ALCEN

What ALCEN does

Alcen is a supplier and manufacturer of equipment in five fields that defense and Security, energy, medical and healthcare, aeronautics and space, instruments. They provide medical machines with demanding mechanical components, equipment for the navy. They also serve solar energies, energy storage technologies, equipment for Oil & Gas, and civil nuclear power.

Name

ALCEN

Legal name

ALCEN

Website

https://www.alcen.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alcen is an industrial group that operates, energy, healthcare, aeronautics & space, and large scientific instruments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial High-Technology Components and Subsystems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers) (IMAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Defense electronics
• Scientific instruments
• Photonic components
• Optical systems
• Industrial subsystems

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Defense & Security Components and Systems: Sale of specialized components including ball bearings, optronic systems, underwater drones, simulation systems, and electronic warfare equipment to defense primes and military organizations. Revenue is generated through direct contracts and long-term supplier relationships.
2. Medical Equipment and Diagnostics: Sale of medical machines including particle accelerators, cyclotrons, radiotherapy systems, diagnostic tests, and biobank automation systems to healthcare providers and medical research institutions.
3. Energy Systems and Components: Sale of nuclear components, methanation units, cryogenic systems, and syntactic foam products to energy companies and nuclear facilities.
4. Aerospace Components: Manufacturing and sale of precision components including actuators, valves, tube fittings, and antenna molds to aerospace manufacturers for aircraft and satellite applications.
5. Scientific Instruments and R&D Services: Provision of components and systems for large scientific research programs including lasers, particle accelerators, telescopes, and fusion reactors, often through partnerships with research institutions.
6. Engineering and Maintenance Services: Specialized engineering services including maintenance, upgrade, and life-extension services for naval systems, simulation systems, and complex machinery, often provided on-site to military and industrial clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ALCEN is a French industrial group that designs, manufactures and supplies specialized high-technology components and subsystems for five verticals: defense, energy, healthcare, aeronautics & space, and large scientific instruments. Its portfolio spans optronics, photonic components, CBRN detection, life-sciences and scientific instrumentation, delivered through specialist subsidiaries (including BERTIN, BFi OPTiLAS, CORPO and ITM) to prime contractors, governments and research institutions.

Product overview

ALCEN is a French technology group organized into subsidiaries focusing on distinct technology areas across Defense & Security, Energy, Medical & Healthcare, Aeronautics & Space, and Large Scientific Instruments. The product portfolio includes: ADR's precision ball bearings and actuators for defense and aerospace; ADROHA's fixed-wing and multi-rotor UAVs; ALSEAMAR's underwater robotics including SeaExplorer gliders, submarine propulsion vehicles, and acoustic systems; LERITY's vision systems including CAT EYE cameras and HEMISPACE drone detection; ALSYMEX's mechanical systems for nuclear, space, and industrial applications; AVELION's medical particle accelerators (LINAC ORIATRON, iMiTRACE cyclotron) and iMiGiNE robotic radiopharmaceutical production; THERYQ's FLASHKNiFE FLASH radiotherapy; BETA BEAMS' electron beam sterilization; ALCEDIAG's psychiatric diagnostic tests (EDIT-B, EDITOX); SkillCell's rapid diagnostic tests; ITOPP's high pulsed-power and microwave systems; IRELEC's biobank automation; KHIMOD's methanation units; and BMTI's syntactic foam. The company operates a governance model favoring subsidiary autonomy with cross-domain technology transfer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BMTI: Sub-brand of ALSEAMAR for pure syntactic foam for subsea buoyancy applications at extreme depths (1,000 to 12,000m).
• METHAMOD
• FLASHKNiFE
• iMiGiNE
• iMiTRACE
• CAT EYE
• HEMISPACE

Products and services

• Defense electronics, optronics and CBRN detection systems (BERTIN)

Quantifiable outcome

• EDIT-B reduces bipolar disorder diagnosis delay from over 7 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CEA DAM (Direction des Applications Militaires)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with CEA's Military Applications Division, one of ALCEN's key research partners in defense technology development, supporting the company's defense activities.
• CEA DRT (Direction de la Recherche Technologique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic research partnership with CEA's Technological Research Division for applied technology development across multiple sectors.
• CEA DRF (Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CEA's Fundamental Research Division supporting advanced research and technology transfer across ALCEN's business segments.
• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with CNRS laboratories, France's primary national research organization, supporting fundamental and applied research programs.
• IfremermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ifremer, the French national institute for ocean science, supporting underwater robotics and marine research applications.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the French Geological Survey supporting geological and environmental applications of ALCEN's technologies.
• ONERA (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the French Aerospace Lab supporting aerospace technology development and applications.
• CEA LIST (Laboratoire d'Intégration des Systèmes et des Technologie)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development with CEA LIST on teleoperation welding systems, collaborating on remote welding technology development.
• CEA LITEN (Laboratoire d'Innovations pour les Technologies Energétiques)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint laboratory 'LACRE' with CEA Liten for the development of METHAMOD methanation technology, addressing CO2 transformation and energy storage through power-to-gas solutions.
• Schools and UniversitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with academic institutions supporting technology transfer, talent development, and applied research programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Safran: Major French aerospace and defense group producing aircraft equipment, propulsion, and defense electronics. Comparable to ALCEN as a diversified French industrial technology supplier serving aerospace primes and defense customers, though at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Thales: French defense electronics, aerospace, and transportation technology group. Comparable to ALCEN in supplying mission-critical optronics, avionics, and surveillance systems to French and allied militaries, with overlap in HUD cameras, vision systems, and naval electronics.
• Naval Group: French naval defense shipbuilder and submarine systems integrator. Directly comparable to ALCEN's ALSEAMAR subsidiary for underwater vehicles, swimmer delivery vehicles, and submarine communication buoys supplied to the Marine Nationale.
• MBDA: European missile systems joint venture (Airbus, BAE Systems, Leonardo). Comparable to ALCEN in high pulsed-power and microwave-based defense systems through ITOPP, and as a European strategic defense supplier serving French armed forces.
• Varian Medical Systems (Siemens Healthineers): Global leader in radiation oncology and particle therapy systems. Comparable to ALCEN's THERYQ FLASHKNiFE radiotherapy and AVELION's linear accelerators, addressing the same hospital oncology customers with complementary or competing technology.
• Framatome: French nuclear reactor services and fuel manufacturer. Comparable to ALCEN's ALSYMEX nuclear hot cell systems, glove boxes, and safety mechanisms deployed across EDF and global EPR reactor fleet.
• Teledyne Technologies: US-listed industrial conglomerate with segments in instrumentation, digital imaging, and engineered systems. Comparable to ALCEN's multi-vertical model spanning vision/imaging (LERITY), nuclear (ALSYMEX), underwater systems (ALSEAMAR), and scientific instruments (IRELEC).

Direct peers

• iXblue (Exail): French high-tech company specializing in inertial navigation, underwater systems, and autonomous maritime robotics. Directly comparable to ALCEN's ALSEAMAR subsidiary (SeaExplorer gliders, navigation systems) and its use of fiber optic gyroscopes.
• Cohort plc: UK-listed group of defense and technology subsidiaries serving naval, aerospace, and security markets. Most directly comparable to ALCEN's multi-subsidiary holding model with independent technology units serving strategic defense customers.
• Chemring Group: UK defense technology group with specialty energetic and detection products. Comparable to ALCEN's ITOPP high pulsed-power defense technologies and counter-drone electronic warfare capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alcen

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about ALCEN