Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers

Name

Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers

Legal name

Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers

Website

https://railwaysuppliers.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from supplier companies seeking representation in the railway industry, access to directory listings, advocacy, and member benefits.
2. Event Revenue: Conference registration fees (members $399-$499, non-members $499-$599), exhibitor booth fees ($1,950-$2,950), awards dinner tickets ($180/seat or $1,800/table of 10), and golf tournament fees ($399 single, $798 twosome, $1,596 foursome).
3. Advertising and Sponsorship: Magazine advertising in Inside Track publication (contact: Trevor Perrault, Naylor Association Solutions), website advertising, and event sponsorship packages ranging from $100 (Supporting Sponsor) to $15,000 (Platinum Sponsor).
4. Golf Tournament Sponsorships: Sponsorship opportunities for the annual golf tournament including Prestige Sponsorship ($5,000 with complimentary foursome), Hole-in-One ($2,500), Golf Cart ($2,000), Longest Drive ($1,500), and various hole sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers (CARS) is a non-profit trade association representing 155+ companies that supply products and services to Canadian railways and transit authorities. Its core offering is membership-based association services, including an online Railway Supplier Directory, the Inside Track Magazine and InsideTrack Podcast, advocacy on industry policy issues, the annual National Railway Day conference and tradeshow, the Annual Golf Tournament, a job board, and CARS Scholarship Funds.

Product overview

The Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers (CARS) is a professional association representing over 155 railway supplier companies. Rather than offering a unified software platform, CARS provides a portfolio of membership-based services including a Railway Supplier Directory for industry visibility, Inside Track Magazine and InsideTrack Podcast for industry news and content, advocacy services for policy engagement, scholarship programs for workforce development, and signature events such as National Railway Day and the Annual Golf Tournament for networking. The organization serves as a central hub connecting railway suppliers with industry opportunities through directory listings, events, and member benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InsideTrack Magazine: Official magazine of the Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers
• InsideTrack Podcast

Products and services

• Railway Supplier Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to over 155 member companies in the railway supplier ecosystem
• +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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• TÜV SÜDfeatured memberOthersTÜV SÜD is a featured member of CARS. They were accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to carry out Independent Safety Assessments (ISA) for Railway Systems in Canada, making them one of the few organizations with this accreditation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA): Canadian association representing urban transit operators and businesses. Comparable as a Canadian membership-based association serving the rail/transit ecosystem with advocacy, events, and member services, although focused on transit rather than suppliers.
• American Public Transportation Association (APTA): U.S. trade association for public transit agencies and businesses. Comparable as a North American rail/transit industry association with major events (e.g., APTA Expo) that CARS members participate in, but focused on a U.S. market.

Direct peers

• Railway Supply Institute (RSI): U.S.-based trade association representing railway supply companies. Directly comparable as a national-level membership organization serving rail suppliers with advocacy, events, and industry representation, just operating in a different (U.S.) market.
• Railway Association of Canada (RAC): Canadian national trade association representing railway operators (CN, CP, VIA, and short lines). Directly comparable as a Canadian rail industry association with advocacy and government-facing policy work, although RAC represents railway operators rather than suppliers.
• Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA / REMC): North American trade association for railway engineering and maintenance-of-way suppliers. Highly comparable in serving rail supplier members with networking, advocacy, and educational programming, with overlapping North American geographic scope.

Broad incumbents

• American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA): U.S. professional association for railway engineering covering infrastructure, rolling stock, and maintenance-of-way. Comparable as an established rail industry membership organization serving engineers and suppliers, with significant events and technical publications.
• Association of American Railroads (AAR): Major North American railroad industry association representing Class I railroads and some suppliers. Comparable as a rail industry association with advocacy, events, and policy influence, though it is a broader, railroad-operator-led incumbent rather than a supplier-only body.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cars-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers