About ACRS

The Australian Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels Ltd (ACRS) administers an industry-based, independent, not for profit, third-party, product certification scheme, certifying reinforcing, prestressing and structural steels to Australian Standards.

Why is ACRS necessary? The globalisation of the steel industry and the increase in the number of domestic suppliers and processors has created the potential for the supply of construction steels of unconfirmed origin and quality.
Due to the strong focus on quality and safety in the Australian construction industry, local builders, specifiers, designers and customers expect construction materials to comply with all relevant Australian and New Zealand Standards. However, with reinforcing, prestressing and structural steels now sourced from multiple suppliers both within Australia and from other parts of the world, often even within a single project, designers, specifiers and contractors can no longer assume that the construction steels delivered to the construction site will necessarily meet their minimum requirements.

It is essential that Australia and New Zealand have an independent, third-party, specialised product certification scheme to ensure that we do not allow our construction standards to be eroded through the supply of potentially non-complying materials.

Our mission in administering this programme is:

"The continued manufacture and supply of reliable, safe, consistent quality reinforcing, prestressing and structural steels to Australian and New Zealand Standards".

Benefits to the construction industry and specifiers from ACRS certification include:

Assured quality and fitness for purpose of construction steels to AS/NZ Standards irrespective of origin of material
Overseas experience shows independent, third-party certification neither affects availability nor competitive price levels
Preservation of Australia's world-class construction technologies
Prevent reintroduction of site inspection and testing otherwise necessary to confirm fitness for purpose
Removes the need for customers to check every supplier test certificate for compliance to AS/NZ Standards

Benefits to Certificate Holders, include:

Process and materials benchmarked to appropriate AS/NZ Standards
Reduced compliance costs for projects requiring certified materials
Share in the benefits of ACRS promotion of the 'Mark'

ACRS MARK
An important point to emphasise is that ACRS is voluntary and inclusive of imported steels. ACRS assesses all firms applying for certification equally and without regard to geographic location, or commercial affiliation. Our goal is simply to ensure that construction steels are quality-approved materials that comply to relevant AS/NZ Standards, thereby maintaining confidence in building material supply to these Standards.

ACRS welcomes comment and feedback (see Contact) from the construction industry, to ensure that its programme is relevant, focused and continues to meet the needs of participants and users.

LASTEST UPDATE
From 1 January 2012, all ACRS certificates will be valid from 1 January to 31 December. All previous certificates, dated 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, will no longer be valid and reference made only to the new certificates.