Summer Brings Reinforcements

This year, once again, we’re pleased to welcome a total of 10 interns from schools and universities in Graz, Weiz, and Vienna during July and August. Over the coming weeks, they’ll gain valuable hands-on experience and get to know our day-to-day work.

For us, an internship is more than just a look behind the scenes: It’s an opportunity to nurture young talent, share our experience, and at the same time gain new ideas and fresh perspectives.

We look forward to spending time together, gaining exciting insights, and exchanging ideas with our up-and-coming talent.

 

A warm welcome to our interns in July - it’s great to have you here!

From left to right: Lana, Jonas, Jakob, Felix, Florian, Dominik, and Valerie

Praktikanten-Sommer-2026

Double anniversary at InnoTrans 2026: PJM presents pioneering railway technology in Berlin

A very special trade fair year lies ahead: From September 22 to 25, 2026, InnoTrans will open its doors in Berlin. The leading international trade fair for transport technology is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year – and the PJM Group is celebrating as well, looking back proudly on 20 years of innovation history.

Around 3,000 international exhibitors from 60 nations are expected to attend. PJM will showcase its railway system solutions, which are in use worldwide. Meet our experts on site:

  • PJ Messtechnik
    Accredited testing center & engineering
  • PJ Monitoring
    Digital rail freight transport
  • PJ Motion
    Approval & requirements management
  • RCC
    Accredited conformity assessment body

Where to find us:

When: September 22 to 25, 2026
Where: Messe Berlin, CityCube, Hall A, Booth 220

We look forward to your visit!


Photo: AdobeStock

panoramic view at central berlin while sunset

The PJM Group Celebrates Milestone Anniversary: 20 Years of Global System Solutions for Rail Transport

What began two decades ago as a specialized engineering office in Austria has evolved into an established player in the international railway industry. With around 90 employees and a clear commitment to being "100% Made in Austria," the PJM Group currently implements complex rail projects in over 30 countries across six continents. The secret to its success lies in the seamless interplay of testing/measurement technology, engineering, digitalization & automation, approval, and certification - all driven by several specialized companies.

 

The Foundation: Precision, Simulation, and Approval

The cornerstone was laid in 2006 with the founding of PJ Messtechnik GmbH. As an accredited testing body, it covers seven specialized testing areas, ranging from vehicle dynamics and brake testing to fatigue strength and aerodynamics. Furthermore, PJ Messtechnik is the only testing facility for rail vehicles in Austria accredited in the fields of aerodynamics and pantographs. To efficiently complement real-world test runs, the company relies on high-end engineering and complex multi-body simulations (MBS).

 

RCC Railway Competence and Certification GmbH, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, acts as an accredited conformity assessment body. It takes on key roles such as Notified Body (NoBo), Designated Body (DeBo), and Assessment Body (AsBo) to minimize bureaucratic hurdles for clients.

 

PJ Motion GmbH rounds off this business unit by serving as the central point of contact for managing and coordinating complex authorization and approval processes.

 

Innovation in Freight Transport: The "Smart Train”

With the spin-off of PJ Monitoring GmbH, the group successfully transitioned into a manufacturing enterprise focused on digitalization and automation. Its WaggonTracker system brings intelligence to rail freight transport: featuring automated brake testing, continuous brake monitoring, real-time load weight monitoring, and derailment diagnosis, it makes rail transport safer, more efficient, and ready to tackle the ongoing shortage of skilled labor.

 

Targeted Expansion and New Specializations

To respond even more flexibly to specific market demands, the group has continuously expanded its capabilities in recent years. For instance, recent startups like EMC Rail Services GmbH ensure the faultless operation of electronic components through EMC testing (Electromagnetic Compatibility). Meanwhile, Infratrack Solutions GmbH operates a test track independent of the public network for comprehensive system tests, and PJM Swiss GmbH provides local, on-site support for the entire portfolio in the Swiss market.

