CERTIFER

What CERTIFER does

CERTIFER S.A. is a French private company founded in 1997 that provides Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) services exclusively to the railway and guided urban transport industries. Headquartered in Valenciennes, France, the company operates four service pillars: Testing and Test Organisation (including non-destructive testing, the Try&Cert ISO 17025-accredited ETCS onboard laboratory with SNCF CIM, and fire-behaviour inter-laboratory comparison campaigns under EN 45545-2); Inspection and Certification (NoBo/DeBo/AsBo services under EU interoperability regulations, Independent Safety Assessment, ECM certification, and cybersecurity evaluation); Advisory Solutions (systems safety engineering, quality management, project management, and maintenance consulting); and the CERTIFER Academy, which delivers 50+ training modules across seven expertise domains in multiple languages. The company holds six Notified Body designations across European and international jurisdictions, over 30 national recognitions, and accreditations under ISO 17020, 17021, 17025, and 17065, positioning it as one of the few entities globally authorised to issue binding interoperability and safety assessments for rail subsystems.

CERTIFER is structured around two business units — TIC and Solutions — delivered through a network of 24 entity offices across 18 countries spanning Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America, and South America. Revenue is generated on a professional services basis through project-based engagements with railway infrastructure managers, operators, contractors, and equipment suppliers; training services carry publicly disclosed unit pricing (750 EUR per person per day for individual modules, 1,500 EUR for two-day programs), while TIC and advisory services are quote-based. Major clients include SNCF Réseau, Banedanmark, Rail Baltica, RFF, Eiffage Concessions, and the Belgian Railway Infrastructure Manager, with project references covering high-speed lines (BPL HSL, TGV POS), urban extensions (EOLE, CDG Express), national electrification programmes, and greenfield cross-border corridors.

The company is majority-owned (70%) by Apave, a French risk-management group with more than 150 years of history, with the remaining 30% held by the CERTIFER Association — an industry consortium comprising SNCF, RATP, FIF (rail manufacturers), and Institut Gustave Eiffel. With over 650 multidisciplinary assessors, 500 sector experts, and 10,000+ completed projects across 50+ countries, CERTIFER combines structural regulatory credentials with deep domain specialisation, though the business model is capital-light services rather than technology-licensed. Expansion beyond pure rail into piling, hoisting, and lifting equipment inspection (via the HHC/DRS Dutch subsidiary) and cybersecurity evaluation (ICE/ICA) represents the company's primary diversification vectors.

Name

CERTIFER

Legal name

CERTIFER S.A.

Website

https://certifer.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CERTIFER is a French railway and urban-transport TIC firm providing testing, inspection, certification, and advisory services through 24 offices in 18 countries, holding six Notified Body designations and serving state-owned infrastructure managers and rolling-stock operators across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Testing, Inspection & Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Rolling Stock Testing, Inspection & Certification (NDT, commissioning, compliance) (TLAKAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Testing, Inspection, Certification & Commissioning (TICx) Technical Services (BPAHAIAL), Commissioning, testing & energization services (HVT, relay testing, SAT) (EUADAKAE), Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

Keywords

• Railway testing services
• Rail inspection certification
• Urban transport advisory
• Rolling stock assessment
• Rail safety certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Valenciennes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Services: Testing and test organisation services for vehicles, components, and software validation, including commissioning authorisation support and independent validation/verification per EN 50128:2011 and EN 50657:2017.
2. Inspection & Certification Services: Inspection and certification of railway systems including NoBo, DeBo, AsBo, and ISA missions. Covers infrastructure, energy, rolling stock, control-command and signalling, and global systems.
3. Advisory / Solutions Services: Tailored consulting solutions including system safety and systems engineering, quality management, project management, and maintenance services for railway projects.
4. Training / Academy Services: Training programs with over 50 modules across 7 expertise domains, offered in multiple languages to railway professionals globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CERTIFER provides testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services combined with advisory solutions for the railway and urban transportation industries. The company independently assesses the safety, reliability, and interoperability of rolling stock, rail infrastructure, and urban transit systems, serving infrastructure managers, manufacturers, operators, contractors, and equipment suppliers. Its service portfolio spans technical evaluation, conformity assessment, and strategic consulting across the rail and public transport value chain.

