By Sean Mannering, Executive General Manager, Distribution & Processing, InfraBuild

The construction industry talks a lot about collaboration.

Every conference, every industry report and every major project review seems to reach the same conclusion: we need better collaboration, better information sharing and stronger relationships across the supply chain.

The question I keep coming back to is whether we’re actually creating the conditions that allow that to happen.

In my experience, most people in construction want the same thing. They want quality projects delivered safely, efficiently, profitably, on time and on budget. They want fewer surprises and they want certainty.

Yet many projects are still structured in a way that separates decision-makers from the people who have practical insights that could improve project outcomes.

By the time specialist suppliers are engaged, major decisions have often already been made. Specifications are finalised, designs are largely fixed and procurement pathways are established.

At that point, we’re no longer discussing what’s possible. We’re discussing how to deliver what’s already been decided and that’s a missed opportunity.

Recently, InfraBuild has been involved in a number of major projects during the early contractor involvement phase. What stood out wasn’t the size of the projects. It was the willingness to bring the supply chain into the conversation earlier than normal which changed the nature of the discussion.

Instead of simply pricing reinforcing steel, we can help explore alternatives. Could prefabrication reduce labour requirements on site? Is there an opportunity to use higher-strength steel and reduce material volumes? Are there logistics or sequencing decisions that could make delivery more efficient? Could embodied carbon outcomes be improved through different specification choices?

None of those conversations are particularly useful once the design has been locked in. They’re most valuable when projects are still taking shape.

What strikes me is that construction often treats suppliers as vendors when, in reality, many have deep technical and operational knowledge that can contribute to better project outcomes.

A reinforcing steel supplier sees hundreds of projects across multiple sectors. We see what works. We see where problems emerge. We see recurring inefficiencies. That perspective can add value, but only if there’s a mechanism for it to be heard.

The same is true for many parts of the supply chain. For years we’ve focused heavily on transferring risk through contracts. That’s understandable. Large projects carry significant risk and everyone wants certainty. But too often the industry ends up spending its energy allocating risk rather than reducing it and they’re not the same thing.

Reducing risk usually starts with getting the right people around the table early enough to identify issues before they become expensive problems which requires a different mindset around procurement.

The projects that I’ve seen achieve the best outcomes aren’t necessarily the ones with the most complex contracting arrangements. They’re the ones where information moves freely, expertise is valued regardless of where it sits, and commercial structures encourage people to solve problems together rather than simply defend positions.

We’re starting to see encouraging signs across the industry. More contractors are inviting us into discussions earlier. More are taking the time to visit our operations, understand our capabilities and explore opportunities before tenders are submitted. We’re doing the same by investing more heavily in engineering support and early-stage advisory services.

That’s good for suppliers. And more importantly, it’s good for projects.

Australia has an enormous infrastructure and construction pipeline ahead of it. Delivering that work successfully won’t come from asking people to collaborate harder. It will come from creating project environments where collaboration is commercially worthwhile and practically possible.

It’s clear when expertise is brought in early, everyone makes better decisions. And better decisions made early are usually the cheapest productivity gains a project will ever find.

The post Why early contractor involvement is the key to better construction project outcomes appeared first on InfraBuild.

At InfraBuild, we recognise the important role workplaces can play in supporting mental health and wellbeing. That’s why we created We Care, our organisation-wide wellbeing program designed to support our people and their families while helping build a psychologically safe workplace.

“Every person deserves to feel safe at work, both physically and psychologically. We Care is about giving our people the confidence to speak up, seek support when they need it and look out for one another. That’s how we build a stronger, safer workplace together.”
Fran Nores, EGM HSE

We Care brings together education, leadership development, professional support services and preventative health initiatives to encourage early intervention, reduce stigma and create a culture where looking after yourself and others is part of everyday work.

Supporting our people

Over the past year, We Care has continued to expand across the business, increasing access to wellbeing resources and building the confidence of leaders and employees to have meaningful conversations about mental health.

The impact is already being seen across the organisation. Engagement with mental health support has increased from 3% to 15%, more than 180 mental health support cases have been activated, and more than 200 employees are now trained as accredited Mental Health First Aiders.

Leaders also continue to play an important role in creating psychologically safe workplaces, with more than 140 leaders completing the Leaders Care program and Active Bystander training now rolled out across the business.

Investing in prevention

Supporting wellbeing means more than responding when someone needs help. It means creating opportunities to build healthier, more resilient teams every day.

Through We Care, employees have access to more than 50 onsite physiotherapy sessions and 50 onsite counselling sessions every week, while more than 500 preventative health checks have been completed to help people better understand and manage their health and wellbeing.

Employees also have access to confidential 24/7 support through Sonder, alongside Mental Health First Aiders and a range of wellbeing resources designed to make support accessible whenever it’s needed.

Building a stronger workplace

Creating a psychologically safe workplace is something everyone contributes to. Whether it’s checking in on a colleague, having an open conversation or seeking support early, every action helps strengthen our culture.

