History of MAX-TEN 200

Although the concept of building farm and range fences with high-tensile wire is nearly thirty years old, it has only recently become of general interest in the United States. And, until MAX-TEN 200 HIGH-TENSILE FENCE WIRE was first introduced in the fall of 1978, a truly high-tensile wire (with 200,000 psi minimum tensile strength) for this purpose was not readily available. For these reasons, most domestic farmers and ranchers had never even seen - let alone built - a high-tensile wire fence, nor had a chance to observe its superior performance.

In the summer of 1973, John R. Wall, a native of New Zealand asked a Product Representative of United States Steel if it were possible for him to obtain some smooth, 12-1/2-gage high-tensile steel wire with Class 3 galvanizing to build some ten wire fencing to contain cattle and sheep. The USS Representative assured Mr. Wall that United States Steel manufactures such as high-tensile wire and, although it had never been sold for fencing, he would provide a few thousand feet for this novel “experiment”.

Having obtained the wire, John Wall replaced several hundred rods of deteriorated barbed wire boundary and subdivision fences on his farm, employing the same techniques he has practiced for more than 15 years building fences in New Zealand. At first, neighboring farmers and passers-by scoffed at John Wall’s smooth-wire fences, but grudgingly admitted that they were indeed straight, secure and amazingly strong. Soon, Mr. Wall was building similar fences for his neighbors; and before long, he organized KIWI FENCE SYSTEMS, INC.