Media release

Issued 6 April 2016
Release no. 106

Update on steel mesh investigation

The Commerce Commission welcomes Steel & Tube’s decision not to sell SE seismic steel mesh until the mesh has been through a dual testing process and the company has test results that demonstrate compliance with the standard.

As part of an investigation into seismic steel mesh the Commission is testing samples of mesh from various companies. Results received by the Commission this week showed a sample of product tested from Steel & Tube did not meet the requirements of the standard.

The Commission advised Steel & Tube of its concerns about the test results and requested further information. In response to that request Steel & Tube advised that it would be implementing a dual testing process on all of its SE seismic mesh. The Commission understands that until that testing is done and compliance is demonstrated, Steel & Tube will not sell that mesh.

Steel mesh sold in New Zealand must comply with the Australia/New Zealand standard (AS/NZ 4671:2001). The Commission’s tests alone do not establish non-compliance. They show that the sheets of mesh tested failed the testing. There are a number of ways to meet that standard and information has been requested from Steel & Tube to substantiate their claims that the product does comply with the standard.

The Commission also tested a sample of steel mesh from Fletcher Building. Those tests did not raise concerns.

As this is an ongoing investigation, no further comment will be made at this time.

ENDS

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