Recycling Design & Technologies Engineering

What Recycling Design & Technologies Engineering does

Recycling Design & Technologies (RDT) Engineering is a Brisbane-based engineering firm founded in 2004 by Stuart Garbutt that designs and constructs Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and other recycling infrastructure for local and regional councils, national waste companies, and private operators across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. The company's core offering is end-to-end turnkey project delivery, covering process concept development, in-house 3D detailed design, procurement, installation and commissioning, with a portfolio that includes kerbside commingled recycling, construction and demolition waste, commercial and household waste, glass refining, and FOGO organics facilities (10,000 to 100,000+ tonnes per annum). It has delivered more than 70 turnkey projects whose combined processing capacity exceeds one million tonnes per annum, including flagship references such as the Cairns MRF (25,000 t/p.a., 98% purity on five plastic grades), the Adelaide SMRF (60,000 t/p.a.), the Cleanaway container deposit scheme facility (1 billion containers/year) and the BMI C&D plant (100,000 t/p.a.).

RDT's underlying technology stack combines proprietary in-house design capability (3D drawing tools, bespoke component design and fabrication through a manufacturing partner network) with globally sourced recycling equipment delivered through strategic partnerships with Machinex (Canada; disc screens, hyperspectral optical sorting, SamurAI sorting robots), Alchemy Sort (New Zealand; polymer and colour optical sorting), Krysteline (UK; patented glass implosion) and Sage Automation. The company monetises across three streams: (1) turnkey MRF and recycling plant design-and-construction contracts, (2) equipment supply (primarily Machinex) and bespoke component fabrication, and (3) a dedicated servicing and spare parts division offering 3/6/12-month preventative maintenance regimes and maintenance management software. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting councils and waste majors, supplemented by participation in industry conferences such as LAWMAC and a content/website presence (rdtaust.com) with monthly newsletters.

RDT has operated as a subsidiary of Re.Group, a private Australian resource recovery operator, since 2016; Re.Group is both a strategic internal customer (operating MRFs, an organics facility and container refund schemes) and a source of operational design feedback. Leadership includes CEO David Rowland, founder/director Stuart Garbutt, General Manager Matt Wright, Commercial Manager Dominic Schliebs, and a broader team of design, project and mechanical engineering staff. The firm has been recognised via ABCC, CMAQ and RCCC awards, and won the 2021 Container Exchange (COEX) Change Maker Innovation award.

Name

Recycling Design & Technologies Engineering

Legal name

Recycling Design & Technologies Pty Ltd

Website

https://rdtaust.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycling Facility Engineering Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing (3331)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) & Single-Stream Recycling Processing (IMAIAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Stream MRFs (Residential Curbside) (EUAIADAA), Construction & Demolition (C&D) Recycling MRFs (EUAIADAD), C&D Sorting & Materials Recovery (C&D MRFs) (BPALAJAC), Single-Stream MRF Operations (Residential Curbside Sorting) (BPALADAA)

Keywords

• Recycling facility design
• Materials recovery facilities
• Waste recycling engineering
• Construction demolition recycling
• Resource recovery equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Eight Mile Plains

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Turnkey Recycling Facility Design and Construction: Core business: designing and installing fully functional Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and other recycling plants. Services include process concept development, detailed design, procurement, installation and commissioning. Revenue is project-based, typically as design and construction contracts.
2. Equipment Supply: Supply of world-leading MRF and recycling equipment through Machinex partnership at competitive prices. Also includes bespoke component design and fabrication through network of manufacturing partners.
3. Servicing and Spare Parts: Dedicated division providing scheduled servicing at 3, 6 and 12 monthly intervals, preventative maintenance regime development, maintenance management software platform, and spare parts management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RDT Engineering designs and builds turnkey Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and recycling plants for processing kerbside commingled recycling, construction and demolition waste, commercial waste, and household waste. Services span process concept development, detailed 3D engineering design, procurement, installation, and commissioning, integrating world-leading recycling technologies from global partners (Machinex, Alchemy, Krysteline) with custom in-house designed equipment for clients across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

