From product supplier to rail contractor

Martinus Rail founder and chief executive Treaven Martinus is rightfully proud of the way the Australian-based company has grown to become the largest rail contractor in the country.

From a notion conceived more than 15 years ago in his home, Treaven has built his namesake business into a large-scale, globally competitive, award-winning organisation, with more than 1400 employees, and operations across Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Speaking at AusRAIL 2022, Treaven said having initially established the company as a product supply business, it was a major decision to invest in rail infrastructure in 2015, a journey that has been spectacularly successful.

“We are a tier 1 contractor, and we handle all aspects of civil, track, overhead wiring and signalling tasks, from bridges, drainage, culverts to rail systems,” he said.

Treaven has always found value in attending AusRAIL, as it provides the opportunity for him and his team to catch up with clients and meet potential news ones.

“We find that our appeal is in the way we make complex challenges easier,” he said.

One of the latest and biggest projects has been Martinus Rail’s involvement with Auckland City Rail Link’s Britomart Station, the largest transport infrastructure project ever undertaken in New Zealand.

In late 2020, Martinus was awarded the supply, installation, and commissioning of track and overhead wiring contract totalling $48 million.

As part of the works, Martinus will supply and install all the rail, slab track, ballasted track, rigid overhead conductor bar and overhead line equipment works. The project team has mobilised to the country and will remain on site for two years to deliver the works.

Treaven noted that in the past, governments had awarded rail infrastructure contracts to the “biggest companies”, even if they had no rail experience.

“We have seen the tide turn and there is now a need for rail specialists,” he said.

“Inland Rail is a good example. The Government is tendering different parts of the project because it wants to ensure only those with rail experience get contracted.”

Martinus Rail has been tasked with the