Inmates on track to refurbish Sydney Trains seats

Hunter Correctional Centre is all aboard to refurbish Sydney Trains seats at its Corrective Services Industries (CSI) Upholstery Unit, enabling offenders to gain valuable skills to reduce reoffending.

Manager of Industries at Hunter Correctional Centre, Seamus Mullan, said the successful tender with EDI Rail supports Corrective Services NSW’s commitment to rehabilitation.

“Through this project, inmates gain workplace skills to support their reintegration into communities and the industry receives high quality, Australian manufacturing,” Mr Mullan said.

“The work includes removing and replacing fabric and foam from old seats, while adhering to strict quality control requirements.

“Once a set of train seats are refurbished, they’re sent back to Downer’s Cardiff Service Delivery Centre in Newcastle and fitted back onto Waratah trains.”

The project will run over four years, refurbing more than 190,000 train seats and back rests.

CSI also put wheels in motion to reduce landfill by working with Dunlop Foam to save 132 tonnes of foam in the old seats from landfill.

“We worked to find a supplier and are thrilled to partner with Dunlop Foam, who can recycle old seats into carpet underlay as a new, useful product,” Mr Hartley said.

CSNSW Commissioner Kevin Corcoran PSM says prison industries play an important role for the sector.

“Our staff help inmates gain key skills and qualifications through CSI, which we know greatly increases their chances of becoming law abiding members of their community on release,” Mr Corcoran said.

“The self-sustainability of NSW Corrections is also underpinned by the products and services provided through CSI.”

CSI is the commercial arm of CSNSW and operates more than 100 business units and service industries teams strategically based across metro and regional centres.

Learn more about CSI here.