Kiwi Ingenuity Advances Wire-Making Technology
June 16, 2004
Kiwi Ingenuity Advances Wire-Making Technology
New Zealand is leading the way in fencing wire
innovation helping
farmers with fencing that will last
longer meaning they have to fence
less.
Pacific Wire
Technologies, the research and development division
of
Pacific Wire, is leading the world in global
innovation using a patented
system called Quantum
Electromagnetic Wiping (EMW) to produce wire. EMW
uses
an electromagnetic field to remove excess zinc from wire,
leaving
an even, concentric coating that ages more
consistently, extending the
life of the wire.
Bruce
Roberts, Wire Technologist at Pacific Wire, is involved in
the EMW
technology. He says, "EMW means the wire ages
evenly when used.
Because fences are only as strong as
their weakest area, where the
coating is the thinnest,
EMW technology helps fences last longer. This
is
important to farmers as the best value fence is the one that
lasts
the longest."
Previously the standard procedure
for wiping excess zinc from wire has
been a method using
gas and gravel. However EMW has far greater control
over
coating weight and evenness which means that farmers can
have
confidence it will last longer. EMW is used on both
zinc and
Zinc-Aluminium coated wires.
EMW technology
has contributed to the development of Pacific Wire's
new
range of lifespan, or longer-life, wires. The HiSPAN
Zinc-Aluminium
wire range has been designed to last up to
four times as long as other
heavily galvanised wires and
is suitable for all New Zealand conditions.
It will be on
display at the Pacific Wire stand, L33, at the
National
Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek, 16-19
June.
Mr Roberts will be at the Pacific Wire stand to
answer technical
questions about wire. He will be
accompanied by the Pacific Wire team
and fencing expert
Murray Marshall who will be giving wire
tying
demonstrations and tips on fencing best practice.
Mr Marshall is a
Canterbury dairy farmer and five time
South Island fencing champion who
has trained many
fencing contractors.
Warren Grayson, Key Account Manager
for Pacific Wire, said, "Murray and
Bruce are a great
resource for farmers and fencing contractors. They
can
provide extensive fencing knowledge and can provide
practical and
helpful tips to farmers about fencing.
Pacific Wire is proud to have
been the name behind New
Zealand wire for over 40 years and as part of
our
commitment to continuing to educate farmers about fencing
best
practice we are very happy to have Murray and Bruce
on site with us at
the fieldays."
As part of the
commitment to excellence in wire manufacturing
Pacific
Wire has developed the WIREMARK(r) which is a
guarantee of New Zealand
made quality. The WIREMARK(r)
can only be carried by fencing wire products which have been
performance tested for strength and ductility and made in
New Zealand for the unique local conditions. The
WIREMARK(r) label will allow farmers and fencing contractors
to tell at a glance which fencing wire is New
Zealand
made.
Pacific Wire will be running a wire tying
competition several times a
day over the course of the
fieldays. The entrant whose knot withstands
the greatest
tensile load will win a wire prize pack. Visitors to
the
stand can also take home a free information pack,
which includes
information on the WIREMARK(r), HiSPAN
Zinc-Aluminium wires and Pacific
Wire. For children
WIREMARK(r) tattoos will be available and a
colouring
competition, in conjunction with Hurricane Wire Products,
has
been run throughout the Waikato region, with the
official prize giving
to be held at Pacific Wire's site
on Saturday, 19 June.
ENDS