The Australian steel industry is a formidable one; the integrated supply chain of over 300 suppliers in Australia holds somewhere around two million tonnes of combined inventory at any given time. It is no wonder that our country is acknowledged as a global leader in steel manufacturing.
However, did you know that despite Australia being one of the largest exporters of iron ore in the world, over 50% of the steel used in Australia is imported from overseas – with China being one of our biggest suppliers? In fact, China alone produces almost 50% of the world’s steel.
It is true that a small portion of our steel supply chain comes from within Australia, with a small number of steel mills still in operation here. However, the predominant reason for importing steel is largely due to higher Australian labour costs, therefore it is more financially viable to export a significant portion of our iron ore to other countries who have the established infrastructure to produce steel more efficiently, with the added benefit of lower labour costs.
Once on Australian soil, the coils of steel strip (both hot-rolled coil and cold-rolled coil) are unrolled, cut into the required widths, and then passed through a number of roll stages which results in the lengths being ‘cold-formed’ into the desired profile shape. This process is usually referred to as roll forming, and can produce a great number of outcomes for specific applications – such as girts, purlins, and other elements of structural framing components.
Here at AusSteel, our experienced team go through this very process to produce the components of our #ultimatebuildingsystem with efficiency and precision. From there, our steel frame and truss components are assembled and then strapped with 100% recyclable strapping – ready for delivery to site. Once the frames and trusses leave our yard, we know our building partners will be able to erect and install our frames swiftly and confidently, with minimal waste.
Want to get a glimpse at this process yourself? We offer factory tours at our three facilities: Cameron Park and Goulburn (both located in NSW) and Crestmead (Brisbane – Queensland). Get in touch with us to arrange your tour today.
