Media Release
29 September 2016
Steel industry makes quality certification compulsory
The Steel Fabricator Certification (SFC) qualification will soon be mandatory for all Steel Construction New Zealand
(SCNZ) fabricator members.
Launched in 2014, SFC is an industry-led quality assurance scheme that aims to reduce risk for specifiers. It ensures
participating structural steel fabricators are capable of manufacturing product to the specified quality standard by
certifying that companies have the appropriate personnel and quality management systems in place.
Members of industry organisation SCNZ voted unanimously to introduce the compulsory requirement at its AGM in Napier on
September 16.
Bob Hawley, SCNZ Chair and Managing Director of structural steel fabricator Red Steel Limited, says: “New Zealand’s
structural steel fabricators have shown overwhelming support for the SFC scheme and to raising industry standards. We
are committed to providing compliant product of the highest quality for building and infrastructure projects up and down
the country.
“This new resolution means that SCNZ membership will be much more than simply paying an annual fee; members will first
have to qualify then ensure they maintain their standard,” says Mr Hawley.
Hawkins Construction Auckland Regional Manager Terry Buchan says: “Compliant product that meets New Zealand standards is
of paramount importance to our building and infrastructure projects. As a major customer to the structural steel
industry, we applaud SCNZ and its members for taking this positive step to bolster the quality assurance of the
fabricated steelwork produced locally. It’s a welcome development that will give us increased confidence in New Zealand
fabricated product.”
Since SFC’s introduction, 23 fabricators – representing 75 percent of New Zealand’s structural steel output – have
become certified.
New members must now qualify for SFC prior to being inducted into SCNZ. Existing SCNZ members now have four years to
meet the new requirement. This timeframe will allow the industry to prepare – there are currently 64 steel fabricator
members to be certified. The SFC process involves an initial audit followed by annual reviews.
“As with many construction materials, the current compliance regime for structural steelwork relies, for the most part,
on self-inspection and self-certification. This approach is dependent on the expertise, ethics and quality systems of
the fabricator, and on the knowledge and expertise of engineers and welding inspectors, to assess if the steel supplied
is compliant,” says Mr Hawley.
Significantly, the SFC scheme raises the bar by providing independent, expert certification of New Zealand fabrication
companies. Independent auditing body HERA Certification has been established to audit and certify steel fabricators to
ensure they have both the welding and the fabrication quality management systems in place to consistently produce fully
compliant steelwork.
Mr Hawley says the new resolution provides an important point of difference for locally fabricated steelwork compared
with offshore competitors.
“The current boom in construction activity has seen an increased amount of imported prefabricated steelwork entering New
Zealand. However, there have been cases where it has not been easy to prove the steelwork meets the required
specification, leading to expensive and time-consuming testing to demonstrate compliance. The upshot is costly project
delays,” says Mr Hawley.
“The SFC scheme, on the other hand, provides procurers and specifiers, such as engineers, architects, quantity surveyors
and building contractors, with greater certainty of product quality and significantly reduced compliance risk,” says Mr
Hawley.
SFC helps builders to pre-qualify steel fabrication companies capable of doing the work to the required standard, Mr
Hawley says. And there is less effort required on the part of the engineer and the builder to manage quality.
“An increased pool of SFC-qualified fabricators also means builders and engineers can be confident there will be plenty
of choice,” says Mr Hawley.
To find out more about Steel Fabricator Certification visit www.steelfabcert.co.nz.
Ends
About Steel Construction New Zealand
Steel Construction New Zealand Inc. (SCNZ) aims to advance the interests of New Zealand’s diverse structural steel
industry by promoting the benefits of steel solutions in building and infrastructure projects. Members include
manufacturers of structural steel and steel products, distributors, fabricators, designers, detailers, galvanisers, and
paint and building supply companies. SCNZ provides its members with technical advice on the latest in steel design
trends and standards, networking opportunities and a representative voice with key industry and government decision
makers. For more information please visit www.scnz.org.
About Steel Fabricator Certification
The Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) and Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) developed a new quality
assurance programme: the Steel Fabricator Certification (SFC) scheme. The aim of SFC is to reduce compliance risk for
procurers and specifiers. It recognises fabricators who have appropriate quality management systems and personnel in
place to consistently produce work of the required quality. SFC is based on a modified version of the highly regarded
European system and incorporates the requirements of existing standards and the Weld Quality Standard AS/NZS ISO 3834.
It recognises four construction categories, allowing engineers to specify a level of quality appropriate for the risk.
Participating fabricators are certified by an independent auditing authority. Certification is valid for five years and
includes annual surveillance audits. By September 2020, all SCNZ fabricator members will be SFC qualified. For more
information please visit www.steelfabcert.co.nz.