Taylor Fiberglass Fencing
Owner: Duford Taylor
Location: St. Joe, Ark.
When and how did your business get started?
“We were looking for materials to build corrals. I called about some material not knowing it was fiberglass oil refinery pipe that is manufactured in Little Rock, Ark. People in Oklahoma have built fences and corrals out of this pipe. I started replacing my own corrals. I actually started trying to put this business together four years ago. It took three years to get the equipment made to cut the pipe and to get started. We put up the first fence here around my home one year ago this month (September, 2007). It’s just done better than I expected it to do. There are only three fiberglass fence companies in the United States. As far as I know, I am the only one in Arkansas.”
Describe your fencing material.
“Fiberglass has an outer layer and ultraviolet rays will break that layer down. The little white fibers will start showing. When we go in and paint that, the paint bonds to those little fibers. The paint just stays there until it eventually fades out. The pipe really holds the paint. We use water base paint. We paint a primer coat and come back with a finish coat. It will not mildew. It does not warp. It does not rot. It is great for horses. If they get to rubbing on it, it is not necessary to put insulators on the fence. The wire can just be looped over the pipe like Christmas lights because the wire won’t ground out. I have to use carbide tip or diamond tip blades on my saws to cut the pipe. We’ve had litter trucks, log trucks and gravel trucks to cross it. The pipe won’t break. We set our fencing posts on seven foot spacings, and the rails are on 12” spacings.”
What is your target market?
“For the farm customers, I plan to get into making hay feeders, electric fence posts, some mail box posts and cattle guards. I am also making gates to match the fencing.”
What are your plans for the future?
“I hope to have a building with all the equipment in it. I want it to be a regular little industry. Hopefully, I can get everything ready and let the kids and grandkids take it over. I want to make sure that it makes a good fence.”
