Product Certification Scheme

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What is ACRS Product Certification?

The Product Certification Scheme certifies steel construction products are manufactured to Australian and New Zealand Standards. It provides users with certainty that steel manufacturers and producers of fabricated materials adhere to necessary Standards across:

  • management control
  • consistent product and technical conformity
  • industry developed disciplines and rules
  • industry developed Standards
  • independent evaluation by industry professionals
Product Scheme
Application form Download Now Certification
Agreement Download Now List of Product
Requirements Download Now Scheme Terms
& Conditions Download Now

What is it for?

ACRS certifies steel reinforcing, steel prestressing, and structural steels manufacturers and suppliers, providing conformity and traceability validation.

Having an ACRS-approved Processor, Fabricator, or Supplier is key in ensuring the link between the steel producer and the construction site. *

ACRS approval of a reinforcement Processor, or Fabricator ensures that:

  • All steel supplied as “ACRS-Approved Materials” is from an approved source.

  • Steel is correctly processed and handled. This may include cutting, bending, welding, and coupling or bolting.

  • Processing of cut and bent bar and/or welded steel mesh, or fabrication of welded structural sections has been independently assessed to the relevant standards.

  • Full product traceability.

* 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.

How does it work?

The Scheme validates that Approved Materials conform to AUS/NZ Standards throughout manufacturing, processing, and supply – providing a chain of certification from the point of materials manufacture to the delivery of that material after any processing or fabrication.

The Scheme is a two-stage, “book-end” process – covering both steelmaking at the steel mill of origin, and any processing or fabrication of that steel – so certificates are awarded to both steel mills, and to the steel processor or fabricator. Both certificates must be reviewed to confirm ACRS certification.

How to identify ACRS-approved steel

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 here.

Always check a manufacturer’s certificate for the specific product(s) you 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.

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Product Test Certificates

You don’t usually need to request a "Supplier's declaration of conformity" from an ACRS-approved Processor or Fabricator in addition to the ACRS Product Scheme Certificate – the ACRS Product Scheme includes the necessary assurance of materials conformity to Scheme Standards.

What to check if you do need to request a declaration of conformity

  • the cast number and cast analysis
  • the carbon equivalent value
  • the results of mechanical testing
  • the ACRS logo and certificate of approval number (usually found on the accompanying product tag or label)
  • the address of the producing works
  • the ACRS manufacturer certificates for the material
  • the date of supply
  • the name and address of the customer
  • statement of compliance to the customer's order requirement
  1. The basis for the ACRS product certification Scheme is:
    • Evaluation of the supplier’s quality system to ISO 9001 for the manufacture, or processing of the materials to be assessed (note: ACRS Product Certification is not ISO9001 assessment) and testing from the supplier's range of materials to independently verify conformity with ACRS Product Requirements.
    • Periodic evaluation of the quality system and testing and evaluation of samples taken from suppliers' stock and from the market.
  2. The ACRS Product Certification Scheme operates under an "All Materials: All Locations" policy. All materials manufactured by a Firm to all Standards certified under the ACRS Scheme (the “ACRS Product Requirements”) must be assessed and approved by ACRS. That is, a Firm may not:
    • At an ACRS-certified location, manufacture or process some materials to ACRS Product Requirements and manufacture or process other, similar materials that are not assessed and approved by ACRS, or
    • At a non-ACRS-certified location manufacture and process materials covered by ACRS Certification at another location of the Firm.
  3. This rule is fundamental to the integrity of the ACRS Product Certification Scheme, and public confidence in the Scheme. No exceptions can be made.
  4. Analysis of samples and processes is undertaken from each assessed production site using statistical, or other suitable rigorous methods to determine and report upon:
    • characteristics of each type of material produced or processed
    • differentiate between different batches of materials
    • identify and comment upon outlier sample results
    • monitor and report trends in product performance
    • undertake non-conformance reporting.
  5. ACRS independent Assessors collect company materials data during an annual evaluation and from reported data obtained through the year.
  6. ACRS Assessors are expert metallurgists, experienced in steel reinforcement manufacture and processing, and prestressing steels and structural steels manufacture. ACRS Assessors not only perform evaluations for existing and prospective certificate holders, but also review the performance of the testing laboratories used by ACRS and sites to monitor the consistency and applicability of results obtained.
  7. ACRS conducts surveillance of laboratories, conducting replicated independent testing on representative samples taken from the company being evaluated. This testing is done to the requirements of the applicable Australian and/or New Zealand Standards.
  8. All data collected by ACRS Assessors is held in the strictest commercial confidence.
  9. ACRS Product Scheme Certification is given for individual product manufacturing and processing operations for individual or grouped sites (where confirmed as subsidiary to the primary site, as defined by ACRS Scheme Terms & Conditions). All Certificates are valid for a period of 12 months.
  10. Any Standard listed on an ACRS certificate is the latest, published version of that Standard.