 

Award-Winning Innovation from Austria

Whether high-speed trains in France or infrastructure projects in the Baltics - PJM is now active in over half of all European nations and worldwide. Despite this global reach, research, development, production, and administration remain fully centralized in Austria. This innovative strength has already been recognized at the highest level, winning awards such as the 2024 Innovation Prize and the 2023 Austrian State Prize for Digitalization.

Vorlage_Moderationskarte

Plenty going on around the PJM headquarters: Smart City Graz hosts neighborhood festival

It is a district whose development the PJM Group has witnessed and shaped from the very beginning as one of its first settlers: Smart City Graz. On Friday, May 22, the up-and-coming neighborhood will host a community festival starting at 12:30 PM.

The area surrounding the PJM headquarters – located between the Helmut-List-Halle, the Nikolaus-Harnoncourt-Park, and the prominent Science Tower – will transform into a vibrant festival and meeting zone.

What once began as a former industrial site has evolved into a state-of-the-art future hub for innovative residential, office, and commercial spaces. For rail specialist PJM, this dynamic location in the heart of Graz's innovation powerhouse has always provided the ideal conditions for technological growth and global system solutions.

Further information about the neighborhood festival (in German):
https://stadtlaborgraz.at/de/2026/04/smartcity-stadtteilfest-2026/

PJM_Smart_City

PJM establishes a subsidiary in Switzerland: PJM Swiss brings together the group’s full range of expertise

We say “Servus” and “Grüezi” to our new location in Switzerland! This representative office means that experienced rail experts are now available on-site. Managing Director Martin Benkler and Senior Rail Specialist Lorenz Kochan are both highly experienced in the national and international rail industry. Together, they have 38 years' experience in the rail industry and are the ideal contacts for the PJM Group’s extensive portfolio.

The PJM companies offer a comprehensive package covering every stage of rail vehicle development and certification, from initial requirements gathering and certification management to vehicle component calculation and design, and vehicle testing by an ISO/IEC-accredited laboratory. The package also includes certification and conformity assessment body certification.

"The specialist divisions of the PJM Group offer comprehensive services according to customer requirements. This means our customers have access to end-to-end implementation from a single source for the entire complex process leading up to vehicle authorisation, as well as for individual sub-areas,' explains Martin Benkler, PJM Swiss's Managing Director. 'In economically challenging times, lean project management, coordination with just one point of contact, and reliable order processing are more important than ever. Thanks to the PJM Group’s broad range of services, many years of experience, and proven expertise across all disciplines, we are a reliable partner for vehicle manufacturers in Switzerland.’

PJM Swiss is headquartered in Thalwil.

PJM Swiss at a glance

PJM Swiss is PJM’s newest location, based in Switzerland. Based in Thalwil, the new company offers a comprehensive range of rail vehicle services, covering everything from design and engineering to accredited testing, final certification and approval.

 

Press release

PJM-Swiss-Thalwil-RahmenPJM-Swiss-Martin-Benkler

INFRATRACK at the USTP St. Pölten Career Fair

On March 20th, our joint venture INFRATRACK, together with our partner BOOM Software, was represented as one of 42 exhibitors at the railway industry career fair at USTP (University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten).

The event provided an ideal platform to connect with around 180 students, graduates, and prospective students. A look at current industry trends underlines the importance of this exchange: the railway sector is a key driver of the mobility transition and is growing steadily—leading to a correspondingly high demand for well-trained specialists.

At its site in Mellach near Graz, INFRATRACK has transformed a former industrial siding into a modern test and innovation center for railway technologies. Maintaining a direct line to the next generation of talent is particularly valuable to us, as the specialized degree programs in Railway Technology and the digital focus at St. Pölten UAS train exactly the experts we need for the projects of the future.

 

Photo caption: Martin Joch (CEO INFRATRACK, left) in discussion with employees from the INFRATRACK joint venture partner, BOOM Software.

Infratrack-FH_St.Poelten

PJM inspires tinking kids at the FRida & freD Children’s Museum

PJ Messtechnik is part of the new exhibition "tinking kids and young masterminds" at the Graz children's museum FRida & freD. As part of the "powered by Die Industrie" project, the exhibition makes science and technology a hands-on experience for children.

