The Australian Steel Institute (ASI) is the steel industry’s voice, championing its many attributes and assisting in driving the prosperity of the industry.
All our activities are focused on influencing profitable growth for the entire Australian steel value chain.
During 2023-24, membership continued to grow with one of the highest retention rates on record at an overall rate 93% and a 25% increase in fabricator members.
The inaugural ASI Steel Sustainability Awards were successfully launched in February 2024, with four main category winners from a field of 25 entries. The awards showcase the achievements of the end-to-end supply chain including architects, designers, engineers, steel manufacturers, distributors, fabricators, processors, builders and constructors in delivering steel-related solutions that result in positive sustainable impact.
ASI continued to advocate for local content federally and across all states in 2023-2024 including engagement with the Victoria Government on the Local Steel Enhancement Policy implementation requiring a minimum local content up to 95% for steel supplied using locally milled and locally fabricated-processed steel.
The ASI advocated for an increase in the local content requirement for wind towers; and made a submission to the stakeholder survey on Queensland Renewable Energy Supply Chain Resilience and Local Content targets. In NSW the ASI made strong representations to increase the local content targets for items such as wind towers, as embodied in the Renewable Energy Plan.
Now in its second year, the Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) scheme continues to assess and certify downstream steel suppliers including distributors, fabricators, roll formers and reinforcing processors, and verifies upstream steel producers against best practice environmental, social and governance indicators. More than 80 sites are now registered with the scheme. As a result, ASI fabricator membership has increased by 25% over the year with an increasing need for these compliant solutions.
The Steelwork Compliance Australia (SCA) scheme continues to go from strength to strength, with 152 steelwork fabricators now audited and certified. It is notable that the latest version of AS4100 calls up AS/NZS 5131 as a secondary reference, embedding this into regulation and that the NCC update 2022 also reflects this.
A new ASI-sponsored student undergraduate scholarship was launched at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). A new jobs board was established on the ASI website. The jobs board provides an unmatched opportunity for companies that want to reach candidates who are passionate about the steel industry, with 9,900 job views since inception in July 2023.
ASI welcomed 1087 attendees at ASI events and seminars throughout the year. ASI bookshop, eLibrary, events and eLearning continue to provide tools for education, training and development to those seeking to better understand the steel industry.
Looking forward
The ASI will continue to promote steel as a career path through a range of new education and training initiatives, including an expanded careers site on the ASI website in the next 12 months. Other priorities include:
- ASI will continue to advocate for local content federally and across all states so that the focus is on Australian steel and fabricated steel quality compliance is assured.
- Raise awareness of steel supply chain transparency and traceability with our members. The Traceability of Steel definition, education, certification and standardisation will be addressed by investing in a three-year plan to recommend a solution.
- Protecting and growing Australian steel. ASI has called for restriction on unprocessed scrap steel exports by making a submission to a Federal Government Senate Inquiry into waste reduction and recycling policies and by supporting the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council initiative to restrict the export of unprocessed scrap.
- Promoting a sustainable steel industry through the SSA certification and awards scheme.
- Promoting steel as the preferred building material.
2023-2024 has been a very successful and exciting year for the ASI. I would like to thank the ASI Board for their continued support and direction, and our hard-working ASI team for their strong commitment to supporting ASI members.
We look forward to an even better 2024-2025 for the local steel industry.
Mark Cain
Chief executive, Australian Steel Institute
