FIRST FENCE UNVEILS NEW CHAIN LINK FENCING RANGE
Sometimes, reinventing the wheel is necessary to improve a product’s fit, form or function. But in other cases, some fencing materials have stood the test of time so well that innovation doesn’t need to focus on the product itself.
Instead, the real progress comes in how the product is offered—Is there reliable stock availability? Are all heights readily accessible? And if a customer suddenly needs a large quantity at short notice, can it be delivered without compromising margins?
First Fence has decided to revisit one of the most established fencing types out there: Chain Link. Fencing News caught up with Ethan Goodchild, Sales Admin Team Leader at First Fence, to find out why the company is placing so much focus on a product that’s already well-known. “Chain link is one of those core products that we constantly get enquiries about— even from customers outside the trade,” Ethan explains. “In the past, we’d price these jobs up but often lose them because of lead times, availability, or pricing. Without control over the supply chain, we just weren’t competitive. So, we tasked our product team with changing that.”
The company’s National Distribution Centre in Hucknall will now hold the full range of chain link steel posts, including corner kits, intermediate kits, strainer kits and end kits, in a variety of heights: 0.9m, 1.2m, 1.5m, 1.8m, 2.4m and 2.75m. Finishes will include galvanised, black and green. “By stocking such a broad selection of chain link posts and rolls, we’re making it easy for customers to send over an enquiry at a moment’s notice. And with more than ninety vehicles in our fleet, we’re well placed to offer same-day or next-day delivery on future chain link orders.”
But it doesn’t end with stock levels. “We’ve also looked at how we can support customers in working out exactly what they need for each job,” says Ethan.
First Fence has developed an intelligent calculator, integrated into the website, to assist users in determining exactly the items needed, including the number of chain link rolls and hog ring clips.
Fencing News also spoke with Toby Roberts Davies, Product & Marketing Manager at First Fence. “We’ve designed the posts to be modular,” Toby explains. “So, for example, our intermediate post can be used with struts for strainer applications or even adapted into a corner post. This modularity allows us to keep stockholding efficient, while still meeting customer demand with no compromise on quality.”
