ADVERTORIAL: AEROFAST TIEDOWNS
It’s no secret, beekeepers all have their own way of doing things, and hive straps are no different. However, in the past 10 years one method has proven more effective, efficient and durable than the rest and so it’s no surprise that Aerofast’s ratchet tiedowns are common site around beehives up and down the country.
You know the ones – 25mm wide sturdy, polypropylene webbing with the business name and registration number woven in and – more often than not – the colour fading from the plastic cap on the ratchet handle due to its long survival. That long-life is the leading reason beekeepers keep coming back to Aerofast for their hive straps, says general manager Chris Hay.

“On other imported straps the webbing simply isn’t UV stable. We have clients who have had Aerofast hive straps in the field for six years and they are still doing the job. We’ve brought some back to test after three years and they are still well and truly up to strength. With some inferior products you will only get a season out of them, especially in areas of high sunshine hours,” Hay explains.
While the increased life of Aerofast’s hive straps is their main selling point, there are plenty more qualities that beekeepers like about them the GM says.
“Webbing straps are much easier and more reusable than alternatives. There is no memory with Aerofast webbing hive straps. By that I mean that, once it has been used, it is not contorted to any particular hive or shape. The straps are also light and malleable to transit on the beekeeping truck too.”
Produced from Aerofast’s Christchurch factory, orders of 25 straps or more provide the client with custom print woven in to the polypropylene fabric, a service which allows beekeepers to present a business name and/or beekeeper registration number on their hives. It’s popular too, with almost every beekeeping client taking up the custom-weave option as a means for meeting the requirement to display their registration number.
Of course beekeepers are in the market for more than just hive straps though, so the wide range of fully-customisable general purpose tiedowns (plus lifting slings for aerial hive movements) are also finding favour right across the industry.
It’s an industry the company is committed to – even through the current downturn – with Aerofast’s stand at Apiculture New Zealand’s national conference a regular, three reps around the country meeting with beekeeping business owners, and more, such as advertising support for Apiarist’s Advocate’s free news source for beekeepers. There is perhaps one mode of support more appealing than the rest during the current downturn in honey prices though.
“We’ve been struggling with increasing costs over the last 18 months or so, but so far have resisted increasing the pricing on the hive straps,” Hay points out.
Founded in 1980, Aerofast manufacture more than 40,000 tiedowns a month – that’s around two million metres of webbing woven each year! With every one of them customisable to the needs of the user, perhaps it’s no surprise Aerofast’s products have found favour with beekeepers and their wide-ranging methods of operation.

Aerofast’s Range of Hive Straps
Designed specifically for bundling hives together as an alternative to traditional em-lock strapping. Aerofast’s range of hive straps have long life UV resistant webbing, perfect for New Zealand’s and Australia’s harsh weather conditions. Quicker, easier and more cost effective than traditional steel strapping as the webbing will last for years. Trusted by New Zealand’s leading Beekeepers. Will not cut your hands or clothing like traditional steel strapping. Highly customisable, can change length, tensioning device and can permanently weave your apiaries colours and name in the webbing.

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