What Alvest does

Alvest is a Paris-headquartered industrial group dedicated to the design, manufacture, and distribution of technical products for the aviation industry, with a portfolio anchored in ground support equipment (GSE) and adjacent services. Its wholly owned subsidiaries — TLD Group (8 factories across 3 continents and a 40-location global network producing aircraft tugs, baggage and cargo tractors, loaders, deicers, ground power units, pre-conditioned air units, and lavatory/water vehicles), Smart Airport Systems (sustainable aviation solutions including TaxiBot engine-OFF taxiing and APU-OFF systems), Alvest Equipment Services (AES, providing rental, leasing, fleet management, pooling, and maintenance), Sage Parts (the world's largest GSE and airport-related replacement parts distributor across 11 countries), and AERO Specialties (GSE solutions for general aviation, FBOs, MROs, and military) — collectively serve more than 2,000 airports and over 21,000 organizations worldwide. TractEasy, a joint venture with EasyMile, extends the portfolio into autonomous towing solutions (EZTow and EZDolly) deployed at airports and automotive manufacturing sites such as BMW Group Plant Dingolfing and Daimler Truck AG.

The company monetizes through a mix of capital equipment sales, recurring parts distribution, recurring rental and leasing contracts, and managed services for GSE fleets, with a B2B enterprise go-to-market executed through a global field sales network and major industry trade shows. Electric and hybrid clean solutions now represent nearly 60% of sales, and Alvest has committed to end production of internal combustion GSE by the end of 2025, supported by a 52% Scope 3 emissions intensity reduction target by 2030. The group operates under private equity ownership following the July 2025 acquisition by PAI Partners and ADIA, with governance led by President and CEO Valentin Schmitt and a management committee spanning regional CEOs across TLD regions (ECLA, ECAT, NOCA, IMEA, CSEA) and each operating subsidiary.

Name

Alvest

Legal name

Alvest Holding SAS

Website

https://alvest.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Alvest is a Paris-headquartered industrial group that designs, manufactures, and distributes aviation ground support equipment, spare parts, and related services through subsidiaries TLD, Smart Airport Systems, AES, Sage Parts, AERO Specialties, and TractEasy, serving more than 2,000 airports and 21,000+ organizations worldwide under PAI Partners and ADIA ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Ground Support Equipment

NAICS

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Airport Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Vehicle Manufacturing (IMACAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerospace & Defense (TLAIALAB), Construction & Industrial Equipment Rental/Leasing (Earthmoving, Material Handling, Aerial) (TLABAHAF)

Keywords

• Aviation ground support equipment
• Aircraft towing tractors
• Baggage and cargo handling
• GSE spare parts distribution
• Autonomous airport vehicles

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Ground Support Equipment Manufacturing: Design, assembly, and distribution of complete range of ground support equipment including aircraft cargo loaders, deicers, pushback tractors, baggage tractors, ground power units, pre-conditioned air units, air start units, lavatory/water vehicles, transporters and dollies
2. Spare Parts Distribution: Global distribution of replacement parts and accessories for all types and brands of GSE through Sage Parts, the world's largest GSE parts supplier
3. GSE Rental & Leasing Services: Rental and leasing services for ground support equipment through Alvest Equipment Services (AES)
4. Fleet Management & Pooling Services: Fleet management and pooling system services for GSE, including maintenance and refurbishment, and second-hand equipment sales

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alvest is a global industrial group dedicated to the design, manufacture, assembly, distribution, and after-sales support of aviation ground support equipment (GSE) — including aircraft towing tractors, baggage and cargo tractors, cargo loaders, deicers, ground power units, pre-conditioned air units, lavatory/water vehicles, and autonomous towing vehicles. Through its TLD, Smart Airport Systems, AES, Sage Parts, AERO Specialties, and TractEasy subsidiaries, the group serves more than 2,000 airports in over 40 countries, supplying new equipment, spare parts, rental/leasing, fleet management, and pooling services to airlines, airports, and GSE fleet operators worldwide.

Product overview

Alvest is a group dedicated to the design, manufacture, and distribution of technical products for the aviation industry, including aviation ground support equipment, spare parts, and services. The company operates through multiple subsidiary brands: TLD Group (core equipment design, assembly, and distribution with 8 factories across 3 continents and 40 global locations), Smart Airport Systems (sustainable aviation solutions for fuel savings and emissions reduction), Alvest Equipment Services (full-service GSE support including rental, leasing, fleet management, maintenance, and pooling), Sage Parts (world's largest GSE parts distributor), AERO Specialties (complete GSE solutions for aviation customers), and TractEasy (autonomous towing joint venture with EasyMile offering EZTow and EZDolly autonomous vehicles). The portfolio is unified under the 'Leaner & Greener' vision, providing complete aircraft ground support solutions to more than 2,000 airports worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TLD: Leading industrial group specializing in design, assembly, distribution and after-sales support of airport ground support equipment
• Smart Airport Systems
• Sage Parts
• AERO Specialties
• TractEasy
• Alvest Equipment Services (AES)

