Building a sustainable future on a foundation of local manufacturing

I think it's fair to say we’re all looking forward with some cautious optimism to a more normal 2022.

We’ve learnt much over the past two years about how to respond and live with the COVID pandemic, and with vaccines now in the public health arsenal – coupled with strong vaccination rates here in Australia – the hope is we’ve seen the worst of it and now can focus on economic repair and rebuild.

Our international borders are open, Federal and State Governments are embracing the idea of COVID normal planning, and restrictions are easing. There’s a sense that it’s time to get on with it – and for Australia to start building back, better and stronger.

In Australia, major public infrastructure activity is set to approximately double over the next three years, peaking at $52 billion in 2023. This is underpinned by the $110 billion investment in major public infrastructure by the Australian government over the next decade, bolstered by similar investments by the state and territory governments.

Fuelling this, at a time when global supply chains continue a protracted and drawn-out recovery, will be the strength of our domestic manufacturing capability and having a skilled workforce. That’s been a hard lesson learnt by governments the world over during the past two years and the challenges and opportunities here are captured succinctly in the?Infrastructure Market Capacity report?released towards the end of last year.

Put simply, we will always need the ability to make quality foundational materials onshore, none moreso than steel, the building block for modern life. Implicit also, is the need to ensure we have the necessary workforce skills to deliver a sustainable solution for future generations.

At InfraBuild, we’re positioned and ready to play our part. We’ve been making lower carbon embedded steel for some time through our scrap steel fed EAF steel mills. As Australia’s only vertically-integrated EAF steel manufacturer and recycler, we have a clear role and interest in a strong local steel industry. We work collaboratively with government and construction partners to improve supply chain capability, traceability and efficiency, and through ongoing research and development, continues to innovate in the area of high-strength, sustainable steel. We make products that comply with Australian standards and provide service offering advantages that cannot be matched by overseas suppliers. We’re working hard on developing further our decarbonisation roadmap, and I expect to be in a position in the near future to talk more about this.

We’re not just talking a good game, we’re delivering on the promise. We are committed to building futures through sustainable steel – it’s our mission, and it drives us each and every day.