The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) has recently released Technical Note TN018 Ascertaining Compliance of Fabricated Steelwork (March 2025), which, along with earlier notes, highlights the critical importance of independent, third-party certification in steel supply chains.

While TN018 focuses on managing compliance with AS/NZS 5131 for fabricated structural steelwork, it reinforces that this process is intrinsically linked to the conformance of structural steel inputs.

Across the ASI Technical Notes, third-party certification is presented as a cornerstone of steel compliance in Australia and New Zealand. ACRS certification satisfies the requirement to demonstrate suitable evidence of conformity with Australian Standards, enabling Supplier Declarations of Conformance (SDoCs) to rely on ACRS as an authoritative verification of compliance.

Collectively, these Technical Notes reaffirm what the construction and infrastructure sectors already know: third-party certification is not a "nice-to-have" but a critical risk-mitigation tool. With increasing pressure around traceability, ESG performance, and sustainability, the role of independent oversight in steel compliance is only growing.

As the leading independent third-party certifier of reinforcing and structural steels in the region, ACRS remains proud to support engineers, builders, and fabricators with the confidence that their materials meet the highest standards – being independently verified and with full traceability from source to site. Be sure to ask for this evidence of conformity when receiving materials or fabricated element.