Our commitment to employee wellbeing has also been recognised externally. In 2026, InfraBuild was recognised as one of only 51 Advanced Mental Health Workplaces by Mental Health First Aid Australia and named an AFR BOSS Best Places to Work Gold Winner.

We’re also seeing this reflected internally, with an 89% employee safety engagement score, demonstrating the positive impact of investing in both physical and psychological safety.

As We Care continues to evolve, we’ll continue investing in initiatives that support the health, safety and wellbeing of our people, because creating a stronger business starts with creating a workplace where everyone feels safe, supported and able to thrive.

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For InfraBuild, that story began in 1915, when our heritage brand opened Australia’s first large-scale steelworks in Newcastle. Over the following 110 years, the site has continually evolved alongside Australia’s manufacturing industry, adapting to evolving technologies, changing markets and growing customer needs.

Today, our Newcastle site is one of the largest steelmaking facilities in the country. It employs approximately 1,000 people, servicing customers in a range of industries across Australia through products including reinforcing bar, mesh, rod and wire including our iconic fencing brands.

The site continues to grow to service Australia’s infrastructure boom, including the rapid growth in Queensland, with $117 billion expected to be invested over the next five years.

“Manufacturing isn’t just part of our history in Newcastle. It’s part of our future,” said InfraBuild CEO Francisco Irazusta.

“For more than 110 years, this site has adapted and evolved to meet Australia’s changing needs, and today it continues to play an important role in supporting our customers with locally manufactured steel products.”

Steel manufactured in Newcastle is holding up some of Australia’s most iconic venues, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Suncorp Stadium as well as homes, schools and hospitals to transport infrastructure, renewable energy developments, commercial buildings and farms.

Building Australia’s industrial capability

When the Newcastle site opened in 1915, Australia was strengthening its industrial capability and investing in local manufacturing to support a growing nation.

Just four years later, in 1919, the first coil of wire was drawn in Newcastle, marking the beginning of a manufacturing capability that continues today through the Newcastle Wire Mill.

The original steelworks operated for 84 years, playing a significant role in Australia’s industrial development. As the needs of the nation changed, so too did the operation, continually adapting to meet the evolving requirements of Australian construction and manufacturing.

Generations of employees have built careers at the site, passing on skills, knowledge and pride in manufacturing from one generation to the next.

Continually evolving

Manufacturing today looks very different than it did more than a century ago.

Advances in technology, automation, quality systems and safety have transformed the way steel products are made. Throughout those changes, the Newcastle site has continued to invest, innovate and modernise, ensuring it remains an important part of Australia’s manufacturing capability.

The Newcastle Wire Mill manufactures wire coil used in reinforcing products supplied to construction projects across Australia. We also manufacture industry-leading Rural Wire solutions used across Australia and exported to global markets, supporting agricultural customers with trusted, locally manufactured products.

The site is also home to our new mesh manufacturing operations, including the production of SENSE TrenchMesh®, helping customers improve productivity through innovative reinforcing solutions.

It also includes a ContiStretch manufacturing facility, where advanced reinforcing technologies support more efficient construction methods and help customers meet the demands of modern projects.

Together, these operations reflect how the site has continually evolved, combining more than a century of manufacturing expertise with modern technology, innovative products and customer-focused solutions.

Manufacturing these products locally supports skilled jobs, strengthens Australian supply chains and provides customers with confidence in the quality, reliability and availability of Australian-made steel products.

“The Newcastle site has never stood still,” Francisco said.” From its beginnings as a steelworks to today’s wire mill and advanced manufacturing operations, we’ve continued to invest in the site’s future. Our recent investment in a new mesh manufacturing facility reflects our long-term commitment to Newcastle, strengthening local manufacturing capability and supporting Australian industry for years to come.”

Looking to the future

While our history stretches back more than 110 years, our focus remains firmly on the future.

InfraBuild continues to invest in modern manufacturing capability, innovative reinforcing solutions and the people who keep Australian manufacturing strong.

As construction continues to evolve, so too will our Newcastle operations, building on more than a century of manufacturing expertise while supporting Australia’s future infrastructure.

“Our history gives us perspective, but it’s our commitment to the future that drives us,” Francisco said.

“By continuing to invest in our people, our operations and our manufacturing capability, we’re helping ensure Newcastle remains an important part of Australia’s manufacturing story for generations to come.”

More than a century after the site first opened, manufacturing continues in Newcastle.

From Australia’s first large-scale steelworks to today’s advanced wire, mesh and reinforcing solutions, the site has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of our customers and our country.

It is a story of resilience, innovation and continuous improvement, and one that InfraBuild is proud to continue as we help build Australia’s future with locally manufactured steel.

Did you know?

• Australia’s first large-scale steelworks opened in Newcastle in 1915
• The first coil of wire was drawn in 1919
• Steel wire manufactured in Newcastle has been supplied to Sealy Australia since the 1970s
• Today, our Newcastle site manufactures innovative products including SENSE TrenchMesh® and operates the ContiStretch manufacturing facility
• In Newcastle, we also manufacture industry-leading Rural Wire solutions used across Australia and exported to global markets.