Products and services

• Aircraft cargo loaders Equipment used to load and unload cargo into aircraft holds, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Aircraft deicers Specialized vehicles for deicing aircraft wings and fuselage, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Pushback tractors Aircraft pushback tractors for moving aircraft away from gates at airports, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Baggage tractors Tow tractors used to pull baggage trailers between terminals and aircraft, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Ground power units Units supplying electrical power to parked aircraft at gates, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Pre-conditioned air units Units that deliver cooled or heated air to aircraft cabins while parked at gates, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Air start units Units providing compressed air to start aircraft engines, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Lavatory and water vehicles Vehicles for servicing aircraft lavatories and refilling potable water tanks, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• Transporters and dollies Baggage and cargo transporters and dollies used for moving loads between terminals and aircraft, part of the complete GSE portfolio sold to airlines, airports, and ground handling operators worldwide.
• TaxiBot semi-robotic aircraft taxiing solution Electric semi-robotic towing vehicle enabling aircraft to taxi from gate to runway without using the aircraft engines, reducing emissions and fuel consumption during ground operations. Targeted at airlines and airports.
• EZTow autonomous electric driverless tow tractor The most widely deployed electric, driverless tow tractor designed for industrial sites, airports, and logistics centers, optimizing operational efficiency while enhancing safety and performance.
• EZDolly autonomous cargo dolly Autonomous cargo dolly developed by TractEasy for autonomous cargo handling at airports and logistics centers.
• Sage Parts GSE spare parts distribution Distribution of replacement parts and accessories for all types and brands of GSE including aircraft cargo loaders, deicers, pushback tractors, baggage tractors, ground power units, and more, supplied to operators globally.
• GSE rental and leasing services Rental and leasing of ground support equipment for airlines, airports, and GSE fleet operators, delivered through Alvest Equipment Services (AES).
• GSE fleet management and pooling services Comprehensive GSE fleet management, pooling systems, maintenance and refurbishment, and second-hand equipment sales delivered through Alvest Equipment Services (AES).
• AERO Specialties complete aircraft GSE solutions Manufacture and distribution of complete aircraft ground support equipment solutions for general aviation customers, corporate aviation, FBOs, MRO facilities, military, and airlines worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 328,000 tons of CO2 avoided for customers in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• IfremerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench research institute for ocean exploitation, partner in Fabrice Amedeo's Ocean Calling project. Scientific institution collecting oceanographic data through sensors on the sailboat.
• University of BordeauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in Ocean Calling project, contributing to scientific research on ocean preservation through Fabrice Amedeo's sailing expeditions.
• Geomar (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman marine science research institute partner in Ocean Calling project, utilizing oceanographic data collected during sailing races.
• Max Planck InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman research institute partner in Ocean Calling project for ocean science and marine biodiversity research.
• Cawthron InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand's leading marine research institute, partner in Ocean Calling project for environmental DNA sensor data and marine life inventory research.
• TractEasy (Joint Venture with EasyMile)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture between Alvest and EasyMile developing autonomous towing solutions including EZTow (most widely-deployed electric driverless tow tractor) and EZDolly autonomous cargo dolly. TractEasy GmbH established in Berlin in December 2024.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• JBT AeroTech (JBT Corporation): JBT Corporation's AeroTech division is the most direct global competitor in airport ground support equipment, deicers, cargo loaders, and airside systems. It competes head-to-head with TLD/Alvest across the same airline and airport customers.
• Tronair: Tronair manufactures GSE, aircraft jacks, tow bars, and ground support equipment primarily for general aviation, FBOs, and MROs - directly comparable to Alvest's AERO Specialties subsidiary product range.
• Textron Aviation (TUG Technologies) / Textron Ground Support Equipment: Textron's aviation GSE business (formerly TUG) manufactures aircraft tow tractors, baggage tugs, and ground support equipment - a direct competitor to TLD across commercial and military GSE applications.
• Mallaghan: Mallaghan is a leading global manufacturer of GSE including deicers, passenger stairs, and catering trucks, serving airports and airlines worldwide - a direct head-to-head competitor in commercial GSE.
• ITW GSE: ITW GSE manufactures ground power units, pre-conditioned air, and PCA equipment that competes directly with TLD and Smart Airport Systems' product lines at airline gates and hangars.
• Global Ground Support (GGS): Global Ground Support produces GSE and deicing trucks for civil and military airports, providing directly competing deicer and ground support equipment solutions to Alvest.

Broad incumbents

• Goldhofer: Goldhofer is a German manufacturer of heavy-duty and specialty transport vehicles including airport tow tractors and aircraft recovery equipment, overlapping with Alvest's heavy-tow and specialty GSE portfolio.

Regional players

• Guinault: Guinault is a French manufacturer of aircraft ground power units and air conditioning units (PCAs), a regional/European competitor to TLD and Smart Airport Systems' ground power product lines.

Emerging players

• Aurrigo International: Aurrigo develops autonomous electric vehicles for airport baggage handling and logistics, positioning itself as a competitor to TractEasy's EZTow/EZDolly in the autonomous GSE space.
• EasyMile: EasyMile is the technology partner in the TractEasy JV and an autonomous mobility specialist. While not a direct customer-competing peer, it provides the autonomous driving stack that powers Alvest's EZTow/EZDolly differentiation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/25944718

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alvest