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Traditionally, in order to erect a wire fence it is necessary to pass plain wire through openings in a series of fence posts, and then strain the wire. This is a time consuming procedure. It becomes more time consuming if barb wire or wire mesh is to be used in the fence, as barb wire and wire mesh cannot pass through the openings in the fence posts. After straining, barb wire is traditionally tied to the fence posts using strips of thin gauge tie wire. Wire mesh is typically tied to strained plain wire, or could be tied to the fence posts themselves.
These problems were brought home to Clipex® founder Ashley Olsson, when in 2007 he was driving outside Goulburn in New South Wales and saw an elderly man who was wrestling with a rusty fence. As he passed by, he prayed – “Jesus, there must be a better way, that poor old fellow…..”
The Solution – Clipex® Fence Post
Within about ten minutes of uttering that simple prayer, Ashley Olsson received what he calls “a moving 3D colour vision” of a fence wire entering into a slot, that was INSIDE the post, with a rotating steel keeper allowing the wire to enter then trapping it as the keeper fell down behind the wire. As soon as he arrived home he drew what he had seen, then over following days, in the back shed further considered how to manufacture the idea. Subsequently the first patent application was filed in 2007. This fence post can now be purchased from Clipex (www.clipex.com.au) and is pictured above. Competitions at field days have consistently shown that it is at least 10 times faster to clip wire into this type of fence post compared to tying off tie wire with a traditional post.
Company Growth
Clipex has grown since 2007, and remains an Australian family owned company. Clipex is vertically integrated, meaning that they are in control of the whole process – from design and engineering, manufacturing, retail stores, through sales and installation – and consequently they can maximise affordability. The fence post that Ashley Olsson visualised almost 10 years ago is now only one of the many products sold by Clipex.
Since 2007, the company has had and developed further ideas, and sought further patent applications in relation to fence posts and other agricultural products. Now Clipex designs, manufactures, sells and installs fencing posts and products, cattle and sheep yards, cattle crushes, sheep handlers and products for equine applications. Further details of these products is provided at www.clipex.com.au.
The Message
Patents, designs and trade marks provide protection for Ashley Olsson and Clipex, and appropriate intellectual property protection was the foundation of this business. This intellectual property protection, coupled with a great deal of effort, drive and determination has resulted in the commercial success that we see today.