Trahan International was founded in 1996 and purchased the patent rights from Mr. Mike Trahan. The company operates under a federal charter and the intellectual property for the invention belongs to Trahan International.

The concept of the levelling rail emerged in 1979 due to the road conditions encountered by Mr. Trahan in a mining operation in northern Manitoba. A number of complaints had been formulated by the operators of heavy equipment. Mr. Trahan proposed the idea of a levelling rail in a meeting with the underground superintendent but he had no interest in the project at that time. 3 years later Mr. Trahan proposed the idea again, this time in a mine situated in Quebec; but the project was not refined enough to convince management. A second presentation was made to the technical department of this same mine but the project was rejected for the third time.

The fluctuation in metal prices reduced considerably the manoeuvring room for the mining industry. This situation necessitated simpler more cost effective solutions to everyday problems. Supported by weak metal prices M. Trahan proposes some innovative ideas to reduce production costs, such as the NuCasel levelling rail, Styrofoam slots, re-usable bumpers, extendable safety fence, etc... The economic conditions of the 1990s facilitated the acceptance of these projects.

In 1993 Mike Trahan becomes responsible for production and development in a small gold mine in northern Quebec; it is at this point that the testing of the NuCasel levelling rail begins in earnest. The rails evolution goes from a piece of 60lbs rail, (life 4 hours) to an old piece of grizzly bar (life one week) The third attempt produces a rail with a wear life of 250 meter hours. This model replaced the traditional grader in 1994 and achieved a $64,000 reduction in road maintenance costs while improving the road conditions.

In the beginning the rail is sold without any installation service or a maintenance program; at this point in time no after sales service exists for the NuCasel rail. For many years the rail is sold in a haphazard manner, Mike Trahan is working full time as mine superintendent in Quebec. In 2002 Mr. Trahan leaves the mining industry and dedicates himself to improving the performance of the levelling rail The key to the rail is the development of a turnbuckle sturdy enough to resist the robust environment under the axle of a production vehicle. The research and development invested in the NuCasel levelling rail has rendered it ready to meet the mining industries demands.

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