International Monorail Association (IMA)

What International Monorail Association (IMA) does

The International Monorail Association (IMA) is a Swiss-registered, non-profit industry association founded in 2009 (re-established in Switzerland in February 2015) that serves as the only global body exclusively dedicated to mass transit monorail systems. Its mission is to organize the global monorail sector, promote monorail adoption, publish technical information, and develop performance-based standards to fill the regulatory gap left by the absence of a dedicated monorail standard. IMA brings together roughly 40 member companies spanning the full value chain — turnkey manufacturers (Alstom, Hitachi Rail STS, Max Bögl, BYD), operators (Metro São Paulo), component suppliers, civil engineers, certification bodies (TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD Rail), consultants, and academic institutions (Beijing Jiaotong University).

IMA's product portfolio consists of three core technical publications — the Performance Specification for a Turnkey Mass Transit Monorail System (Edition 1.1, June 2026), the IMA Planning Guide for Monorail Systems (2024), and the Technical Framework for Straddle Beam Type Monorail Tire-Guideway Interaction (2025) — together with the annual Monorailex conference (currently in its 18th edition, Monorailex 2026 in Cairo), a newsletter distributed to over 1,200 contacts worldwide, a World Market Study on Monorail Systems, and co-exhibitor packages at InnoTrans 2026. The standards are performance-based (referencing ISO 13473, ASTM E274, EN 13036, and APM standards) and are freely downloadable.

The association operates from a headquarters in Münsingen, Switzerland and a regional office in Las Vegas, Nevada (hosted by Innova Transportation LLC), and is funded primarily through tiered annual membership fees (€365–€4,090 by organization type and turnover) supplemented by conference registration and co-exhibitor revenue. It is staffed by three paid employees (General Manager, Office Management, Accounting) supported by an 11-member voluntary Executive Council whose members include senior figures from member companies and serve unpaid.

Name

International Monorail Association (IMA)

Legal name

International Monorail Association

Website

https://monorailex.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Monorail Association is a Swiss non-profit industry association that develops performance-based monorail standards, publishes technical guidelines, and runs the annual Monorailex conference for OEMs, operators, consultants, certification bodies, and public authorities worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from annual membership fees categorized by organization type and size. OEM's, system providers, contractors, subcontractors, and consultants pay based on annual turnover (€990-€4,090). Governmental organizations and monorail operators pay €365. Affiliate organizations pay no cost. Members receive voting rights, reduced conference fees, committee participation, and access to publish information.
2. Conference Fees: Revenue generated from Monorailex conference registrations including reduced fees for members. The flagship annual conference is in its 18th edition (Monorailex 2026 in Cairo). Additional events include co-exhibitor packages at InnoTrans.
3. Co-Exhibitor Packages: Companies can exhibit at industry events like InnoTrans 2026 as IMA Co-Exhibitors at the IMA booth (Hall 4.2, Booth 100), providing visibility and networking opportunities in exchange for fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The International Monorail Association (IMA) is a global non-profit members association that organizes the mass transit monorail sector by publishing performance-based technical guidelines, hosting the flagship annual Monorailex conference, providing tiered membership services to monorail OEMs, operators, consultants, public authorities and certification bodies, and distributing industry knowledge through a worldwide newsletter.

