Rose Gleisbau

What Rose Gleisbau does

Rose Gleisbau, legally Martin Rose GmbH & Co. KG, is a family-owned railway construction firm founded in 1949 in Kassel, Germany, and currently led in its third generation by Jens Rose. The company delivers a full suite of rail infrastructure services — including track construction (Gleisbau), switch and turnout construction (Weichenbau), platform construction and renovation (Bahnsteige), railway crossings (Bahnübergänge), culverts (Durchlässe), crane rails (Kranbahn), and special construction (Sonderbau) covering metal work, tiling, timing guidance systems, demolition, and concrete work — for Deutsche Bahn AG, German municipal tram and light-rail operators, and private/industrial railway clients. It holds DQS DIN ISO 9001:2008 certification for over 13 years and is pre-qualified with Deutsche Bahn AG (Register Nr. 2009-10200097) for switches and track construction in high-speed rail, which functions as a hard regulatory entry barrier for German national rail work.

The firm's commercial model is project-based, with individual contract values disclosed in references ranging from roughly €80,000 to €6.6 million, sourced through competitive tendering on Deutsche Bahn procurement and direct engagement with municipal transit authorities. Distribution is direct enterprise sales; go-to-market is sales-led, anchored on long-standing relationships and the DB pre-qualification. The firm has expanded its footprint through subsidiaries: SBR Signalbautechnik GmbH (signal technology), DGU GmbH & Co. KG (railway construction machinery rental), Herdes Kanalbau GmbH (civil engineering/canal construction), and a majority stake acquired in 2019 in Stricker Rose Rail GmbH. In 2022 the company developed and registered a utility model for 'Gleiserde' (Track Earth), a biochar-based track bed material piloted with Kasseler Verkehrs-Gesellschaft, and in 2023 launched an international railway qualification program in Cameroon with DEG Impulse and Camrail. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; headcount is reported at around 90 employees, though one source cites 440 employees likely reflecting the consolidated Rose Group including subsidiaries.

Name

Rose Gleisbau

Legal name

Martin Rose GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://rose-gleisbau.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rose Gleisbau (Martin Rose GmbH & Co. KG) is a third-generation, family-owned German railway construction firm founded in 1949 in Kassel, serving Deutsche Bahn AG and municipal transit operators with track, switch, platform, and crossing construction plus the patented Gleiserde biochar track-bed material.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Construction Services

NAICS

Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237990)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Railway Track & Civil Works Construction (Ballast, Slab Track, Alignment) (IMAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rail Drainage, Earthworks & Right-of-Way Construction (IMAFAFAH)

Keywords

• Railway track construction
• Rail infrastructure services
• Switch turnout installation
• Platform construction services
• Railway maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kassel-Bettenhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Railway Construction Contracts: Project-based revenue from construction contracts for railway infrastructure. Includes track construction, switch/special track work, platform construction, and other railway civil engineering projects for public and private clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rose Gleisbau is a railway construction contractor providing end-to-end rail infrastructure services including track construction (Gleisbau), switch/turnout installation (Weichenbau), platform construction and renovation (Bahnsteige), railway crossings, culverts, crane rail systems, and specialized construction services. Operations are targeted primarily at Deutsche Bahn AG and urban transit authorities across Germany, with additional winter maintenance and a patented biochar-based track bed material called Gleiserde for sustainable urban track greening.

Product overview

Rose Gleisbau (Martin Rose GmbH & Co. KG) is a family-owned railway construction company founded in 1949, now in its third generation under Jens Rose's leadership. The company operates approximately 90 employees and offers a comprehensive portfolio of rail infrastructure services. Core offerings include railway track construction (Gleisbau), switch/turnout construction (Weichenbau), platform construction and renovation (Bahnsteige), railway crossings (Bahnübergänge), culverts (Durchlässe), and crane rails (Kranbahn). The company also provides specialized services through its Sonderbau division including transport station construction, metal work, tiling, timing guidance systems, demolition, and concrete work. Streetcar and private railway construction services are offered under a separate division. Winter maintenance services round out the operational offerings. The company holds a patented utility model for 'Gleiserde' (Track Soil), an innovative track bed filling material made from biochar that stores water, fertilizes soil, and binds carbon dioxide for sustainable urban track greening. The company operates several subsidiaries including SBR Signalbautechnik GmbH, DGU GmbH & Co. KG, Herdes Kanalbau GmbH, and holds a majority stake in Stricker Rose Rail GmbH (since 2019). Services are delivered to public and private clients including Deutsche Bahn, streetcar operators, industrial railways, and narrow-gauge railways throughout Germany and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gleisbau (Railway Track Construction) Core railway track construction services for Deutsche Bahn and private railways, covering track laying, maintenance, and modernization of rail infrastructure. Includes turnkey project execution on Germany's national rail network.
• Weichenbau (Switch/Turnout Construction)
• Bahnsteige (Platform Construction)
• Bahnübergänge (Railway Crossings)
• Straßen- und Privatbahn (Streetcar and Private Railway Construction)
• Sonderbau (Special Construction)
• Kranbahn (Crane Rail Systems)
• Gleiserde (Track Earth / Track Soil) A patented utility model material for railway track bed filling made from biochar/pyrolyzed biomass, which stores water (up to 7x longer than conventional soil), fertilizes soil, and binds carbon dioxide. Used for greening track beds in urban areas to reduce heat emission and rail noise.
• Winterdienst (Winter Service)
• Durchlässe (Culverts)