Product overview

CERTIFER is a specialized railway mobility certification and testing services company offering four interconnected service pillars: Testing & Test Organization, Inspection & Certification (TIC), Advisory Solutions, and Academy training. The Testing division encompasses non-destructive testing, the Try&Cert ETCS laboratory, and fire behavior campaigns. The TIC division delivers NoBo/DeBo/AsBo certification services, Independent Safety Assessment (ISA), cybersecurity evaluation (ICE/ICA), and ECM certification through a network of 500+ assessors. The Advisory Solutions unit provides system safety engineering, quality management, project management, and maintenance consulting. The Academy offers 50+ training modules in 7 domains across multiple languages, all grounded in project experience from 50+ countries. The company serves railway, urban transport (trams, metros, autonomous vehicles), and piling/hoisting/lifting markets with operations across 50+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CERTIFER Solutions: Tailor-made solutions for railway projects including safety, quality, project management and maintenance advisory services.
• Try&Cert
• CERTIFER Academy

Products and services

• Rail Testing Services Independent testing of railway and urban transportation assets to verify safety, reliability, and performance against applicable technical and regulatory standards. Sold to infrastructure managers, operators, and manufacturers requiring accredited third-party evidence.
• Rail Inspection Services Independent inspection of rolling stock, rail infrastructure, and urban transit systems, covering condition, conformity, and compliance reviews. Provided to infrastructure managers, contractors, equipment suppliers, and operators.
• Rail Certification Services Independent third-party certification of railway and urban transit assets, including safety and interoperability certifications required by operators, regulators, and infrastructure authorities.
• Rail and Urban Transport Advisory Services Strategic, technical, and project advisory services for railway and urban transportation stakeholders, supporting decision-making across the asset and project lifecycle. Sold to operators, authorities, manufacturers, and contractors.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Network Certification Body (NCB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2020CERTIFER works alongside NCB (Network Certification Body) as Notified Body (NoBo) for the Rail Baltica project, one of Europe's largest railway infrastructure projects spanning Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
• CIM (Centre d'Ingénierie du Matériel Roulant) - SNCFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018CERTIFER collaborates with CIM (SNCF's Rolling Stock Engineering Centre) to operate Try&Cert, an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for ETCS testing, evaluation, and certification of on-board ETCS components. CIM provides the laboratory infrastructure and railway expertise while CERTIFER provides independent certification services.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC conglomerate with a dedicated rail and mobility practice offering testing, inspection, and certification across rolling stock, infrastructure, and signalling. Comparable to CERTIFER in service portfolio but operates at significantly greater scale and broader industry coverage including marine, energy, and commodities.
• TÜV SÜD: Large German-headquartered TIC group providing rail vehicle type approval, NoBo/AsBo/DeBo services, signalling certification, and cybersecurity assessment under ISO 21434 / IEC 62443. Directly competes with CERTIFER for European rail interoperability work while serving broader industrial TIC verticals.
• TÜV Rheinland: Global TIC incumbent with a recognised mobility/rail practice covering rolling stock homologation, infrastructure inspection, and functional safety. Overlaps with CERTIFER's NoBo/ISA services and is a frequent co-bidder or alternative on major European rail tenders.
• RINA: Italy-based TIC and engineering group with a dedicated transport infrastructure division offering certification, safety assessment, and engineering services for rail and urban transit. Direct overlap with CERTIFER in Italian and Mediterranean markets, particularly for high-speed and metro certification work.
• SGS: World's largest TIC company by revenue, with rail industry services covering rolling stock inspection, materials testing, and supply-chain certification. Competes with CERTIFER for global rail industrial inspection work, though rail is one of many verticals for SGS rather than a strategic focus.
• DEKRA: Germany-based TIC incumbent offering rail vehicle approval, cybersecurity assessment, and infrastructure inspection. Overlaps with CERTIFER's TIC services across Europe and competes on ETCS homologation projects.
• TÜV NORD: German-headquartered TIC conglomerate with rail and mobility services including vehicle certification, infrastructure inspection, and signalling assessment. Competes with CERTIFER in DACH-region NoBo engagements and broader European rail tenders.

Direct peers

• Ricardo Certification: Specialist rail certification business within the Ricardo Group, providing NoBo, DeBo, AsBo, ISA, and ECM services to rolling stock manufacturers and operators. Most directly comparable peer to CERTIFER in terms of service mix, customer profile, and revenue scale.
• Network Certification Body (NCB): UK-based specialist rail certification body offering NoBo, DeBo, AsBo and ISA services to rail infrastructure managers and suppliers. Directly comparable to CERTIFER, with whom it has partnered on the Rail Baltica NoBo engagement; competes in adjacent UK and European markets.

Others

• Apave: Parent company of CERTIFER (70% stake) and a 150-year-old French risk-management and TIC group operating across construction, energy, industry, and rail. Included as an enabling/parent entity rather than a direct competitor, but operationally aligned with CERTIFER's TIC mandate and the source of strategic and financial direction.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certifer

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries22 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 CERTIFER