As reported last October and March, ACRS has responded to requests from affected industry groups, including roads authorities, engineers, building companies and steel suppliers, for a steel traceability scheme to overcome the significant shortcomings of traditional verification systems, and to include AS/NZS 5131, the recently published Steel fabrication & erection standard.

The ACRS traceability scheme combines well-established European practices with Australian and New Zealand requirements, and connects seamlessly with ACRS product certification and similar UK and EU schemes to deliver conformity assurance that steels utilised in subsequent fabrication and manufacture do conform to steel standards.

Steel reinforcing processors and mesh manufacturers (both to AS/NZS 4671), and structural steel welded beam manufacturers (AS/NZS 3679.2) that hold ACRS product certification already follow ACRS traceability requirements from steel mill, processing/fabrication, to point of despatch. Confirming the ACRS certification of your supplying rebar processors or welded beam manufacturers and their steel mills of supply continues to provide you full traceability verification.

The new ACRS traceability scheme for the first time in Australia and New Zealand provides specifiers and customers of construction steel materials confidence that the full range of participants in the supply chain, such as steel distributors, traders, fastener suppliers and steelwork fabricators, etc. are able to demonstrate the same levels of traceability control as other ACRS certificate holders.

ACRS has received expressions of interest from several major traders, distributors, and local and international steel suppliers. The scheme will be released later this year, and is intended to provide materials compliance and traceability certification to other related industry schemes.

For more information or to make a confidential expression of interest contact Philip Sanders at psanders@steelcertification.com