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Published by EPD Australasia, the updated EPDs reflect that around 50% of our Laverton Steel Mill’s electricity needs come from a Victorian wind farm, following the introduction of our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) in April 2026. The agreement has significantly reduced the Global Warming Potential (GWP), or embodied carbon, of many of our locally manufactured steel products.

The updated figures provide customers with transparent, independently verified data to support material selection, procurement and sustainability outcomes across infrastructure, commercial and construction projects.

Helping customers achieve more with less

Every project balances performance, cost and sustainability. Access to accurate environmental data helps customers make informed decisions earlier, selecting materials that support lower embodied carbon outcomes without compromising quality or performance.

EPDs provide independently verified information about the environmental impacts of products across their lifecycle. They are increasingly used by designers, engineers, contractors and project owners to compare materials, support sustainability rating schemes and meet evolving project requirements.

With lower embodied carbon values now reflected across eight updated EPDs, customers have access to the latest environmental data when specifying InfraBuild products.

Creating more value through transparency

InfraBuild Chief Executive Officer Francisco Irazusta said the updated EPDs demonstrate how investment in more sustainable steelmaking is delivering practical benefits for customers.

“Our customers are under increasing pressure to improve project outcomes while reducing embodied carbon.

“By investing in renewable electricity and providing independently verified environmental data, we’re making it easier for customers to make informed material choices with confidence.

“It’s another example of how we’re helping Australia’s construction industry achieve better sustainability outcomes while creating more value across the supply chain.”

The updated EPDs are now available, giving customers access to independently verified data that supports specification, procurement and sustainability reporting, while helping deliver lower embodied carbon outcomes across their projects.

As Australia’s only steelmaker operating electric arc furnaces, InfraBuild remains focused on creating more value for customers through practical innovation, greater transparency and continuous investment in more sustainable steelmaking.

The post Lower embodied carbon, independently verified appeared first on InfraBuild.

It’s appearing in policy discussions, industry forums and media reporting. It’s becoming part of the way people talk about the future of steel.

Yet for all its growing use, there is still no universally accepted definition of what green steel actually means. This is exactly where industries find themselves during periods of real transformation.

New technologies emerge. New ideas take hold. Language evolves. Eventually, however, the language needs to catch up with the ambition.

Because words don’t just describe markets. They shape them.

That’s the position InfraBuild is in. We’re Australia’s only circular steelmaker, running the country’s only two electric arc furnaces. We don’t just want to keep pace with where the language is heading, we want to bring an evidence-based approach to the table.

Why this matters

At InfraBuild, our Sustainable Future Strategy is built on a simple idea: creating more value for our customers. That starts with helping them make better decisions.

We do that by combining smarter steel solutions, engineering expertise and trusted, verified information that gives customers confidence to make informed decisions.

Better decisions lead to better project outcomes through greater productivity, lower embodied carbon and lower cost. That’s what creating value looks like.

Customers are asking different questions today than they were five years ago.

They still expect quality, performance and reliability. Increasingly, they’re also asking about embodied carbon. More importantly, they’re asking a question that sits behind it.

How do I know I can trust the information? That’s a fair question.

And I think it’s one of the most important questions facing our industry.

Confidence doesn’t come from bigger sustainability claims. It comes from clear language, transparent data and evidence that can be independently verified. That’s why Environmental Product Declarations have become so important. They allow customers to compare products on a like-for-like basis, giving them confidence that they’re comparing apples with apples.

Our Environmental Product Declarations are known across the industry for their transparent and comprehensive environmental performance reporting. They also meet the requirements of key ratings tools, including GBCA’s Green Star and ISC’s ISv2.1.

That’s good for customers. It’s good for industry. And ultimately, it’s good for progress.

Words matter when it comes to the term green steel

The way InfraBuild thinks about green steel isn’t about the technology. It’s about measurable, verifiable outcomes.

We measure the carbon impact of our steel using a metric called Global Warming Potential (GWP). GWP is a way of putting a value on the embodied carbon of a particular product. Embodied carbon is the greenhouse gas emissions created by the total manufacture and transportation of our products from the earliest stage (e.g. collecting and preparing scrap steel) throughout its life cycle up until we sell it to our customers. This is sometimes known as cradle-to-gate.

Our SENSE 600® reinforcing steel currently has a verified Global Warming Potential of approximately 0.790 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent per tonne of steel.  When the full 16.7% mass savings that SENSE 600® offers in certain structural applications is realised, the comparative GWP to our 500N reinforcing bar is 0.658.  This is 81% less emissions-intensive than the NABERS Default benchmark, and 59% below the NABERS Average for reinforcing steel (2026.v2). We’re proud of the progress we’ve made. We’re even more focused on the progress still to come.