ACRS is a non-profit organisation and is fully self-funded. The costs of ACRS evaluation activities are covered by specific Evaluation fees.

EVALUATION FEES
ACRS Evaluations (usually including test sampling at evaluations), plus the associated periodic performance and data reviews are funded through the cost-neutral fee charged for each evaluation. It is required that Evaluation fees will be paid in full in advance of Evaluation. 
 
ACRS Evaluations operate on a three-year cycle with an Initial Evaluation in Year 1, and a Surveillance Evaluation in each of Year 2 and Year 3. The same cycle will be repeated in following years. Additional Evaluations may be undertaken by the Authority where required by the Scheme Rules. The Evaluation fees listed below include the costs of testing for one grade of material from one process only. Additional testing costs may be invoiced separately.
 
Additional costs, such as international travel, or additional Assessor hours will be charged in addition to the Evaluation fee, where appropriate. 
 
Current annual Evaluation Fees are as follows:
 


SCHEDULE OF EVALUATION FEES
Certification Type Initial Evaluation Surveillance Evaluation
Excl. GST Incl. GST1($AUS) Excl. GST Incl. GST1($AUS)

Steelmaking and rolling (Certification Stage 1) 
Bar (DBIL)/Coil (DBIC)2 $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
Wire $14,700 $16,170 $8,800 $9,680
Prestress $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
Plate/Slab/Strip3 $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
Bars/Sections $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
         

Manufacturing, Processing, and Fabricating (Certification Stage 2) 
Hollow Sections4 $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
Welded I-Sections $18,000 $19,800 $10,300 $11,330
Bar processing5 $7,900 $8,690 $5,100 $5,610
Mesh manufacturer $12,000 $13,200 $7,400 $8,140
Bolts manufacturer POA POA POA POA
         

Technical Approval

Steel Reinforcing Couplers POA POA POA POA
Steel Prestressing Materials POA POA POA POA

NOTES:
1 GST to be paid at 10% where applicable.
2 Where a firm manufactures or transforms both bar and bar-in-coil at the same location, only one assessment fee is payable. (additional testing fees may apply)
3 Where a firm manufactures or transforms both HR Flat, Plate/slab, Quenched and tempered plate at the same location, only one assessment fee is payable.(additional testing fees may apply)
4 Where a firm produces cold formed hollow sections to both AS/NZS 1163 or BS EN 10219 at the same location, only one assessment fee is payable. (additional testing fees may apply)
5 Includes supply of finished wire and mesh materials from these sites.



CERTIFICATE FEES

In addition to site assessment fees, ACRS charges an annual fee for each certificate issued. GST is charged on all certificate fees, as the related services are provided in Australia.
Certification Type Fee per certificate  
($AUS) Including GST      
Mill Manufacturer $4,400      
Technical Approval (Mill) $3,300      
Technical Approval (Product) $1650      
Processors & Fabricators $990      
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