FEATURE DIVERSITY IN FENCING
Adapting key to creating a diversified fencing business
Phil Cornelius established CPC Contracting 20 odd years ago as a one-man band, fencing throughout Northland in the many challenging environments that the north has to offer. Phil was certified in 2009 and is the only Certified Fencer in Northland at present. Donna Upton comes from a rural banking background having worked for the largest Agribusiness Bank in the world, she draws on experience she has picked up from some great people along the way. Together, they own and operate CPC Fencing Limited. “I met Donna in 2011. We rebranded the company to CPC Fencing Limited in 2013 and started Mid North Fencing Limited in 2019,” says Phil. “The second company was set up to complete the Auckland Motorway extension project Puhoi to Warkworth. This project is very large scale with in excess of 90kms of conventional fencing being completed. Two of our crews are currently 16 months into the project, looking to ramp up in the spring and summer season.” Both Phil and Donna are on the Board of Fencing Contractors NZ (‘FCNZ’), the
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industry body for Fencing Contractors, with Phil the President of the Board. Donna has recently taken on the NorthTec Course Coordinator role for the current NZ Certificate in Fencing Level 3 and national roll out of Level 4.
phone calls from Nick and Gordy from Northland Forest Managers Limited saw CPC suddenly emersed in Forestry fencing. Phil keeps in contact with the Forestry companies on a weekly basis to make sure everything is aligned.
BUSINESS GROWTH
“Currently we service three of the Forestry companies throughout Northland and enjoy working with the Managers - the crews love working outdoors and in beautiful areas that you don’t often get to see, off the beaten track” says Phil.
Since 2011 CPC Fencing has grown considerably and now has 18 staff, making up five fencing crews. The business offers late model utes for staff, and features five tractors, UTVs for the lines, two full forestry spec’d excavators, a large transport fifth wheel trailer and a transport truck. “We have a great crew of staff and subbies to call on. The crews love what they do, particularly the forestry crews, including the challenges and they have a tonne of can-do attitude and enthusiasm” says Donna. Originally CPC Fencing didn’t work in the Forestry side of fencing, but a couple of
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Anyone that knows the forestry industry, will know that the Health and Safety and training side is high end and very important, with huge monitoring protocols. The business has a robust policy in place thanks to Danica Wells from Hastrak. “Adapting it into the Forestry world was key and we implement that flavour across the entire business, making it easy to switch WIRED MAGAZINE