We have an ambition to reduce these numbers even further, supported by recognised lifecycle assessments and independently verified Environmental Product Declarations.

So, the question becomes, what defines green steel? That’s what government, policy and industry are yet to determine. Without a clear globally accepted definition of what “green steel” actually means, or how to measure it, it presents both challenges and opportunities for steelmakers with climate ambitions.

We’re committed to engaging in these discussions with industry and government and evolving our approach as global standards are set.

Today, InfraBuild makes the lowest embodied carbon steel of any domestic manufacturer in Australia.

Our ambition is to reduce embodied carbon even lower, through continued investment in renewable energy, manufacturing innovation and process improvements.

Progress should never be judged by ambition alone. It should be judged by what can be measured. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.

Looking ahead

I don’t expect the industry to settle on one definition overnight. Nor do I think it should.

Good ideas become stronger through discussion. But I do think we owe customers something. Clarity.

If we’re going to ask them to make decisions that influence the future of construction, they should have confidence in the language we use and the data that sits behind it.

That’s why, at InfraBuild, we’ll continue talking about lower embodied carbon steel today.

Helping customers make better decisions has always been part of our strategy.

Providing trusted information is becoming an increasingly important part of how we do it.

Stay safe,

Francisco Irazusta
CEO and Executive Director, InfraBuild

The post Building confidence in the future of steel appeared first on InfraBuild.

Last month I joined leaders from around the world at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or “Summer Davos”, in Dalian. While the conversations spanned industries, technologies and economies, one challenge emerged again and again: how do we move innovation beyond isolated breakthroughs and deliver it at the scale needed to improve productivity? For Australia’s construction industry, that question has never been more relevant.

The productivity problem is not abstract

The numbers are stark. IMF estimates that more than half of the deceleration in worldwide growth over the first decades of this century resulted from lacklustre productivity. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of large companies have recorded a productivity decline in recent years, not an improvement.

As a partner to Australia’s construction industry, we don’t need a report to tell us this – we see it on the ground every day. Demand remains strong, yet margins are compressing, and construction companies disappearing. Growth and productivity have drifted apart from one another, and the gap between them is where risk and also opportunity lies.

Dalian reinforced something I already believed and heard articulated more sharply than usual: closing that gap won’t come from working harder within the current model. It requires questioning the model itself, including how we specify, how we procure, how we build and how we measure success.

What “innovating at scale” looks like in steel

This is exactly the territory InfraBuild has been working in with our SENSE Solutions capability.

The premise is simple: when SENSE 600^® reinforcing steel is specified early, it delivers two returns from a single decision – a substantiated embodied carbon saving, and a genuine productivity and cost saving on site, through less steel, optimised logistics and handling activities and faster fixing times. Two outcomes the industry has often treated as competing objectives, delivered by the same choice.

The productivity side of the equation is where the “scale” potential gets real. The carbon benefit of specifying SENSE 600^® steel holds steady no matter when in a project it’s specified. The productivity benefit doesn’t – it’s largest when the decision is made early, at design, and diminishes the later it’s left. That’s not a marketing message; it’s an engineering reality, and it’s exactly the kind of insight the industry needs more of: specific, timing-sensitive, and actionable by the people who actually make specification decisions.

Closing the gap, one project at a time

If there was a single thread running through Dalian, it was this: the world has no shortage of technology or innovation. What it lacks is the infrastructure, including the institutional, commercial and cultural support, to get that innovation into broad use quickly enough to matter.

Construction is a strong case study in exactly that gap. The tools to lift productivity meaningfully already exist. The constraint isn’t invention; it’s adoption, sequencing and trust between the people who specify, build and finance a project.

That’s the space InfraBuild wants to occupy. Not as a bystander watching the industry wait for someone else to move first, but as the partner that makes the economics of a better decision obvious and easy to act on. SENSE 600 isn’t a moonshot. It’s a proof point that the productivity gap can be reduced at the level of a single specification decision, on a single project, today!

That’s the future of construction we’re building towards.

The post What innovating at scale means for Australian construction appeared first on InfraBuild.

By the time a project reaches procurement, many of the major material choices have already been locked in. This can limit opportunities to optimise material use, which could help reduce embodied carbon, improve productivity and potentially lower project costs.

For project owners, engineers and contractors looking to reduce embodied carbon, improve material efficiency and optimise project value, the greatest opportunity often lies in the design phase.

Why early decisions matter

Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the materials used to construct a project.

While attention is often focused on operational emissions, the materials selected during design can have a significant impact on a project’s overall carbon footprint.

Decisions around concrete, reinforcing steel, structural steel and other key materials influence the quantity of material required, the emissions associated with producing them, and ultimately the cost of delivering the project.

Making these decisions early allows project teams to assess alternatives, optimise designs and integrate lower embodied carbon solutions without disrupting project timelines.

InfraBuild Engineering Solutions Manager, Anthony Ng, said early engagement gives project teams more flexibility to optimise engineering, sustainability and productivity outcomes.

