Matrak enhances sustainability with CBME partnership

Matrak has announced a collaboration with the China Building Material Exhibition/Trade Centre (CBME) to enhance supply chain transparency and sustainability for Australian builders.

Supported by Austrade, this partnership will enable Australian construction companies to access real-time data from Chinese manufacturers, focusing on production accuracy, quality control, and carbon emissions.

This development is aimed at securing supply chains and promoting sustainable practices.

As of this week, the Australian construction sector has live access to essential insights into quality assurance, production timelines, and carbon impact from Chinese suppliers. The availability of such data is expected to mitigate traditional risks and inflated costs associated with international manufacturing, facilitating more informed decision-making, reducing project delays, and assisting companies in meeting sustainability targets.

This partnership comes ahead of the implementation of new regulatory requirements in Australia. Beginning 1 January 2025, large businesses and financial institutions will need to submit annual sustainability reports with mandatory climate-related financial disclosures. Matrak's system provides a platform for builders to generate these reports and proactively meet the upcoming reporting requirements, particularly concerning Scope 3 Emissions.

Shane Hodgkins, CEO of Matrak, commented, "Matrak's partnership with CBME is a turning point for Australia's construction sector. For the first time, builders will have full visibility into the production processes of Chinese manufacturers, giving them the power to track materials, ensure quality, and reduce carbon emissions. Rather than needing to choose between affordability and transparency, which are both vital."

"This is even more important - with ASIC's mandatory Scope 3 Emissions Reporting from 1st January, the industry faces one of its biggest financial policy changes since the introduction of GST. Matrak's partnership w/ CBME ensures this critical data is available to the construction industry. Now is the time to ensure you're compliant."

To facilitate industry adaptation, Matrak has launched a "5 minute challenge" that assists companies in preparing their business and supply chains for Scope 3 readiness. This initiative employs artificial intelligence to minimise operational burdens on builders, suppliers, and manufacturers.

Steve Stavrou, Commercial Director and Head of Global Procurement at Hickory, praised the partnership, stating, "Immediate access to real-time data from Chinese manufacturers is a game-changer. It not only reduces risks but helps us hit sustainability targets and deliver projects on time and on budget."

The construction industry is accountable for 40% of global carbon emissions; therefore, this initiative is set to provide Australian firms with necessary tools to monitor and mitigate the environmental impact of imported materials, thus supporting the nation's carbon reduction objectives.

Daniela Assis, Trade and Investment Commissioner at Austrade Beijing, remarked, "This collaboration embodies the innovative spirit of Australian businesses and our dedication to sustainable practices."

This cooperative effort creates a precedent for international partnerships in the construction field, illustrating how technological advancements and collaboration can address persistent industry challenges.

Hudson Worsley, Chair of the Materials and Embodied Carbon Leadership Alliance (MECLA), expressed his views on the significance of this partnership: "As Australia sees more building materials coming in from overseas to meet our increasing demand, this collaboration between Matrak and CBME is important to provide confidence to the building sector that the products coming in have transparent data to improve material selection and efficiency, and details around low carbon materials and technologies."

"Achieving a Paris Aligned and climate safe future is a team sport and this kind of partnership will help to set the industry up for better long-term outcomes."