During his presentation titled ‘The Future of Manufacturing’ at the recent Global Truck & Trailer Leaders Summit (GTTLS) in Melbourne, Arun Syam, National Product Development Manager for Austube Mills, said using quality Australian steel shouldn't be overlooked and can still provide trailer builders with a competitive advantage.
“An important facet to our customer offering is that Austube Mills can provide third party certification on all our steel products,” he said. “The quality and conformance of the steel can make all the difference, in any industry, not just transport. Purchasing steel can ultimately affect the safety and longevity of the unit that it’s used for.”
According to Syam, research has shown that the Australian manufacturing sector is undergoing unprecedented change and has been significantly contracting for many years due to the Global Financial Crisis.
“The common factors affecting the industry include a very high Australian dollar, an increase in dumped finished materials, Asian over-supply due to excess capacity, weak demand in international markets and international prices being held low. This has been the case for several years now, but we are recently seeing some correction in a number of areas,” he said.
“Under pressure from these effects, it is quite tempting for truck and trailer builders and fleet operators to resort to acquiring cheaper, lower grade steel from overseas – some of it not produced in accordance with Australian Standards.
“Austube Mills, meanwhile, won't compromise on quality. We aim to provide the highest grade of steel, such as our C450PLUS range, which is more cost-effective for the end-user. Given today’s global supply chains for sourcing steel, which are sometimes vast and complex, the bottom line is to obtain quality, fit-for-purpose, conforming steel. That is one of the most important aspects to ensure the trailers in this country are safe and ADR conform.”
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