“Some of the most effective opportunities to reduce embodied carbon and improve productivity happen during the design phase, when engineers have the greatest ability to influence material selection and optimise structural performance and constructability,” he said.

“Once projects move into procurement, there is often less flexibility to make meaningful changes.”

The role of reinforcing steel

Reinforcing steel is a critical component in most infrastructure, commercial and residential construction projects.

Traditionally, many projects have specified 500 MPa reinforcing steel. However, advances in material technology have created opportunities to achieve the same structural performance using 600 MPa, higher-strength alternatives.

SENSE 600® reinforcing steel is manufactured in Australia from 100% scrap and offers engineers the ability to reduce the amount of reinforcing steel required in many applications compared with conventional 500 MPa steel.

This can help reduce material consumption, lower embodied carbon and, where appropriate, reduce project costs while maintaining structural performance.

Why timing is important

The earlier a project team evaluates reinforcing options, the easier it becomes to incorporate potential material efficiencies into the design.

During concept and detailed design phases, engineers can assess the benefits of using SENSE 600® and incorporate those material, carbon and potential cost benefits into calculations, schedules and specifications.

Once procurement documents have been finalised, making changes can require additional reviews, approvals and redesign work.

Anthony said engaging early allows project teams to unlock the full benefits available through modern reinforcing solutions.

“When reinforcing steel is considered during design, engineers can evaluate where SENSE 600® may be appropriate and identify opportunities to reduce material volumes while meeting project requirements,” he said.

“That creates a much smoother process than trying to introduce changes once design, specification and procurement activities are already underway.”

Supporting project sustainability goals

Across Australia, sustainability requirements are becoming increasingly important for both public and private sector projects.

Project teams are being asked to demonstrate how they are reducing embodied carbon, improving material efficiency and supporting broader environmental objectives, all without compromising project timelines.

Material selection is one of the most practical ways to improve environmental outcomes while also identifying opportunities to reduce project costs.

By considering lower embodied carbon solutions during design, projects can build sustainability into the project from the beginning rather than trying to address it later.

Starting the conversation earlier

Reducing embodied carbon does not need to mean redesigning a project or introducing complexity.

In many cases, the biggest opportunity is simply starting the conversation earlier.

By engaging with suppliers, engineers and technical specialists during concept and detailed design, project teams can better understand the options available and identify opportunities before procurement begins.

As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, early collaboration will play an increasingly important role in helping projects achieve both performance and environmental objectives.

Planning a project?

InfraBuild’s technical team works with engineers, consultants and project teams during the design phase to explore opportunities to improve material efficiency, reduce embodied carbon, improve productivity and identify potential project cost savings through reinforcing steel selection.

Talk to our team early to understand what may be possible for your next project.

The post Reduce embodied carbon and project costs before construction starts appeared first on InfraBuild.

The visit began with an introduction to InfraBuild, highlighting our integrated steelmaking, recycling and manufacturing operations, and the role we play in supporting Australia’s construction industry. Guests also learned about our innovative SENSE 600® reinforcing steel and how it is helping deliver lower embodied carbon outcomes and improved material efficiency across major infrastructure and building projects.

The group then toured our Rooty Hill operations, seeing firsthand how locally manufactured reinforcing steel is produced from scrap metal and supplied to projects across Australia.

Connecting the next generation

A networking lunch brought together graduates from both organisations, creating an opportunity to share experiences, discuss career pathways and learn about each other’s graduate programs.

Brendon Vo, Early Careers Advisor, said bringing graduates together from across the industry helps build valuable connections early in their careers.

“Our graduate program is about giving people meaningful experiences that help shape their careers. Bringing our graduates together with ACCIONA’s graduates gave them the opportunity to learn from one another, build professional networks and gain a broader understanding of the industries we work across. It’s these connections that help develop the next generation of talent.”

The conversations highlighted the value of collaboration between industry partners and the importance of investing in future engineers and construction professionals.

Building stronger partnerships

The visit reinforced the strong relationship between InfraBuild and ACCIONA, while providing valuable insight into the manufacturing processes that support many of Australia’s major infrastructure projects.

As Brendon said:

“Partnerships like this are incredibly valuable. They allow us to showcase Australian manufacturing, strengthen relationships with our customers and help graduates see the important role steel plays in delivering the infrastructure our communities rely on.”

By opening our doors to customers, partners and future industry leaders, we continue to strengthen collaboration, share knowledge and showcase the innovation taking place across Australian steel manufacturing.

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In April, InfraBuild’s Executive General Manager Recycling, Grant Schmidt and Asset Strategy and Improvement Manager, Emanuele Deana, attended the ReMA Convention & Exposition in Las Vegas, the largest recycling industry event in North America. More recently, members of our recycling team travelled through key manufacturing regions in Asia to meet with foundries and engineering workshops, exploring future opportunities for collaboration and capability development. 

Together, the visits provided a firsthand view of how leading organisations are responding to changing market demands, emerging technologies and evolving customer expectations.

