The Australian Steel Industry is an international infrastructural behemoth. It is a leader in coatings, and has been globally recognised for its strong-willed focus on product development and safety. Domestically, the steel industry employs 90,000-100,000 people in Australia, having a marked impact on economic growth and nation-wide prosperity.
The steel supply chain encompasses everything pertaining to the production of the metal, including manufacturing, material inputs, crude steel, fabrication, and the final-use for steel products.
The key industries that rely on the production of steel manufacturing products are manufacturing and construction (48.7% and 42.6% respectively). Mining also relies on the production of these steel manufacturing products, with mining amounting to the remaining 5.3%.
Quality
There are obvious arguments in support of Australian steel over other international players: quality. While global determinants of steel are biased due to an industry obsession with quantity, inexpensive steel is not necessarily good steel. There have been reports of non-Australian steel manufacturers employing processing technology which cuts corners in the process. A good example of this is boron treatment, a steel treatment phase that makes logical sense from a financial perspective, but that may seriously deplete the strength of the steel. The danger here is, the negative impact this has on the end infrastructural product.
Australian steel however, is unequivocally more reliable than its international counterparts. Quality disparities are considerably lower, as are any underlying concerns regarding the source of materials.
Support for the Local Economy
Another important consideration when purchasing Australian steel is the positive influence you will have on local businesses and the economy. This part of our consideration does not merely refer to the support of a single business. It is a progressive industry mindset that ensures that every Australian part of the steel supply chain, is rewarded for its hard work, and can remain competitive in an increasingly challenging international market.
Take for example the issue of raw iron ore that is extracted from Australian soil, and that is exported to an international marketplace due to tax cuts or some other reason. If we are to carefully navigate through these industry webs, and maintain precious originating resources for treatment in Australia, the result would send reverberations of solidarity for our local workers.
A crisis?
In a recent parliamentary report, the Chief Executive of the Australian Steel Institute gave evidence that due to industry profitability issues, and underutilisation problems, the market share is under threat due to the voluminous quantity of steel that is available globally.
The CEO of the Welding Technology Institute of Australia went as far to say that “within five years we may not have a steel industry or a fabricator in Australia”. Concerning words which highlight the paramount importance of supporting our local industry even more.
The Future
As we approach the future of the Steel Industry, Australian steel fabricators must remain vigilant in the face of commercial adversary. Roadblocks to success like the global glut in steel, subsidies and dumping measures, erode the possibility of revolutionising this nation’s finest and most treasured export. The future will involve challenges to our beloved steel industry, a public outreach to local steel businesses may be the antidote our steel economy so surely needs.
If you need coated steel products to suit your unique needs, or if you need quality steel that is fabricated to suit your unique needs, contact Steel Fabrication Services today.
Our team of expert structural steel fabricators have the experience and knowledge to answer any of your questions and will ensure that you find the best solution to suit your needs. To contact us today, simply call, fax or email for information or a steel fabrication quote, or drop by our Brookvale location.
