About three years ago, with a decade of carpentry experience under his belt, Tyler Forrest was ready for a new challenge. Making the move from his homeland of New Zealand to Perth in Western Australia, he quickly found his niche at Agrimate Fencing.
“Fencing just stuck out to me,” says Tyler. “I was familiar with it, but it also felt like a new challenge.” That initial curiosity quickly blossomed into a rewarding career as Agrimate’s Operations Manager, overseeing a team of over 20 employees.
Founded by Claude Bezuidenhout in 2003, Agrimate has grown to become a leading provider of commercial fencing across Perth and Western Australia, providing high-quality fencing solutions for even the most complex projects. Tyler’s role sees him involved in virtually every stage of a project, from initial client request to final delivery.
“Every day is different,” says Tyler. "I enjoy the interactions with clients, figuring out exactly what they need and then designing a solution to fit. I love the satisfaction of standing back and looking at the product you've delivered exactly to the client's expectations. When they're happy, it makes it all worth it.” The fencing industry, Tyler believes, offers endless avenues for growth.
“Opportunities are always arising, and new techniques are always on the go,” he says. “The best thing about fencing is there's always something to learn. This creates progression for anyone within the trade.”
Tyler is quick to credit the experienced fence builders and suppliers who have supported his development. “Initially, coming from a building background and not knowing a lot about fencing, I've relied on relationships with coworkers, as well as with suppliers,” Tyler explains. He specifically highlights Charlie Gleeson from Vater Hardware, a D&D Technologies stockist: “If I'm ever unsure about a product, calling someone like Charlie, he will always set you in the right direction and supply you with the products you're needing.”
Charlie himself sings Tyler's praises, noting, “Tyler comes into our branch with a spring in his step just as his day is starting. His knowledge with the ShutIt® range of products and his ability to utilise these hinges with many styles of gates makes him a gun at what he does.”
And when it comes to gate hardware, Tyler and the Agrimate team are firmly committed to quality. “We’re always using D&D Technologies products on our fences,” explains Tyler.
He highlights D&D’s TruClose® heavy-duty self-closing hinges and MagnaLatch® as some of their most common and reliable products, citing their ease of installation. Recently, the ShutIt® BadAss hinge range has become a favourite.
“On parks and playgrounds, these are the best hinges to use,” Tyler says. “With the amount of use they get, they don’t lose tension, and they are a very strong product. We've recently been approached by many people about where we get the hinges from and if we can install them on their projects.”
With a long-term goal to “leave no stone unturned and try anything new to improve myself and the business,” Tyler truly embodies the’ Young Guns of Fencing’ spirit. We can’t wait to see what else he achieves in his career.
