Where It All Began.....
Ian Western
Ian Western started Plastic Precise Products Co. P/L with humble beginnings in 1968.
After serving a Fitting & Turning / Tool Making apprenticeship from 1950 to 1955 Ian completed his national service. He then worked for various die-casting and plastic molding companies before deciding to go out on his own in 1968.
Over the years Plastic Precise Products (PPP) made many injection molded items for multitudes of industries. In the early 1990’s Ian was contacted by an engineer (Colin Smith) who was contracted to Southcorp Wines. They wanted to develop a foliage wire clip for the vineyard industry that could stand up against extreme temperatures and last the distance. It was to be strong but flexible so the foliage wire could be clipped in and out at various times as the vines grow over the season. After much investigation Ian designed the Vini-Clip.
It was made from UV stablised poly and was constructed to withstand the harsh treatment of the mechanical harvesting / pruning and the Australasian weather. With the inclusion of a 12 gauge self-drilling hex head screw, the clip was designed to have the “load” carried by the screw rather than the clip. After a successful season feedback from the growers said that in undulating land the tension of the wire was both upwards and downwards so the double ended clip was designed removing the need for the single clips to be twisted etc. During this period PPP’s factory expanded across 3 acres and employed 30+ people involved in manufacturing, sales, marketing, packaging, storage, warehousing, dispatch etc. In around 2009 many large businesses moved off shore for their requirements and Australian manufacturing took a hit. PPP downsized and focused on a smaller range of products including the Vini-Clip.
The Vini-Clip continues to be sold around Australia each year and is almost iconic in the industry.
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