Product overview

The International Monorail Association (IMA) operates as a non-profit industry association rather than a product company. Its offerings consist of technical guidelines/publications (Performance Specification for a Turnkey Mass Transit Monorail System, IMA Planning Guide for Monorail Systems, and Technical Framework for Straddle Beam Type Monorail Tire-Guideway Interaction), an annual flagship conference (Monorailex), a newsletter publication, and membership services. These offerings work together to promote monorail technology, establish performance standards, and support the global monorail industry through education, networking, and technical guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monorailex Conference Annual international conference dedicated exclusively to monorail systems, providing a platform for presenting new research, latest developments, and operational findings to experts in transportation planning, industry suppliers, system integrators, infrastructure services, researchers, operators, consultants, and academic and certification bodies.
• Performance Specification for a Turnkey Mass Transit Monorail System Performance catalogue for components, subsystems, vehicles, and infrastructure of monorail systems that describes system performance enabling users to understand capabilities and requirements, supports informed decision-making during tendering, and facilitates comparison between monorail and alternative transit technologies.
• IMA Planning Guide for Monorail Systems Comprehensive planning framework covering system configuration, vehicle and civil infrastructure, operational planning, and funding strategies to enable informed assessment of monorail viability versus other transport modes.
• Technical Framework for Straddle Beam Type Monorail Tire-Guideway Interaction First industry-specific guideline focused on the tire-guideway surface interface in straddle-type monorail systems, providing evidence-based recommendations for designing, testing, and maintaining concrete running surfaces for rubber-tired monorails and serving as a foundation for future national and international standards.
• IMA Newsletter Regular publication covering association activities, events, working groups, technical publications and standards, industry trends, monorail projects, and case studies, distributed by email to over 1,200 contacts worldwide.
• IMA Membership Annual association membership providing networking opportunities, voting rights, reduced conference fees, committee participation, access to performance standards and operational findings, and exclusive use of the IMA logo in member marketing activities.
• World Market Study on Monorail Systems Market research study prepared by SCI Verkehr on behalf of and with professional assistance of IMA, providing global market analysis for monorail systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Market volume exceeding 2 billion Euro per annum represents the total addressable market for the global monorail industry that IMA serves
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• InnoTranscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026InnoTrans is the world's leading trade fair for rail and transit technology. IMA participates as a co-exhibitor at InnoTrans, maintaining a booth (Hall 4.2, Booth 100) to showcase the monorail industry and provide networking opportunities with international industry leaders. The partnership allows IMA member companies to participate as co-exhibitors.
• AlstomcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Alstom is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and listed member of the IMA representing the vehicle manufacturing segment. Alstom is a major global player in rail transport and monorail systems, including the Cairo Monorail project. The partnership supports IMA's mission to organize the global monorail sector.
• Fogtec Fire Protection (Fogtec International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Fogtec is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and listed member of IMA representing the subsystem vehicle segment. Fogtec specializes in fire protection systems for transportation. Their General Manager Roger Dirksmeier serves on the IMA Executive Council.
• Innova Transportation LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Innova Transportation is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and IMA member representing civil engineering. The company serves as the host for the IMA's US office location in Las Vegas. Their CEO Carlos Banchik serves as Immediate-Past President of the IMA Executive Council.
• TÜV RheinlandmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025TÜV Rheinland is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025. As a leading testing and certification organization, they provide safety assessment and certification services for monorail systems, aligning with IMA's focus on performance-based standards and safety.
• TÜV SÜD Rail GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025TÜV SÜD Rail is a member of IMA representing the safety assessment segment. They provide independent safety assessment services for automated people mover and monorail systems, supporting IMA's technical standards development.
• Derap AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Derap AG is the IMA's host organization for its Swiss headquarters and is listed as an engineering member. Their Deputy CEO Thomas Keller serves as Treasurer on the IMA Executive Council. They represent the engineering segment of the IMA membership.
• mageba GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025mageba is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and IMA member representing subsystem civil segment. They specialize in bridge bearings and expansion joints for infrastructure, relevant to monorail guideway systems.
• Luetze Transportation GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Luetze Transportation is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and IMA member representing subsystem vehicle segment. They provide transportation-related subsystems and components.
• Beijing Jiaotong UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Beijing Jiaotong University is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and IMA member representing the research segment. Their Professor Eryu Zhu serves as Vice President of the IMA Executive Council. The university provides academic expertise for monorail research and standards development.
• Hirun InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Hirun International is a supporting company for Monorailex 2025 and IMA member representing subsystem civil segment. Based in Taiwan, they provide monorail-related civil engineering subsystems.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• UITP (International Association of Public Transport): UITP is the global network for public transport authorities and operators, with a comparable membership-driven association model. It is the most structurally analogous peer to IMA but operates at a much broader transit scope (bus, rail, metro) versus IMA's monorail-only focus.
• RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board): RSSB is the UK rail standards body developing and maintaining rail safety standards. Highly comparable to IMA's technical standards development role (Performance Specification, Tire-Guideway Framework), with similar working-group-driven standards architecture.
• APTA (American Public Transportation Association): APTA is the leading North American public transportation trade association, representing transit agencies, OEMs, and suppliers. Its member-driven structure, advocacy role, standards development, and major conference portfolio make it a strong structural analog to IMA at a larger geographic scale.
• European Union Agency for Railways (ERA): ERA is the EU agency responsible for rail interoperability and safety standards across Europe. Highly relevant as a peer developing technical specifications and safety frameworks for rail systems including monorail-adjacent automated transit.
• Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA): LRTA is a UK-based international organization promoting light rail as a mode, with a comparable specialty-transit industry association model, membership structure, and focus on standards advocacy and conferences specific to a single transit mode.
• AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association): AREMA is the North American railway engineering standards body developing recommended practices for railway infrastructure. Comparable peer in standards development methodology (working groups, performance-based specifications) for rail-adjacent transit systems.
• UNIFE (European Rail Supply Industry Association): UNIFE represents the European rail supply industry, coordinating industry positions on technical standards, regulatory frameworks, and market development. Comparable to IMA as an industry association developing performance-based standards for rail-adjacent systems including monorail.
• Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA): CTAA represents community and public transportation providers in the US, with a comparable member-driven association structure focused on a specific transit segment. Operates conferences, training, and advocacy programs similar to IMA's Monorailex and standards offerings.
• Monorail Society: The Monorail Society is a US-based monorail-focused organization providing monorail information, advocacy, and industry outreach. It is the most directly comparable peer in terms of monorail-specific focus, though it operates more as an advocacy/educational body versus IMA's formal industry association and standards developer model.

Others

• AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials): AASHTO is a US transportation standards and policy association for state DOTs. Adjacent peer with comparable member-driven structure and standards development model, though focused on highway rather than rail/monorail modes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/internationalmonorailassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-monorail-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/monorailex

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Monorail Association (IMA)