Recovering more value from existing materials

A key theme emerging from ReMA 2026 was the industry’s shift from simply processing more material to extracting greater value from every tonne received.

Across the exhibition and conference sessions, there was strong focus on improving metal recovery, enhancing product quality and increasing operational efficiency through smarter processes and technology.

For InfraBuild, this aligns closely with our focus on maximising the value of Australia’s scrap metal resources while supporting a more circular economy.

Technology driving safer, smarter operations

One of the strongest messages from the conference was the growing move towards “boots off the ground” operations.

Recyclers around the world are increasingly adopting automation, robotics, sensor-based technologies, artificial intelligence and remote monitoring systems to improve safety, reduce manual intervention and support better operational decision-making.

The conference highlighted how technology is becoming a key enabler of both safety and productivity, helping operators improve performance while reducing risk for frontline teams.

“The conversations at ReMA confirmed that the industry’s focus is shifting towards recovering more value from existing materials while using technology to improve safety, product quality and operational performance,” said InfraBuild’s Executive General Manager Recycling, Grant Schmidt.

“Many of the themes discussed, including automation, advanced recovery technologies and operational efficiency, align closely with the work already underway across our recycling network. It’s encouraging to see that our priorities are consistent with the direction of leading recyclers globally.”

Other major areas of focus included:

• Asset reliability and operational efficiency
• Advanced sorting and non-ferrous metal recovery technologies
• Aluminium alloy sorting and upgrading
• End-of-life electric vehicle processing and battery management
• Data-driven operational decision making

These themes closely align with InfraBuild’s ongoing focus on innovation, operational excellence and safer workplaces.

Building global relationships

Following ReMA, Emanuele Deana and Jimmy Conlon from InfraBuild’s recycling team travelled through several manufacturing regions in Asia, covering more than 1,400 kilometres by road and rail.

The visit focused on validating the capability and capacity of selected foundries and engineering workshops while building relationships that may support future collaboration opportunities.

The trip provided valuable insight into Asia’s manufacturing supply base and helped validate the engineering capabilities and production practices of potential suppliers for recycling plant equipment and components.

Looking ahead

While separated by geography, both visits delivered a consistent message: the future of recycling will be shaped by technology, operational efficiency, product quality and the ability to recover more value from existing resources.

Importantly, the discussions and site visits confirmed that many of the initiatives already underway across InfraBuild are aligned with where the global industry is heading.

By continuing to invest in innovation, safety and resource recovery, we’re strengthening our ability to deliver better outcomes for customers, improve productivity and support a more sustainable future for Australian manufacturing.

The post Global insights reinforce InfraBuild’s recycling strategy appeared first on InfraBuild.

The award recognises organisations that are helping deliver more sustainable infrastructure through innovation, responsible supply chains and measurable environmental and social outcomes.

The recognition highlights the growing role SENSE 600® is playing in helping Australia’s construction industry reduce material use and lower embodied carbon without compromising performance, safety or compliance.

Manufactured here in Australia using 100% scrap metal in InfraBuild’s electric arc furnaces, SENSE 600® enables engineers and contractors to use less steel while maintaining structural performance. By increasing reinforcing steel strength from 500MPa to 600MPa with the new bar design, projects can reduce reinforcement quantities by up to 16.7%, delivering significant material and embodied carbon savings at scale.

The award acknowledges not only the product itself, but the industry’s willingness to embrace innovation and rethink traditional approaches to design and construction.

“Our vision was simple: how do we help Australia build the infrastructure it needs while using fewer resources,” said InfraBuild Chief Executive Officer Francisco Irazusta.

“SENSE 600® demonstrates that sustainability and productivity can go hand in hand. By enabling projects to achieve the same structural outcomes with less steel, we’re helping customers reduce embodied carbon today, not at some point in the future.”

The award comes as demand for lower embodied carbon infrastructure continues to grow across government and private sector projects.

SENSE 600® has already been adopted across a range of major infrastructure, commercial and residential developments, helping project teams reduce material consumption while maintaining compliance with Australian Standards.

Francisco said the recognition reflected years of investment in manufacturing innovation, product development and customer collaboration.

“This award recognises the work of our people across manufacturing, engineering, technical services, sales and innovation who have helped bring SENSE 600® to market and support its adoption across the industry,” he said.

“It also recognises the engineers, designers, contractors and customers who have challenged traditional thinking and embraced a different way of building. Real industry change only happens when the entire supply chain works together.”

The ISC Awards entry focused on delivering sustainability at scale through solutions that are available today and already making a measurable impact across Australian infrastructure.

By combining higher-strength reinforcement with local manufacturing, recycled steel production and increasing renewable electricity use across its operations, InfraBuild continues to support customers seeking practical pathways to lower embodied carbon outcomes.

“This recognition reinforces an important point,” Francisco said.

“The technologies and solutions needed to reduce embodied carbon in construction already exist. The opportunity now is to accelerate adoption and maximise the impact they can have across Australia’s infrastructure pipeline.”

