How SKF’s rail bearing refurbishment services are driving down costs

As fleet operators face tighter budgets, tougher ESG targets and the constant pressure to keep services running on time, refurbishment is proving to be one of the rail industry’s most effective – and overlooked – tools.

SKF is helping operators across Australia realise those benefits, combining local workshop capabilities with global engineering standards to extend component life and cut waste without compromising performance.

“Refurbishment allows us to reuse up to 90 per cent of the original bearing material,” said Thanh Huynh, Business Development Manager at SKF Australia.

“That translates into a lower carbon footprint and roughly 40 per cent cost savings compared to buying new.”

SKF operates two Circular Solution Centres in Perth and Brisbane, where they refurbish customer bearings and products – supporting local rail operators with faster turnaround times and consistent service. These sites handle all aspects of the process including inspection, cleaning, polishing, and replacement of worn parts, with the goal of restoring bearings to meet required specifications.

And it’s not just bearings. SKF’s local workshop capabilities include refurbishment of axleboxes, bearing units, housings and related components – with more than a thousand axleboxes processed across Australia last year alone.

By inspecting and regreasing worn bearings that are still structurally sound – and meet specified tolerances – SKF enables customers to get a second or third life out of components that might otherwise be scrapped.

“SKF applies strict inspection and quality control criteria, ensuring refurbished items meet the performance and reliability standards,” said Huynh.

“It’s a more hands-on process – more labour-intensive, but with a very high level of attention to detail.”

“The only time we don’t see bearings for refurbishment is when an OEM specification mandates new parts,” added Patrick Hofstadler, Head of Operations at SKF Australia.

“Where operators have flexibility, refurbishment wins every business case.”

In addition to direct cost savings, refurbishment shortens lead times and reduces material consumption – both of which help rail operators manage operational and environmental risk.