the quality of work we produce, but backing it up by having a household name that people think of when they think of ‘quality fencing’.

We have had to brainstorm constantly, thinking about what’s next & how to move forward with the business when so many others were failing or going backwards and when economic uncertainties began to affect demand for our fencing services, we knew we needed to act. While our fencing business was well-established, fluctuating demand meant we couldn’t rely solely on this service to sustain operations. It was a tough realisation, but it led us to explore additional ways to use our skills, equipment, and expertise.

The last year saw one of our toughest years work-wise yet, especially with having four staff members to keep busy and employed! Keeping our heads above the water was our main priority. So we sat down and planned what we could do in the wet months when the fencing cooled off. We came up with a plan to adapt the business to survive, and these plans involved still using our skillsets, but just slightly upskilling them.

Today, we’re proud to say that we’ve expanded our offerings to include building pole sheds and tree felling, which in turn helps to produce firewood – a decision that not only will help to sustain us but has also opened exciting new doors for growth.

One of the first ideas we explored was building pole sheds. Our team already had a strong foundation in construction, and pole sheds presented an opportunity to put those skills to use in a new way. Whether it’s for agricultural storage, workshops, or garages, these structures are in high demand—and they’re a perfect fit for our skill set.

The transition required us to learn new techniques, source the right materials, and adjust our workflows, but it has been a rewarding experience. We’re proud to offer high-quality, durable pole sheds that meet the needs of our customers.

In addition to building pole sheds, we have begun to produce firewood from our new venture of tree felling which we started last winter. With rising energy costs, firewood has become an increasingly important resource for many households, especially during colder months. This venture not only allowed us to make use of wood byproducts from our tree felling projects but will also provide a steady revenue stream during slower periods. This didn’t come easy or cheap however, as we have had to employ a health and safety company to revise our policies to ensure we met the standards to keep our staff safe, as tree felling is quite a dangerous game. We have now completed our forestry tree felling course on top of our chainsaw courses; we’ve brought a little truck to cart the firewood and built a 12×10 container shelter with concrete pad to keep our wood nice and dry ready for sale in the winter months.

Expanding into pole sheds and tree felling/firewood has been a game-changer for our business. Diversifying will not only help us weather economic uncertainties, but it will also broaden our customer base and strengthen our reputation for versatility and innovation.

While the economic landscape still remains uncertain, we’re confident that our business is now better positioned to navigate challenges. We’ll continue to refine our services, explore new opportunities, and meet the needs of our customers with the same commitment to quality and reliability that has always defined us.

Currently, in 2025, we now have two crews, four full-time staff and Jesse running two John Deer tractor and rammer setups. Because we spent the last year with our heads down, grinding and figuring out ways to adapt to make sure we will get through, we can already see the changes we have made start to pay off – it is shaping up to be one of our busiest summers yet. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for us here at JB Fencing!

Article provided by JB 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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Tony White, of White Fencing and designer of Revolution Postdrivers, is focused on efficient installation systems.

Using a Revolution Netmaster in Tony’s fencing business has impressed Tony with regards to speeding up the process of rolling out and tensioning off netting.

“We have used it in all sorts of netting applications, including the recent use on a barrier fence on a 4WD racetrack, making short work of putting netting on, where bottom wires were several metres above ground level”.

Customers have asked for a Double-sided Netmaster, which Revolution has recently released. The ability to roll out the netting from either side is an advantage over the Single-sided Netmaster and allows for more versatility. Says Tony, “You can pull either side, left or right, or both at once. Tare weight is light, only 380 kilos.”

Being able to be mounted onto a front-end loader or skid steer, the Revolution Netmaster is self-loading, side dispensing, and hydraulically clamps and strains/tensions from the tractor/ skid steer seat via a cam lock clamping system, allowing the opportunity to staple off in one pass under tension, using the Netmaster.

The Double-sided Netmaster will take standard height (900mm high) or deer height (1500/1900mm high) rolls. It will carry two x 500 metre rolls at a time.

Mark Brooker from Kaikoura recently purchased a Double-sided Netmaster and Revolution Telescopic SS post driver. Mark comments, “I’ve been using both sides a fair bit, [it’s] been really good for me to use, as we’re doing a lot of races and deer fences up against trees and old lines; the Double-sided Netmaster really speeds everything up.”

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

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Traditionally, quarter round posts have been favoured by fencers and landowners for their strength and availability.

They are produced from larger logs compared to half rounds and rounds, which contributes to their robustness. However, the sharp edges of traditional quarter rounds can pose challenges in certain applications, such as vineyards, where fastening wires to both sides of the quarter round post is an advantage. In a traditional quarter round post the edges can also be prone to damage during handling and transportation.

PermaPine’s new edged quarter round post addresses these issues by machining off the usual 90-degree corner and adding smaller edges to the rounded face. This design allows for easier handling and more versatile wire fastening options on both the rounded face and the opposite face where the corner has been edged. Additionally, these posts offer an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The new edged quarter round posts are available to order now through PermaPine’s nationwide network of resellers. Customers can choose from posts treated with CCA (Copper Chrome Arsenate) or MCA (Micronised Copper Azole), and they are available in both pointed and unpointed options.

For more information or to find a stockist near you, contact PermaPine.

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

You may also like: PermaPine now offers MCA timber preservative

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A short video recently highlighted the serious consequences of hitting an underground electricity cable while installing a fence.

Last year, more than 6,500 excavation enquiries were received by beforeUdig from individuals installing fencing across New Zealand, a nearly 10% increase from the previous year. It is clear that fencing is becoming a more frequent activity.

As more homeowners seek to secure their properties, fencing projects in urban areas have become commonplace. However, these activities bring contractors and homeowners dangerously close to underground utilities, including cables and pipes located beneath footpaths and near property boundaries. Excavating without proper checks can result in costly damage, service disruptions, and serious safety risks.

Meanwhile, out in more rural locations, fencing is a common activity on farms and orchards up and down the country. It’s easy to forget there could also be cables and pipes running right under your feet as you get to work driving postholes into the ground. In many cases, the utilities present could be the riskiest to start work around, such as gas transmission pipelines that operate at extremely high pressure and the outcomes can be catastrophic if damaged.

To address this growing concern, beforeUdig has partnered with the Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ) to promote safe digging practices. This collaboration aims to raise awareness within the fencing industry about the importance of lodging a beforeUdig enquiry before starting any excavation work. By doing so, fencing contractors and homeowners can identify the presence of underground utilities and take the necessary precautions to avoid damage.

We are pleased to work alongside FCANZ in spreading the vital message of safe digging to members. Together, we can help prevent accidents, protect utilities, and keep everyone safe during fencing projects. Always remember to check before you dig by lodging your FREE excavation enquiry with www.beforeUdig.co.nz

Phil Cornforth
Operations Manager And Utilities Damage Prevention Expert | beforeUdig
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Published in WIRED issue 76/March 2025 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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