Martinus and Vitrinite have entered a partnership that will see both companies benefit.
When Queensland-based resource company Vitrinite needed a rail solution to move its product from pit to port, it could have stitched together multiple contracts: one for infrastructure, one for haulage, another for financing.
Instead, Vitrinite signed a strategic partnership with Martinus, a company now delivering across the entire rail value chain.
The agreement between Vitrinite and Martinus marks more than a project win. It signals a shift in the rail infrastructure market and a milestone in Martinus’ evolution from a delivery contractor to an integrated rail owner-operator.
“This isn’t just about building tracks or running trains,” Martinus chief executive officer and founder Treaven Martinus said. “It’s about offering a full-service model where we’re accountable for the outcomes, not just the inputs.”
An integrated model
Martinus has long had a reputation for taking on challenging rail projects and delivering under pressure. But in recent years, the business has expanded its offering across two key divisions, Infrastructure by Martinus and Haulage by Martinus, to meet growing demand for integrated delivery and operations.
Underpinning this is a strategic capability in project financing, embedded within Infrastructure by Martinus. The division manages everything from design and construction to ownership models such as BOOT (build-own-operate-transfer) and FBOOT, working with financial partners to unlock investment grade capital for large-scale transport corridors.
“We’ve always been a builder,” Martinus Infrastructure business development director Jonathon Shwabsky said.
“But now we’re a developer, operator and strategic partner. That means we can help clients shape the right delivery model, finance it, and take it from greenfield through to long-term operation.”
The company’s haulage division, meanwhile, offers above-rail capability across construction trains, freight movement and long-haul services, giving Martinus full vertical integration from rail formation to rolling stock.
Martinus’ model is different from traditional contractor-client arrangements, where haulage, infrastructure and finance are split between multiple parties. That setup can create friction, particularly in emerging operations where delivery speed, capital access and early alignment are critical.
By contrast, Martinus aligns all elements from day one.
“With our model, infrastructure and haulage are planned together; they inform each other,” Martinus Haulage national business development manager Lee Morrissey said. “That gives clients a better outcome, faster. Fewer disconnects. Less risk.”
This structure also means clients don’t need to coordinate multiple handovers between contractors and operators. Instead, Martinus manages everything through a single interface, while still giving clients the flexibility to engage services modularly if needed.
“It’s not one-size-fits-all,” Shwabsky said. “Some clients just need infrastructure. Some want us to deliver the lot. The point is, we have the in-house capability to do either.”
A like-minded partner
Martinus’ partnership with Vitrinite emerged from shared goals, timing and mindset.
Both companies are relatively young and driven by ambition, autonomy and growth.
“There’s a really strong alignment between the two teams,” Morrissey said. “Both businesses are agile, solutions-focused and not afraid to do things differently.”
Martinus and Vitrinite will co-develop the rail corridor and operational model using an open-book approach, with embedded teams and shared planning from the outset. The idea is to iterate together, not throw plans over the fence.
“That’s what makes this a partnership, not just a contract,” Morrissey said. “We’re sitting on the same side of the table, working toward a common goal.”
From a strategic perspective, the Vitrinite partnership represents a logical next step for Martinus, which has grown steadily from rail product supplier to subcontractor, to principal contractor and now, owner and operator.
“In the last decade, we’ve taken on and delivered some of the largest and most complex projects in Australia,” Treaven said. “The next stage of our growth is about owning and operating rail assets, not just building them.”
This growth is grounded in the same principles that have defined the Martinus approach from the beginning: anti-bureaucracy, accountability and a belief in the power of engineering to solve complex problems.
“We’re a hands-on business,” Treaven said. “We’ve built a culture where if someone sees a better way to do something, we listen. That mindset is what keeps us moving forward.”
From vision to delivery
As the partnership with Vitrinite progresses, Martinus will manage the design and construction of fit-for-purpose rail infrastructure, provide above-rail haulage services and lead the strategy for project financing.
The combined value lies in the integration of all three: planning, moving and funding into one delivery pathway.
“Martinus is well placed to support new and emerging miners,” Shwabsky said.
“Not every company has the internal resources to manage construction, interface with multiple vendors, navigate financing and plan operations. We take that burden off their plate and deliver a solution that works end-to-end.”
The Martinus team also sees this partnership as a broader signal to the market.
“We want to work with companies who see the value in a different approach,” Morrissey said. “This isn’t just about doing what’s been done before. It’s about building better supply chains, faster.”
With several major projects underway across Australia and internationally, Martinus is now focused on consolidating its position as a next-generation rail partner – one capable of delivering infrastructure, running freight and supporting customers with capital-ready models.
“We’re not just looking to deliver contracts,” Treaven said, “we’re building long-term partnerships with companies who want to move fast, work smart and create real impact.”
This feature appeared in the June 2025 issue of Australian Mining.
