Weld Australia is calling for urgent government intervention to prevent the collapse of Australia’s local welding and fabrication industry.
Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden, said that without immediate action on the rising use of non-compliant, imported fabricated steel, businesses will continue to shut down — leaving the nation without the capability to deliver critical infrastructure projects.
Crittenden said the issue highlights three pressing national priorities: enforcing compliance with international quality standards, implementing mandatory inspections of imported fabricated steel, and introducing enforceable local content requirements in government procurement.
“Right now, we have local manufacturers losing work to overseas fabricators simply because they can’t compete with low-cost imports that are not held to the same quality standards,” he said.
“This isn’t just a commercial issue—it’s a matter of national safety and sovereign capability.”
In the last 18 months alone, an estimated $282.9 million worth of fabricated steel, or 62,866 tonnes, has been imported into Sydney from overseas.
“That’s hundreds of millions of dollars flowing offshore—undermining Australia’s local manufacturing industry, costing valuable Australian jobs, and having a huge impact on our economy,” Crittenden said.
“In real terms, $282.9 million worth of fabricated steel equates to 12 months’ worth of work for 400 full-time welders, or approximately 16 mid-sized local Australian fabrication businesses.”
Weld Australia members based in New South Wales estimate they have seen a 40 per cent decrease in business over the last 18 months—citing imports as the key cause.
“Our members have been excluded from projects despite extensive experience, certifications, and capacity. Instead, the work was awarded to foreign contractors,” Crittenden said.
“When local manufacturers with a proven track record of excellence lose out to low-cost overseas suppliers, it erodes confidence, jobs and safety. Worse, there’s no requirement to inspect imported fabricated steel upon arrival.”
To remain competitive, Crittenden said local manufacturers are being forced to lower their prices to remain afloat, despite the fact they are supplying higher quality products that adhere to safety standards.
“This directly impacts their profit margins. The reduced pricing power limits their ability to invest in new technology, staff training, and other growth initiatives,” he said.
Weld Australia is calling on all levels of government to act immediately to protect Australia’s fabrication industry by implementing the following critical measures:
- Enforce mandatory local content requirements on all government-funded projects, with explicit reference to Australian-fabricated steel.
- Mandate that at least 50–60% of all steel used in government-funded projects is fabricated locally by qualified, certified Australian welders, unless a genuine, documented exception applies.
- Require compulsory inspection of all imported fabricated steel prior to erection, to verify full compliance with Australian Standards and protect public safety.
The federal government said it continues to support Australia’s metals industry allocating $750 million to boost the development of new technologies to ensure metals manufacturers remain globally competitive.
Australian metals exports are worth over $150 billion annually.
By 2030, demand for green metals is expected to account for a third of the global metals market.