The post SENSE 600® recognised for industry impact at ISC Awards 2026 appeared first on InfraBuild.

Australia stands at a rare inflection point. With a $242 billion public infrastructure pipeline through to 2029, the construction sector has an extraordinary mandate, and a stubborn problem in the way of delivering it.

Productivity in Australia’s construction sector has barely moved since the 1990s, rising just 2.0% in 2023-2024[1]. Against a backdrop of tight labour markets, supply chain constraints and rising input costs, the stagnation is not just a frustration, it’s an existential threat. Companies that don’t change will find that the demand boom becomes a margin crisis, not a growth story.

The good news: the path forward exists. The harder truth: it requires the industry to fundamentally rethink how it procures, specifies and collaborates.

If we don’t act now, the demand boom will turn into a lost opportunity, and Australian homes, schools and hospitals will pay the price.

Why procurement models are the real innovation killer

The structural barries to innovation in construction are complicated and well documented, such as heavy reliance on subcontracting, lower workforce diversity, entrenched delivery models, low appetite for risk-sharing and fragmented procurement practices. But the root cause is simpler: when procurement is optimised for lowest cost and lowest risk, it leaves no room for smarter thinking.

Engineers are under time pressure and incentivised to stick with proven specifications, because the system places the full burden of innovation risk on the person holding the pen. The result is that genuinely better solutions, such as lighter materials, digitally integrated systems and more efficient site delivery, never make it to specification. The innovation gap isn’t a technology problem. It’s a structural risk and procurement problem.

One way of changing this is allowing suppliers to come to the table earlier. That means moving beyond transactional relationships towards genuine commercial partnerships, where ideas can be stress-tested, specification designed collaboratively and value unlocked before a single shovel hits the ground.

Where construction is missing the opportunity in steel

The steel industry has a long record of advancing materials science in service of construction. From 415 MPa rebar in the 1960s to 500 MPa in the 1990s, each transition delivered meaningful gains in structural efficiency. Each took longer than it should have. The shift to 600 MPa is no different: the capability exists, the performance data is there, and the industry is slow to move.

The missed opportunity is real. Higher strength reinforcing steel delivers the same structural performance with less material, meaning less volume, less weight, lower transport costs and 49% lower embodied carbon than the industry average. Digital traceability turns a reactive supply chain into a proactive one, where mill certificates, delivery sequencing and carbon reporting are managed in real time rather than chased manually across the project. That’s not a marginal improvement. It’s the difference between a specification that creates value and one that quietly destroys it.

The material is ready and the evidence is there. What’s missing isn’t technology or capability, it’s a procurement system willing to reward the better decision. Until that changes, the missed opportunity compounds with every project that defaults to the familiar spec and every dollar of value that gets left on the table.

What genuine innovation in steel actually looks like

Australia’s most significant reinforcing steel innovation in decades is now commercially available and it’s already challenging assumptions about what’s possible in construction.

SENSE Solutions® starts with SENSE 600®, a 600 MPa reinforcing steel that delivers the same structural performance as conventional 500 MPa rebar with less material. Less material means less weight on site, lower transport costs, reduced placement labour and 49% lower embodied carbon than the industry average.

But the steel is only part of it. SENSE Solutions® brings engineering advisory capability to the design phase, which is where the real value is unlocked. Our engineers work alongside project teams before specifications are locked in, identifying opportunities to optimise reinforcement design, reduce material volume and resolve constructability issues before they become site problems. This is the engagement the industry rarely allows for and the conversation that currently happens too late, if at all.

The digital capability being developed alongside SENSE 600® takes that even further. Full traceability from mill certificate through to site delivery means rebar schedules managed proactively rather than reactively, with real time visibility over sequencing, delivery verification and carbon reporting that currently gets chased manually across the supply chain.

SENSE Solutions® can only deliver these outcomes when it’s specified early enough to be engineered in, not bolted on as an afterthought. This is where the industry’s risk aversion becomes self-defeating. Conservative procurement defaults to familiar specifications. Familiar specifications lock in familiar outcomes, including cost overruns, carbon penalties and productivity losses the industry has been absorbing for decades and calling normal.

What a whole-of-industry change actually requires

Talking about change is easy. Doing it requires structural change on both sides of the supply chain. For asset owners and contractors, it means implementing procurement processes that reward value, not just price. It means allowing suppliers to contribute technical knowledge at the design stage, and asking not “who is the cheapest?” but “who can help us build smarter?”.

For suppliers like InfraBuild, it means showing up with more than a product catalogue. It means bringing engineering capability, digital intelligence and commercial creativity to the conversation, and being genuinely accountable for project outcomes. We are ready for this change today.

The opportunity is now

InfraBuild is uniquely positioned to drive this change. Our Sustainable Futures Strategy is built on the premise that innovation in steel is inseparable from innovation in how we work with our customers.

