How does ACRS
certification work?

Steel all looks the same, but it isn’t. ACRS Steel Certification provides peace of mind to everyone through the supply chain

Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG. 1 Steel Mills 2 Importers 3 Manufacturers 4 Planners 5 Architects 6 Specifiers 7 Engineers 8 Contractors 9 Builders 10 Developers 11 End Users

A 'one stop shop' for demonstrating compliance with nominated Standards, ACRS certificates give continuing assurance of compliance beyond that provided by steel mill certificates.

There are four points in any construction project when product compliance can and should be assured and verified:

ACRS provides a steel specification mechanism up front at engineer/contract time, prior to purchase and fabrication of structural steel.

With an ACRS certificate of product compliance specified up-front, early in the project, designers and contractors can feel confident that the steel manufacturer has been certified as producing compliant steel.

Timing is essential. An ACRS certificate confirms that the steel manufacturer has been checked for compliance by ACRS at the steel mill, and through fabrication processing. Specifiers and customers can be confident that rigorous independent, third-party certification meets their requirements for verifying that the materials they order meet AS/NZS Standards.

If the up-front ACRS specification is not in place, then there could be delays to the project at delivery stage while product sourcing and conformity assessment of delivered steels are verified.

As ACRS Schemes are a two-stage, “book-end” process, they certify both steelmaking at the steel mill of origin, and any subsequent processing or fabrication of that steel, to ACRS Product Requirements.

Certificates are awarded to both steel mills, and to the subsequent steel processor or fabricator of the steel. Both certificates must be reviewed where appropriate.

Knowing that the steel delivered to a project is from ACRS-certified suppliers makes it easier for designers and specifiers if structural alterations are required at a future date. ACRS certification of the original steel supplied makes it simple to verify that materials meet standards, without expensive and time-consuming onsite sampling and testing.

At all points the recipient should check the certificate for the specific product(s) they are using, as only products listed on a manufacturer’s certificate are verified by ACRS. An ACRS-certified manufacturer may sell other kinds of steel products for which they have not been certified.

View Product Scheme flowchart for
Reinforcing Steels View Product Scheme flowchart for
Structural steels

ACRS certifies the two streams of materials supply for reinforcing steel:

The materials being manufactured at the steel mills; and follow-on processing of those materials at fabrication. Verification of the outputs of both these supply streams is essential for any materials claiming to be Standards-compliant.

ACRS undertakes continuous, quarterly monitoring of production data to ensure product compliance is maintained on an ongoing basis, regardless of the ACRS-certified producer it is coming from.

ACRS certificates enable accurate confirmation that the sizes and grades meet the project specifications, and that the delivery is not a mix of compliant and non-compliant materials.

With many projects utilising numerous grades of steel and various section sizes, checking the correct grades and sizes on site and on the mill certificates is necessary, as well as checking that the ACRS certificate covers the supplying mills.

ACRS’ certification of fabricators and processors provides a vital link between the steel manufacturer and the end user on the construction site, ensuring that:

  • All materials are from an approved manufacturer and satisfy the requirements of the relevant product Standard
  • Materials are correctly handled and processed so that material performance is not compromised during processing
  • All necessary procedures and documentation are in place to ensure product traceability from steel mill through bar scheduling and processing

Any break in the ‘chain of certification’ will result in the product not being certified

The ACRS website is a key part of the process of verifying supplier claims and helps protect against fraudulent certification claims. The website lists all current ACRS-certified suppliers by location (globally) and/or product category.

Only the products listed on the certificate are verified by ACRS. Steel buyers and users should check a manufacturer’s certificate online to confirm the product they are buying is ACRS-certified.

For specifiers & steel users
Including builders, contractors, developers, homeowners, importers and fabricators, infrastructure planners, architects, surveyors, engineers

Builders
& developers

Australian
home owners

Steel importers
& fabricators

Government
infrastructure
planners

Architects

Surveyors

Engineers

You can be confident the materials you order meet AS/NZS Standards, thanks to rigorous independent, third-party certification that reviews the necessary test data on a regular basis.

ACRS makes steel certification:

ACRS verifies that the manufacturer has met all the relevant requirements of the Australian & New Zealand Standards for the products listed on the certificate. *

Compliance checks have already been done. ACRS checks all production to the assessed Standards from that certified location.

Unless you fully understand the data on a test certificate and all the compliance detail behind it – for both manufacturing and processing – you can’t be sure a material passes all requirements. Our checks are done by a recognised, competent body on an annual basis and with quarterly checks on production data.

ACRS’ not-for-profit, minimum-cost model means it provides better value for money than any commercial equivalent. Certification doesn’t increase costs to production – and it can lower compliance costs in the longer term, by refining quality processes through ACRS practice.

* Only the products listed on the certificate are verified by ACRS. Steel buyers and users should check a manufacturer’s certificate to confirm the product they are buying is certified.

