ACRS advised in 2017 that its Strategic Review recommendations were being implemented progressively over 2017 and 2018. ACRS has since announced the following changes:

1. Restructured ACRS’ fees and charges from July 2017 The fee changes to deliver enhanced services and value to both certificate holders and to certificate users are being phased in over two years, as each certificate holder is affected differently by the change to certificates for each manufacturing process instead of charge by tonnages supplied due to their individual circumstances and business structure.
2. Updated ACRS Scheme Rules including revision to ACRS’ “All products, all locations” rule:
   The longstanding “All products, all locations” rule currently applies to the entire range of materials supplied by the ACRS certified firm to the AS/NZS steel standards certified by ACRS. The changes now permit companies who do not desire to have their entire range of products certified by ACRS to apply for certification by “All product, all locations, by individual Product Class”.
• Concrete reinforcing steels – AS/NZS4671, AS/NZS4672, AS3600, NZS3109, and AS/NZS5100.5
• Hot rolled structural steels – AS3597, AS/NZS1594, AS/NZS3678, AS/NZS3679, AS/NZS3679.1 and AS/NZS3679.2
• Cold formed structural steels - AS/NZS1163
• Ancillary Products – including rebar couplers, structural bolts, etc
• The current “All products, all locations” rule for all materials supplied to the Product Classes will remain in place as the default. No certificate holders have currently advised they wish to proceed on this basis. ACRS will verify any changes prior to advising the market.
3. Review of ACRS’ governance model and structure
   The ACRS board has agreed in principle that once the new funding model and product group structure is in place, that ACRS will then to move to a new governance structure with appropriate support and consultation tiers to maintain and enhance ACRS as an independent, not-for-profit product certification authority:
• A Board of Directors comprising both independent and industry nominee directors, drawn from ACRS stakeholders to ensure the necessary balance, governance, and skills requirements, during and after the transition to the new structure;
• A council of nominees from ACRS member companies to ensure consultation is optimised;
• Legal recommendations to change the ACRS Constitution to effect the above are currently being reviewed by the Board, and it is intended is to move to the new structure and constitution by an Extraordinary, or Annual General Meeting later this year.
4. Chain of Responsibility scheme (CoR)
   ACRS is developing a “Chain of Responsibility” scheme, similar in scope and operation to schemes available overseas, following requests to provide specifiers, purchasers and certifiers with appropriate assurance and transparency of materials sourcing and supply chain security when ACRS Assessed materials specified for delivery to the final customer.
• This new, voluntary scheme will be available shortly to applicants who wish to highlight high levels of management of ACRS assessed materials through the supply chain prior to delivery to site.
• ACRS as part of its core responsibilities to industry and public, will continue consultation with interested stakeholders during 2018 as it finalises this important new service to the building and construction industry;
5. ACRS achieves another milestone in certification delivery
• ACRS achieved a significant milestone recently by becoming the first product certification body to be accredited by JAS-ANZ to AS/NZS 5131, the structural steel fabrication standard. This achievement enables ACRS to play a complementary role to further assist the improvement of steel and manufacturing quality, and traceability in steelwork fabrication;
• ACRS covers the steel compliance and traceability, which dovetails with and complements both the ASI/SCA and NZ/SFC schemes that cover steelwork fabricators, finished steelwork delivery to site and erection.