Product overview

Recycling Design & Technologies (RDT) Engineering offers a portfolio of integrated recycling facility solutions centered on turnkey MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) design and construction services. The core offering consists of four interconnected service lines: Turnkey Recycling Projects (full design-through-commissioning), RDT Design Services (in-house 3D engineering and drafting), Equipment Supply and Creation (Machinex partnership and bespoke fabrication), Project Delivery (project management), and Servicing and Spare Parts (ongoing maintenance). The company also references specific project implementations including the Cairns MRF, Adelaide SMRF, Cherbourg MRF, Cleanaway CDS container deposit facility, Dunmore FOGO composting tunnels, and the Automatic River Cleaner (ARC) developed with Ocean Crusaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Turnkey Recycling Projects Full design, procurement, installation and commissioning of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and recycling plants processing kerbside commingled recycling, construction and demolition waste, commercial waste, and household waste, delivered as turnkey solutions to local councils, national waste companies, and private businesses.
• RDT Design Services In-house engineering and drafting team developing process solutions from concept through detailed design and fabrication drawings using 3D drawing software tools, allowing customers to visualise the plant as design progresses.
• Equipment Supply and Creation

Quantifiable outcome

• 142% ROI achieved at Cairns MRF with 25,000 t/p.a. capacity and 98% purity on 5 plastic grades
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Re.GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016In 2016 RDT became part of Re.Group, a private Australian company focused on providing high quality resource recovery solutions. Re.Group invests in and operates MRFs around Australia and an organics processing facility in NSW, as well as key provider of container refund facilities in several states. RDT provides engineering support and solutions for Re.Group projects while working with diverse range of external customers. Connection ensures RDT has unique understanding of Australian operating conditions.
• MachinexcoreTechnology or IntegrationRDT is proud to be a key partner of Machinex, a Canadian company celebrating 50 years of operations with over 250 turnkey facilities designed and installed globally. RDT delivers Machinex's world leading recycling equipment into projects across Australia and New Zealand, including disc screens, Hyperspectral optical sorting technology, and SamurAI sorting robots. Machinex invests heavily in new technology development resulting in industry leading innovations.
• Alchemy SortcoreTechnology or IntegrationRDT partners with Alchemy across many Australian sites. Alchemy is a New Zealand company providing the Alchemy Optical Sorting system which improves product separation of a MRF in a cost-effective manner, separating container plastics by polymer type and colour. RDT passes on this best practice cost saving to customers while providing latest technology solutions.
• KrystelinecoreTechnology or IntegrationRDT partners with Krysteline to bring their unique glass implosion technology to Australian MRFs. Krysteline is an established UK-based company providing a patented implosion system for glass recycling. This partnership allows RDT to consistently offer up-to-date glass technology solutions resulting in best glass products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Machinex: Canadian recycling equipment manufacturer and RDT's primary technology partner. Both design and deliver turnkey MRF systems globally, with overlapping product portfolios (disc screens, optical sorters, SamurAI robots) and shared customer segments in municipal and C&D recycling.
• Green Machine Sales: US-based turnkey recycling equipment provider for MSW, single-stream, and C&D facilities. Comparable in project-based, design-build delivery to councils and waste haulers across North America.
• MSS (Magnetic Separation Systems): US designer of turnkey recycling systems for MSW, C&D, e-waste, and metal recovery. Overlapping customer segments (councils and waste companies) and end-to-end delivery model make MSS a relevant international comparable.
• Stadler Anlagenbau: German designer and builder of turnkey sorting plants and MRFs for municipal and commercial recyclables. Directly comparable in delivery model, customer base (councils and waste operators), and recycling technology stack.
• Bulk Handling Systems (BHS): US-based provider of turnkey MRF design, equipment, and controls. Competes head-to-head with RDT on integrated recycling plant design for C&D, MSW, and single-stream applications, with similar partner-plus-integration delivery approach.
• CP Group: US-based provider of turnkey MRF and recycling systems with a focus on optical sorting and AI-driven automation. Comparable in end-to-end design-build delivery, technology stack, and customer base of waste operators and municipalities.

Emerging players

• Krause Manufacturing: Australian-designed C&D and MRF equipment supplier with a similar focus on the Australasian market. Competitor in C&D sorting and adjacent in MRF design, with overlapping geographic reach to RDT's home market.
• ZenRobotics: Finland-based supplier of AI-powered robotic sorting systems for C&D and waste recycling. Comparable in applying robotics/AI to material recovery and a potential integration partner or competitor to RDT's use of Machinex's SamurAI robots.

Broad incumbents

• TOMRA: Global leader in sensor-based sorting technology used inside MRFs. While not a turnkey plant builder like RDT, TOMRA's optical sorters and AI-driven sorting systems are a key technology layer that MRF designers must specify—making it a strategic adjacent competitor and supplier.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery (Australia): Major global waste management operator that both operates MRFs and contracts engineering services for new builds in Australia. Comparable as both a potential customer and a competitor to RDT for recycling infrastructure projects in the ANZ market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rdt-engineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recycling Design & Technologies Engineering