Quantifiable outcome

• Gleiserde retains water up to 7x longer than conventional soil, eliminating need for irrigation systems
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DEG ImpulsecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Project partnership for international development project in Cameroon. Martin Rose GmbH & Co. KG serves as project carrier for railway construction qualification program, training young adults in Douala, Yaoundé, and Ngaoundéré since January 2023.
• Sydney Uni Handball ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018International sports sponsorship with Australian handball club since 2018. Supports the team in various world championships including IHF Super Globe and club world championships.
• DB Bahnbau GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for major railway infrastructure projects. Currently collaborating on the Hamburg-Berlin railway comprehensive modernization, one of Germany's most significant infrastructure projects aimed at modernizing rail connectivity between two major metropolitan areas.
• CamrailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in Cameroon railway qualification project, actively involved in the training program for railway construction skills.
• KSV Hessen KasselcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sports sponsorship partnership with regional football club. Jens Rose serves on the club's board. The partnership includes support for Ukrainian gymnast team, sports events, and brand visibility through stadium presence.
• KTC WilhelmshöheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTennis sponsorship partnership supporting the club's first men's team in the 3rd German Bundesliga and individual player Max Wiskandt.
• Circle HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation ecosystem partner at Circle Hub in Offenbach, focused on circular economy in construction. CEO Anna Gacmanga participates in panel discussions on sustainable infrastructure.
• Stricker Rose Rail GmbHcoreOthersMajority-owned subsidiary since 2019, expanding the company's railway construction capabilities and service offerings.
• SBR Signalbautechnik GmbHminorOthersSubsidiary/affiliated company in signal engineering, expanding technical capabilities in railway systems.
• DGU GmbH & Co. KG (Gleisbaumaschinen-Vermietungsgesellschaft)minorOthersAffiliated company for railway construction machinery rental, providing equipment access for projects.
• Herdes Kanalbau GmbHminorOthersSubsidiary in civil engineering/canal construction, expanding deep construction capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• STRABAG AG: Austrian-headquartered, publicly listed construction group with a substantial rail infrastructure division across Germany and Europe. Competes with Rose Gleisbau on DB corridor projects but operates at vastly greater scale across multiple infrastructure verticals.
• DB Bahnbau Gruppe GmbH: Deutsche Bahn's internal track construction subsidiary and a key partner of Rose Gleisbau on the Hamburg-Berlin modernization. Functions both as a prime contractor (sub-contracting work) and a customer/partner, making it a critical peer and counterparty simultaneously.
• Max Bögl Bauservice GmbH & Co. KG: Large German family-owned construction company with significant rail infrastructure capabilities, including slab track systems and major corridor projects. Competes with Rose Gleisbau for DB and private rail work at a much larger scale.
• Swietelsky Baugesellschaft mbH: Austrian family-owned construction group with rail track construction as a core division, active in the German market including DB-pre-qualified projects. Comparable in family-ownership heritage and rail specialization, though considerably larger.

Direct peers

• Schweerbau GmbH & Co. KG: German railway construction specialist focused on track renewal, switch installation, and rail civil works for DB AG and industrial clients. Closely comparable niche competitor with similar customer profile and project sizes.
• Baresel GmbH: Specialized German tunnel and rail infrastructure contractor part of the Implenia group, executing demanding underground and surface rail projects. Comparable in the special civil works and rail niche Rose Gleisbau serves.
• Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group: European rail construction and maintenance specialist with German operations offering track construction, slab track, and rail services. Comparable niche player operating in the same DB pre-qualification ecosystem across DACH region.
• Heitkamp Rail GmbH: German rail construction and track renewal specialist serving DB AG and private operators, with comparable offerings in track laying, switch construction, and rail civil works. Mid-sized niche peer in the same competitive set.
• Spitzke SE: German rail infrastructure specialist focused on track construction, switches, overhead lines, and railway civil engineering for DB AG and regional operators. Direct competitor on the same Deutsche Bahn pre-qualification framework Rose Gleisbau participates in.
• Leonhard Weiss: One of Germany's largest privately held construction groups with a major rail infrastructure division (Gleisinfrastrukturbau) executing track, switch, and overhead line construction for Deutsche Bahn. Highly comparable to Rose Gleisbau in core offering but with materially greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/martin-rose-gmbh-&-co.-kg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Rose Gleisbau