Steel manufacturers
producers & mills

importers

fabricators

ACRS issues 200 certificates, covering almost 300 sites, in 24 countries, for around 100 steel producers

Including to local suppliers like Infrabuild and Bluescope, and premium overseas suppliers like Nippon Steel, Posco, and Hyundai.

They choose ACRS to show their quality and compliance with a clear, well recognised mark of approval that sets them apart from those not certified.

ACRS steel certification:

With the global steel supply chain enduring huge variations in the quality, price and availability of steel products, the ACRS third party, technically rigorous verification, provides certified firms with a competitive advantage over others.

ACRS certification is an efficient and inexpensive way to clearly demonstrate to the market the quality of steel materials and products being produced, regardless of what the product is or where it is being manufactured.

ACRS certification mitigates risks to reputation and legal implications for suppliers, as well as any client-side issues upon delivery.

In Australia and New Zealand, many government transport departments and other government bodies specify and require ACRS-certified steel. So, becoming ACRS certified can open up large government-orientated markets. And with many private company organisations and developers now also specifying ACRS steel, this goes for other markets too.

ACRS provides a centralised, streamlined certification process to AS/NZ Standards for construction steels across a wide range of structural, reinforcing and pre-stressing steels.

ACRS Certification covers up to four essential elements of steel supply, from quality management systems, through to manufacturing and fabrication processes. It certifies ...

Sorry, your browser does not support inline SVG. 1 The applicant firms’ quality management system as defined by AS EN ISO 9001: 2016, to ensure that the intent of the certified materials Standard is being met 2 The firm’s control of process to ensure that material will be produced to a consistent level of compliance to the AS/NZ Standard being certified 3 The full requirements of the relevant AS/NZ Standards are being met by the applicant firm, and continual monitoring of the output of testing by accredited laboratories 4 Environmental issues 1 2 3 4

ACRS Scheme Terms & Conditions focus on a provider’s quality management system, as well as process control and product testing.

ACRS Schemes are for:

Product

ACRS Product Certification Scheme certifies the transformation of incoming steel into a finished form, including

  • processing of raw (feed) materials
  • manufacture of steel and construction products
  • steel reinforcing materials and welded steel beams
Product Scheme details here

ACRS Sustainability Constructional Steel Certification Scheme certifies sustainably produced steel that meets the highest global environmental, social, and ethical standards. For suppliers of

  • steelmaking (billets, blooms)
  • production of intermediate materials (e.g. wire rod, slabs)
  • production of finished materials (e.g. steel bar/coil and structural steels)
  • fabricated materials (mesh, processed bar and welded fabrication)
Sustainability Scheme details here

ACRS Traceability Certification Scheme extends the traceability provisions in the Product Certification Scheme to assess the supply chain end-to-end, including

  • steel traders, distributors, retailers
  • or component suppliers (e.g., bolts, couplers, and connectors)
  • that operate between the steel mill and the final steel processor or fabricator
Traceability Scheme details here

ACRS Quality Management System Certification Scheme ISO 9001 certifies a quality management system to AS/NZS 9001:2016, for those holding or seeking ACRS product certification for

  • reinforcing steels
  • prestressing steels
  • structural steels
  • and related products
Quality Management Scheme here

ACRS Schemes ensure the steel you are certifying matches the supplied test certificate

How do you know the steel you are certifying matches the supplied test certificate?

The AS/NZS Structural steel standards stipulate that the product supplied must have unique markings, which allows traceability back to the manufacturer and their issued test certificates. However, if a manufacturer’s markings cannot be verified, then there is no evidence of the product source.

Reinforcing steel standard AS/NZS 4671 requires the product to have unique markings indicating the grade of steel and the manufacturer. However, with overseas standards having significantly different markings, and with some international standards not stipulating a manufacturer’s mark at all, it can be impossible to verify that the correct grade has been used or that it has been sourced from the claimed manufacturer or fabricator.

The verification process ensures:

  • The site manufactures to the applicable AS/NZS standard.
  • The site tests, and is accredited to test, to AS/NZS standards. Verifies its laboratory certification.
  • The site marks the product as per the AS/NZS standards.
  • The site issues test certificates per the AS/NZS standards.
  • The site supplies all test data to ACRS on a continuing basis to demonstrate compliance and capability with the relevant standard. ACRS reviews that test data every 3 months.
  • ACRS has selected all samples at an assessment and witnesses testing at site and compares paired samples tested at ILAC certified laboratories in Australia.
  • ACRS requires all production sites to be certified. ACRS verifies that all site’s manufacturing procedures comply to applicable AS/NZS standards. We do not allow multiple sites to manufacture to a common procedure and then select product for AS/NZS standards (“grade selection”). Materials must be manufactured per the methodology stipulated in the specific, relevant standard.
  • ACRS verifies that every site’s Quality System, regardless of whether that site has independent certification to ISO 9001.
  • ACRS undertakes annual assessment at the site (and revokes certification if it is not fully compliant with the requirements of both the AS/NZS standards certified and the ACRS Scheme rules.)