The question for the industry is whether you’re willing to seize the boom opportunity to build something more durable than the projects themselves: a smarter, more productive, more collaborative and ultimately more profitable construction sector.

Australia is about to spend $242 billion building its future. The only question is whether the construction industry will still be standing when it’s done.

[1] IA25_Market Capacity Report_1.pdf

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Incremental innovation dominates the construction industry in 2026. The lowest risk pathway is chosen because of conservatism and an industry-wide default to familiar specs, materials and processes.

This isn’t simply an engineering problem; it’s a structural one. Even when a new material demonstrably delivers on cost, time and quality, the engineer who specifies it carries the burden of proof, the documentation risk, the liability exposure, and the reputational damage if anything goes wrong downstream. The engineer who copies the previous spec carries none of that. The incentive to be conservative isn’t irrational. It’s the only rational response to a system that has quietly institutionalised risk concentration at the point of specification.

Until the industry is honest about that, and until risk is genuinely shared across the supply chain rather than silently offloaded onto the person holding the pen, conversations about collaboration and innovation will stagnate.

Without change, margins will keep tightening, companies will keep failing, and the productivity gap will remain exactly where it has been for the past two decades.

Why we created SENSE Solutions®

Innovation needs to tick multiple boxes simultaneously, including cost, constructability, safety and carbon. That’s why we developed SENSE Solutions®: not as a product looking for a problem, but as a response to the specific productivity, efficiency and carbon challenges the industry is facing.

But a better product isn’t enough if it’s still hard to specify, difficult to price accurately and time-consuming to report on. SENSE Solutions® is designed to remove those barriers too, giving engineers the evidence base to defend the decision, giving commercial teams visibility over costs that traditionally don’t appear until it’s too late, and giving project teams carbon data in a form they can actually use.

On specification confidence. The liability question doesn’t disappear because a product is better. It disappears when the evidence base is strong enough to make the decision defensible. SENSE Solutions® provides the accredited testing, performance data and documented engineering rationale that sign-off requires. This gives engineers actual cover, not just a compelling pitch.

On commercial visibility. Hidden costs in steel supply don’t appear on the line item where the specification was made. They appear later, such as wrong grades on site, non-conforming material, sequencing failures leaving crews idle, and are absorbed as variations and written off as the normal cost of doing business. SENSE Solutions’ digital traceability and AI-assisted tracking makes that chain of accountability visible before it becomes a cost, not after.

On decarbonisation reporting. Carbon data is only useful if project teams can actually use it. Our EPDs are aggregated by material quantity to produce a GWP figure that feeds directly into project-level carbon reporting frameworks, and can be pulled straight into existing dashboards, eliminating the manual collection burden that currently falls on subcontractors and suppliers across the supply chain.

What the industry needs to change

SENSE Solutions® addresses what we can control as a supplier. But the accountability structure that suppresses innovation is broader and more deeply entrenched that any product can fix.

Engagement needs to occur from the start: We need to allow the space for engineers to explore alternatives, rather than being locked into pre-determined specifications. Alliance and target cost contracting models offer a more promising structural environment, and can allow us to reframe the question from “who bears the risk?” to “how do we reduce risk across the project as a whole?”.

Professional indemnity needs to be part of the conversation: PI insurance is the silent co-author of every specification decision. Engineers aren’t just weighing technical merit, they’re weighing personal liability exposure against a system that prices coverage on conformance to established practice. Until standards, bodies, clients and insurers develop frameworks that give engineers defensible cover for evidence-based innovation, the incentive to be conservative will remain stronger than any innovation ambition stated in a project brief.

Supplier expertise needs to be embedded earlier and at a portfolio level: Project-level engagement, late in design, is too little too late. The structural change that would make the biggest difference to specification outcomes is supplier engagement at a business and program level at the beginning of the lifecycle, where it can shape the brief rather than respond to it.

It’s time for different conversations

Innovation won’t embed itself into construction through goodwill alone. Research consistently shows that by the time detailed design is underway, the majority of project cost is already committed, meaning specification decisions made early, often conservatively, determine project outcomes more than any innovation conversation that follows. The problem isn’t who is making those decisions. It’s the system they’re made within.

The frameworks for change already exist. Alliance and target cost contracting models redistribute risk across the supply chain, removing the incentive to default to the conservative option. Early contractor involvement (ECI) models create the space for better specification decisions before structural assumptions are locked in, something traditional design and construct (D&C) contracts rarely allow. Performance-based specifications shift the question from “does this conform to the standard?” to “does this perform to the requirement?”. All are proven in this industry and others. What’s missing is the willingness to make them the norm rather than the exception.

I joined the InfraBuild executive team because I believe the steel industry can deliver differently, and because Australia’s $242 billion infrastructure pipeline deserves better than the productivity trajectory we’re currently on.

SENSE Solutions® is our contribution to shifting the dial on productivity in construction. The harder work however is the conversation the industry needs to have about the system that makes it difficult in the first place. At InfraBuild, we’re ready to have it!

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