Reinforcing mesh: why certification of the finished product matters

The Australasian Certification Authority for Reinforcing and Structural Steels (ACRS) urges purchasers, specifiers, engineers, and construction professionals to exercise appropriate caution when sourcing reinforcing steel mesh and to verify that the manufacturer of the finished mesh product holds appropriate ACRS certification.

Certification of the feed material used to manufacture reinforcing mesh does not certify the finished mesh product. 

The manufacturing of welded reinforcing mesh involves additional processes that can affect the properties of the steel. Welding and mesh manufacture can influence material characteristics, meaning conformance cannot be established simply by demonstrating that the incoming wire or feedstock meets the relevant requirements.

AS/NZS 4671:2019 Steel for Reinforced Concrete specifically sets out requirements for machine-welded mesh, including the chemical composition and mechanical and geometrical properties of the finished product. These characteristics must be appropriately controlled and verified, as required by the Standard.

ACRS therefore recommends that purchasers:

• Confirm that the actual manufacturer of the finished reinforcing mesh holds current ACRS product certification for the relevant products.
• Check that the product being purchased falls within the scope of that certification.
• Verify product identification and traceability documentation.
• Do not rely solely on certification applying to the wire or feedstock used to manufacture the mesh.
• Where there is any uncertainty, verify certification before accepting or using the product. This can be done through certificates in the ACRS online database or the ACRS Cloud app.

ACRS certification provides expert, independent third-party assessment of manufacturers and their products against the requirements of the applicable Australian/New Zealand Standard. It gives purchasers confidence that the finished product has been assessed against the relevant requirements.

Purchasers, engineers and specifiers are encouraged to check the current ACRS certification status and scope to ensure certification covers the actual manufacturer and specific reinforcing mesh product being supplied.