ACRS Schemes comprise eight areas of review:

1
Quality Management System validation
2
Independent product sampling and testing
3
Statistical analysis of production output
4
Product identification
5
All products, all locations
6
Product traceability
7
Certificates issued only for 12 months, and regularly updated
8
Suspension or termination of certificates for noncompliance

1. Quality Management System validation
ACRS reviews the company’s Quality Management System for both Stage 1 and Stage 2 certification. The QMS should meet the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9001. Whilst Certification to ISO 9001 is preferred, it is not mandatory under the ACRS Scheme, except where required by the Standard to which ACRS is assessing the company for certification.
The ACRS assessment process more closely examines capabilities and performance in relation to sourcing and handling of incoming materials, batch identity and traceability, product sampling, testing and inspection procedures, process control, and treatment of nonconforming product.

2. Independent product sampling and testing
ACRS samples across the full range of each company’s product for property testing and measurement at each assessment (most commonly annually, but more frequently when required by ACRS). In addition, ACRS conducts a statistical comparison of the company’s certificated release results, results obtained from the audit samples as tested by the manufacturer, and results obtained from independent NATA accredited laboratories selected by ACRS for their specific expertise in testing of these materials.

3. Statistical analysis of production output
ACRS conducts statistical assessments every three months of the manufacturer’s release property data results to ensure that long-term quality performance across all ACRS-Approved Materials remains satisfactory.

4. Product identification
To improve product identification and traceability, ACRS requires that every ACRS certificate holder uses unique markings and labelling for its ACRS-approved materials to identify both the manufacturer and the product, enabling the market to easily identify those materials approved by ACRS from any other materials. These markings also need to comply to those stipulated in the relevant Standards. These unique markings and labels can be found on our database of certificate holders.

5. All products, all locations
ACRS requires that all products made and supplied to ACRS Product Requirements and to AS/NZS Standards and BS EN 10219 by the Certified Firm are covered by ACRS certification. That is, any company certified by ACRS must have all such products certified, not just some. The company cannot have only some products certified, but not others, or some sites producing such products certified, but not others.
ACRS policy ensures that the Certificate holder is openly declaring to the market that all its products supplied to the Product Requirements are included under its ACRS certification, so that any specifier, purchaser, or user can be assured that the products received have been reviewed by ACRS. ACRS also takes care to test and verify feed materials as stipulated in the relevant standards.

6. Product traceability
ACRS assesses materials traceability between ACRS Stage 1 and Stage 2 certificate holders to confirm that each ACRS Stage 2 certificate holder is supplying only ACRS Approved Materials to its customers. Additionally, ACRS operates a separate, voluntary Traceability Scheme for additional assurance to product users and building certifiers, that materials traders, suppliers, and distributors are also managing their supply of ACRS-certified materials.

7. Certificates issued only for twelve months, and regularly updated
ACRS issues certification valid only for the calendar year in which it is issued. New, unique certificates are issued only to those certificate holders who successfully demonstrate to ACRS that they have maintained conformity with Standards and the ACRS Scheme requirements during the previous assessment year. Maintaining a continuing review through the year, ACRS updates certificates as necessary to ensure certificates are kept up to date.
ACRS suspends or withdraws certificates, and in extreme cases terminates a company’s certification entirely, where performance by any certificate holder is found to be below the requirements of the ACRS Scheme and its institutional stakeholders (for instance, Austroads member specifications).

8. Suspension or termination of certificates
Suspension or termination of certificates for noncompliance.

How to identify
ACRS steel onsite

All ACRS-Approved Materials are labelled and supplied with the necessary electronic or paper documentation to enable the products to be traced. This comprises the ACRS mark and the manufacturer’s unique identification mark, as shown under Marks & Tags

Non-ACRS certified producers cannot be issued certification post-manufacture. ACRS is regularly asked to verify that steel meets the required end-use Australian and New Zealand Standards, either when the steel has already arrived on site or after construction has been completed. For ACRS-certified suppliers, this can be achieved, but not for the non-ACRS-certified.

In most instances, the enquirer has a test certificate supplied, often not in English, or has taken a few random samples and sent those for independent testing either in Australia or New Zealand, or at overseas test laboratories.

For ACRS-certified mills and fabricators, this subsequent certification is acceptable and considered part of the ACRS two-stage process.

However, for non-ACRS certified producers, this post-manufacture certification is not possible. ACRS is unable to verify the validity of the material being supplied by these stages of construction projects, as it is unable to employ the all-important two-stage certification process, the first stage of which requires sample testing of the product at the certified mill's manufacturing source. Read more about why sample testing is not sufficient >

ACRS also needs to test each certified rebar processing, mesh producing, or welded section fabricating facility to ensure that the finished steel product supplied to any construction site has not been adversely affected during these subsequent processes.

This testing is an important part of demonstrating full adherence to the specific AS/NZS Standard.

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