Salix and Yamato Kogyo combine engineering, manufacturing and digital monitoring
to deliver reliable turnout and special trackwork systems for modern rail networks.
Originally published in the April 2026 issue of Rail Express Magazine
Turnouts are among the most critical components of any railway network.
They must perform reliably under high speeds, heavy axle loads and demanding
operational environments, often with limited maintenance windows and little tolerance for failure.
For infrastructure owners and operators, the challenge is not simply sourcing
individual components. It is ensuring that turnout systems are engineered,
manufactured and integrated in a way that delivers consistent performance over decades of service.
For more than 20 years, Australian company Salix has built a strong reputation for engineering-led solutions across highspeed passenger networks, heavy haul freight corridors, metro systems and light
rail infrastructure. The company provides engineering design, system assurance, supply chain coordination and delivery support for complex rail projects where reliability and safety are paramount.
While Australia remains its home market, Salix’s experience extends internationally. The company has delivered turnout systems across New Zealand, Chile and the Middle East, working with infrastructure owners,
mining operators and Tier 1 contractors in demanding rail environments.
These projects have shaped a delivery philosophy centred on system integration, quality assurance and supply chain reliability. Rather than simply supplying individual components, Salix focuses
on delivering complete turnout systems designed to perform reliably in service.
"Salix isn’t just about parts; it’s about performance,” said Mark Fulford, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Salix. “Our approach ties system integration, rigorous quality assurance, and a resilient supply chain into one dependable package.
“By delivering complete turnout systems, we shift the focus from ‘pieces’ to ‘performance’, ensuring every turnout performs reliably when it counts.”
A PARTNERSHIP BUILT ON COMPLEMENTARY STRENGTHS
The next step in Salix’s development came through a strategic partnership with Japanese company Yamato Kogyo.
Under their agreement, Salix and Yamato Kogyo operate as a 50:50 joint venture, bringing together two
complementary capabilities within the rail infrastructure sector. Salix contributes engineering leadership, project integration capability and international delivery experience developed through more than
two decades of turnout projects.
Yamato Kogyo brings over 80 years of manufacturing expertise and is widely
recognised as one of Japan’s leading turnout manufacturers. The company is known for
its metallurgical knowledge, manufacturing precision and rigorous quality systems developed through decades of supplying rail networks in Japan and internationally.
Together, the partnership provides an integrated approach to turnout and special
trackwork systems covering engineering design, manufacturing, supply chain
coordination and delivery support.
For Yuichi Yamamoto, Operations Manager at Yamato Kogyo and now Sydney-based
Deputy CEO, the partnership represents an opportunity to extend the company’s eightdecade
manufacturing heritage beyond Japan’s domestic network.
“Yamato Kogyo has built its reputation by delivering reliable, precision-engineered trackwork for some of the world’s most demanding railways,” Yamamoto said.
“Partnering with Salix allows us to share that experience more broadly and combine
Japanese manufacturing excellence with Australian project delivery expertise.”
For rail infrastructure owners and contractors, this integrated model reduces
interface risk and provides a single accountable platform for turnout systems
across the full lifecycle of a project.
AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERING ON THE WORLD STAGE
The partnership also highlights the maturity of Australian rail engineering capability.
Operating in Australia has historically required infrastructure suppliers to work within challenging delivery environments. Rail projects are frequently undertaken within tight possession windows, under strict safety requirements and within networks that remain operational throughout construction.
These conditions have driven Australian rail businesses to develop strong capabilities in engineering assurance, configuration control and supply chain coordination.
“Salix’s operating model reflects this environment,” said Fulford.
“We focus on integrating engineering design, manufacturing inputs and installation requirements early in the project lifecycle to ensure turnout systems are both technically robust and practical to install and maintain.”
Another important aspect of Salix’s capability is its ability to deliver solutions that meet multiple international standards.
“Rail is a global industry, but every network has its own technical framework,” said Fulford.
“Our role is to bridge those requirements. By engineering turnout systems that align with EN (European Standards), AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association), JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) and AS (Australian Standards), we can support international projects while ensuring the solutions are fully compatible with local network expectations.”
This flexibility allows infrastructure owners to adopt proven systems that can be adapted to local network requirements while maintaining consistent engineering quality.
In practical terms, this means rail operators can benefit from turnout solutions that have already demonstrated performance across a variety of global rail environments.
BRINGING DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE TO TURNOUT SYSTEMS
While physical trackwork remains the foundation of railway infrastructure, the industry is increasingly adopting digital technologies to improve reliability and optimise maintenance.
Salix is introducing the KONUX Switch, a turnout monitoring system driven by artificial intelligence (AI), that provides continuous insight into turnout performance through sensor data and advanced analytics.
The system collects operational data directly from turnouts in service and applies machine-learning models to detect developing issues before they lead to failures. This enables rail infrastructure owners to move from reactive maintenance to predictive maintenance based on the real condition of assets.
For operators managing large rail networks, Fulford said the benefits are significant.“We saw a clear need in the market for smarter, more responsive ways to manage rail infrastructure,” he said. “Through AI-driven insights, modular IoT (Internet of Things) technology and the secure KONUX platform, we equip operators and partners with the tools to respond to challenges faster, improve network reliability and unlock new efficiencies across the rail system.”
The software provides a 90-day look ahead to predict failures to switches and crossings.
“It has been proven in large networks such as Network Rail in the United Kingdom and Deutsche Bahn in Germany, where significant operational expenditure is saved annually and it is now key to their operation and maintenance systems,” said Fulford.
Continuous monitoring allows maintenance teams to identify emerging issues earlier, plan interventions more effectively and reduce unnecessary inspections.
This reduces time spent working on track, minimises disruption to rail operations and improves overall network reliability.
In heavy haul and high-frequency passenger networks, where maintenance windows are increasingly limited, predictive monitoring can make a substantial difference to operational performance.
“The system does not stop at predicting future failures – it is also a valuable tool to validate the success of a maintenance activity,” said Fulford.
“This will allow the maintainer to make informed decisions on how to improve the effectiveness of a maintenance activity and if that activity is even required at all.”
Fulford said the KONUX Switch has the potential to save railways millions of dollars annually across large networks, by improving turnout reliability, reducing maintenance intervention and preventing costly service disruptions. By integrating digital monitoring with turnout engineering expertise, Salix is helping infrastructure owners move towards more data-driven asset management approaches.
“We’re encouraged by Salix’s expansion into data-driven condition monitoring, particularly with the KONUX Switch,” said Yamamoto.
“The move reflects a forward-looking mindset. We share that commitment to embracing technology that enhances reliability, improves asset insight and ultimately strengthens network performance.
“It’s an exciting direction for both organisations.”
THE NEXT GENERATION OF HIGH-SPEED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE
For Salix, Fulford said the partnership with Yamato Kogyo represents an important validation of the company’s engineering capability and delivery model.
“Together, our organisations bring engineering expertise, manufacturing precision and digital monitoring capability to the delivery of turnout systems designed for modern railway networks,” he said.
He said Yamato Kogyo’s high-speed turnout and special trackwork technology, proven on the Japanese Shinkansen network and now deployed in markets including Taiwan and India, adds another dimension to Salix’s offering.
“The partnership positions Salix to contribute to the next generation of high-speed rail developments both in Australia and internationally,” Fulford continued.
“This includes projects such as the proposed Sydney to Newcastle corridor, where proven high-performance turnout systems will play a critical role in supporting reliable, high-capacity and efficient operations across emerging fast rail networks.
“With this combined expertise, Salix is positioned to drive major rail programs worldwide, helping operators and governments build faster, smarter, and more resilient networks.”