Various stations invite young visitors to discover and experiment. Using sensors from PJ Messtechnik, children learn how forces such as pressure, weight, or movement are converted into digital signals – the exact same technology used in highly complex test runs with trains.

 

View short clip

20260323-Kindermuseum

PJM on the European Stage: Review of Dresden and Warsaw

Over the past few weeks, PJM showcased its expertise in simulation, measurement technology, and digitalisation at two high-profile industry events.

Rolling Stock Conference in Dresden, March 4 – 6
Our experts Matthias Zelinka and Peter Ablasser presented innovative approaches to optimising pantograph-catenary interaction. By leveraging the synergy between EN-compliant simulations and precise measurements, PJM demonstrated how the efficiency and safety of approval tests for modern rolling stock can be significantly enhanced.

European Rolling Stock Summit in Warsaw, March 16 – 17
CEO Günter Petschnig participated in the opening panel discussion on the status of digitalisation in rail freight. The key message: Market-ready technologies for faster, more cost-efficient, and highly available rail freight transport are ready for deployment – now is the time for large-scale implementation.

Dresden_Warschau

Strategic Exchange on the Future of Rail

In Graz, Martin Joch (CEO of PJ Messtechnik) recently met with Andreas Matthä (CEO of ÖBB) and Andreas Schaller (CEO of Boom Software).

The discussions focused on automation and digitalisation as key levers for addressing the shortage of skilled workers and ensuring more efficient, safer rail freight transport.

Another central topic was the INFRATRACK Solutions project: since autumn 2025, the site of the Mellach power plant has been successfully used as a modern test environment for rolling stock. This "Green Project" highlights the innovative strength of Styria as a business location and the sustainable use of existing infrastructure for the mobility of tomorrow.

 

Photo from left to right: Martin Joch (CEO PJ Messtechnik), Andreas Matthä (CEO ÖBB), Andreas Schaller (BOOM Software)

Martin_Joch_Andreas_Matthä_Andreas_Schaller

PJM in "Eisenbahn-Ingenieur" Magazine: The Future of Vehicle Development

In the current issue of the trade journal Eisenbahn-Ingenieur (EI), February 2026, a technical article examines the increasing complexity in the development and maintenance of rolling stock. Authors Marius Müller (Specialist in Calculation, Fatigue Strength, and Welding Technology) and Wolfgang Konrad (Head of Calculation) from PJ Messtechnik demonstrate how to use interdisciplinary approaches to bring vehicles to the tracks safely and efficiently for a service life of 30 years or more.

Article Highlights:

Interdisciplinary Integration: The traditional authorization process according to the fourth railway package is significantly accelerated through the close integration of railway approvals management, calculation, simulation, design, and measurement technology. PJM operates as an accredited testing laboratory according to EN ISO/IEC 17025.

Focus on Welding Technology: A key success factor is the integration of welding design as early as the conceptual phase. PJM provides welding consultancy according to EN 15085-2, approval, and engineering from a single source, which massively reduces project effort for manufacturers.

Modern Verification Methods: In addition to the classic nominal stress approach, PJM increasingly relies on the notch stress concept. This allows for better utilization of structural reserves and ensures the reliable realization of the intended 30-year service life.

Practical Example – Bogie: PJM recently proved the efficiency of this approach during the development of a bogie frame, completed in early 2025. Through the cooperation of all departments, the goals of weight reduction and full robotic weldability were achieved within an ambitious two-year timeline.

Holistic Support: PJM supports customers throughout the entire life cycle—from the initial concept and authorization to maintenance and repair.

Certified Quality: Alongside accreditation according to ISO/IEC 17025 and welding certification according to EN 15085-2 for calculation and design, PJM’s membership in NAFEMS underscores the high standards for the validity and quality of its simulation processes.

The Experts' Conclusion: The tasks for engineering firms are becoming increasingly extensive. Only through motivated teams covering all areas—from simulation to final approval—can the complex requirements for modern rolling stock be met today.

Rendering

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