Bearings with Benefits

04/08/2025

Downer’s Cardiff Team Turns Rail Waste into Environmental and Community Wins

At Downer’s Cardiff Rail Service Delivery Centre, sustainability is more than a goal—it’s built into everyday operations. As a leading provider of rail and transit systems, Downer is once again setting the standard by turning waste into impact through a bold recycling initiative that delivers environmental benefits and supports local communities.

As part of the bogie overhaul program, the Cardiff team is overhauling 154 trains from the Waratah and Millennium fleets—two critical passenger fleets serving Sydney commuters. 

Originally designed and built by Downer, these fleets are also maintained by the company under long-term contracts, ensuring their reliability and performance for millions of journeys each year.

Across the life of the program, 2,184 bogies and 8,736 bearings will be removed from the fleets. Initially destined for landfill, these used bearings sparked a rethink.

“We knew there had to be a better way,” said Mat Dempsey, General Manager at Cardiff. “Sending that volume of waste to landfill just didn’t sit right with our values or our commitment to sustainability.”

Leveraging an existing in-house bearing overhaul facility, traditionally used for freight, the Cardiff team saw an opportunity to extend its capabilities to the passenger fleet. Partnering with Sims Metal Australia, they developed a process to strip residual grease from the bearings—making the metal suitable for full recycling.

The results are already impressive: more than 200 tonnes of metal and two tonnes of grease have been diverted from contaminated waste streams. 

Even better, the $15,000 raised from recycling proceeds is being donated to local charities in the Hunter region.

“It’s a win-win,” Mat said. “We’re reducing environmental impact and giving back to the community at the same time.”

And the team hasn’t stopped at bearings. This approach is now being applied to other components:

• Dampers: A new oil-draining process has enabled 124 tonnes of lateral and vertical dampers to be recycled instead of being treated as hazardous waste.
• Bogie suspension parts: By introducing segregated bins, 1,160 tonnes of metal components can now be responsibly recycled after rubber is removed.

But the team is thinking even bigger.

“Our ultimate goal is to find an operator who can repurpose and reuse these bearings,” Mat said. “It’s about extending the lifecycle of critical components wherever possible.”

This initiative reflects Downer’s commitment to a circular economy—and to its broader purpose of Enabling Communities to Thrive. With smart thinking, strong partnerships, and a clear sustainability vision, the Cardiff team is showing that operational excellence and environmental leadership can go hand in hand.

“This isn’t just about recycling,” Mat said. “It’s about leading by example and making a real difference.”

^{Bearings as they enter the washing facility} 

_{Clean bearings ready to re-use}

_{Our bearing overhaul facility at Cardiff Service Delivery Centre}