What FDS PRO does

FDS Pro (legally France Détection Services) is a privately held, family-owned B2B distributor and service provider specializing in professional equipment for the French water, sanitation, gas, and infrastructure trades. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Le Thor (Vaucluse), the company has operated for 30 years and today employs 100+ people, distributing more than 10,000 product references across 12 categories including sanitation, drinking water, leak detection, gas, fire, PPE, general and specialized tooling, topography, and telecom. Its core technology offering is multi-vendor distribution of branded professional equipment (Ridgid, Metabo, Milwaukee, Bosch, Facom, DeWalt, Topcon) combined with an in-house manufacturing capability via the Belledonne Usinage workshop, which produces proprietary equipment such as casomobiles and BC6/BC4 detectors.\n\nThe company's business model combines hardware distribution with a substantial value-added services stack: Qualiopi-certified professional training across 12+ course modules, an approved after-sales (SAV) center providing calibration and maintenance, equipment rental, and on-site product demonstrations. Distribution is hybrid — regional field sales representatives (technico-commerciaux) cover defined geographic sectors across France while a B2B e-commerce storefront serves registered professional accounts with catalog pricing and quote-based requests. The Topcon positioning franchise (FDS Pro Positioning subsidiary) gives the company exclusive French distribution rights for high-precision GNSS/GPS, total stations, construction lasers, and motor guidance systems targeting surveying and construction professionals.\n\nFDS Pro serves a dual customer base: large enterprise French utility and infrastructure groups (VEOLIA, GRDF, SUEZ, SAUR) on one side, and a long tail of trade professionals — plumbers, water network technicians, pool specialists (piscinistes), waterproofing specialists (étancheurs), water source specialists (fontainiers), surveyors (géomètres), and gas network technicians — on the other. The company reports 12% average annual revenue growth over the past five years, 97% customer satisfaction in 2024, and a 9/10 training satisfaction score for 2025 sessions, with no external funding rounds disclosed. Operating geographies are concentrated in France (national coverage via regional agencies), with the L'HENRY agency covering departments 01/26/38/73/74.

Name

FDS PRO

Legal name

France Détection Services

Website

https://fdspro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FDS Pro (France Détection Services) is a 30-year-old, family-owned French B2B distributor of professional water, sanitation, gas, and infrastructure trades equipment, offering 10,000+ SKUs, exclusive Topcon positioning distribution, in-house manufacturing, Qualiopi-certified training, and rental and after-sales services to utilities and trade professionals across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Water and Sanitation Equipment Distribution

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Miscellaneous Electrical Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (3690), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Trial Supply, Logistics & Vendor Management FSP (HLAGAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Quality Assurance, GxP Compliance & Auditing FSP (HLAGAOAE)

Keywords

• Professional water equipment
• Leak detection tools
• Sanitation equipment distribution
• Topography GNSS solutions
• Professional training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Thor

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 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. Equipment and Hardware Sales: Sale of professional equipment across 12+ product categories including sanitation, detection, drinking water, PPE, gas, fire equipment, general tools, specialized tools, leak detection, telecom, topography. Catalog of 10,000+ SKUs from multiple branded manufacturers. Sales through e-commerce platform and field sales representatives.
2. Equipment Rental: Short-term and long-term rental of professional equipment for water and sanitation trades. Customers can rent equipment for specific projects without purchase.
3. Professional Training Services: Qualiopi-certified training programs for professionals in water, sanitation, detection, and infrastructure trades. Training covers leak detection, sanitation, topography, network detection, fire equipment maintenance, and custom training solutions.
4. After-Sales Service and Calibration: Technical support, equipment calibration, and maintenance services. Approved SAV center providing technical assistance and calibration services.
5. On-Site Demonstrations: Experts travel to customer work sites to demonstrate equipment capabilities, allowing professionals to evaluate products before purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FDS Pro distributes professional equipment, tools, and detection systems for water, sanitation, gas, fire, and infrastructure trades across France through a catalog of more than 10,000 product references in 12+ categories. The company complements equipment distribution with value-added services including Qualiopi-certified professional training, equipment rental, approved after-sales service and calibration, on-site demonstrations, and custom manufacturing via its Belledonne Usinage workshop.

Product overview

FDS Pro is a comprehensive B2B professional equipment distributor and service provider for water network trades, operating primarily in France. The company offers a unified multi-category portfolio of over 10,000 product references across 12 main product categories (Assainissement, Assèchement, Détection, Eau potable, EPI, Gaz, Matériel incendie, Outillage général, Outillage spécialisé, Recherche de fuite, Télécom, and Topographie). The portfolio is structured around three strategic pillars: (1) core distribution of professional equipment from major brands (Ridgid, Metabo, Milwaukee, Bosch, Facom, DeWalt, Topcon, etc.) organized into product categories; (2) proprietary sub-brands including FDS Pro Positioning (Topcon GNSS/GPS/laser distributor) and Difema (welding equipment); and (3) value-added services including QUALIOPI-certified training, equipment rental, approved after-sales service, calibration, and on-site demonstrations. The company also operates Belledonne Usinage, an in-house manufacturing workshop producing professional equipment such as casomobiles and metal detectors. With over 25 years of experience and a network serving major French utility groups, FDS Pro positions itself as a one-stop solution for water, sanitation, gas, and infrastructure professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FDS Pro Positioning: Distributor of Topcon solutions including motor guidance equipment, construction lasers, total stations, and GNSS/GPS systems for construction and topography professionals in France.

Products and services

• FDS Pro Positioning (Topcon Distribution) Exclusive French distributor of Topcon solutions including GNSS/GPS systems, construction lasers, total stations, and motor guidance equipment for construction and topography professionals. Includes engineering sales team and itinerant technicians for consultation and maintenance support.
• Difema (Professional Welding Equipment) Specialized agency for professional welding equipment (agence de matériel de soudage professionnel) operated by FDS Pro, offering professional welding supplies and solutions for tradespeople working on water and gas networks.
• Belledonne Usinage (In-house Manufacturing) FDS Pro's in-house manufacturing workshop producing durable, professional-grade equipment including casomobiles, BC6/BC4 detectors, scraping straps, and operating keys recognized by professionals for quality and performance.
• Formation professionnelle QUALIOPI (Professional Training Programs) Qualiopi-certified professional training programs covering leak detection before/after meter, pool leak detection, roof/terrace leak detection, network detection, sanitation/drying, topography, fire hydrant maintenance, rehabilitation, and audit preparation for network detection and georeferencing. Custom on-demand training also available.
• Location de matériel (Equipment Rental Service) Equipment rental service allowing professionals to rent specialized equipment for temporary or project-based needs, including thermal cameras, GNSS stations, and other professional tools.
• SAV (Service Après-Vente) - After-Sales Service Approved technical assistance service providing repair, calibration, and maintenance of professional equipment throughout its lifecycle.
• Étalonnage (Equipment Calibration) Equipment calibration service ensuring professional tools meet accuracy and compliance standards.
• Démonstration en entreprise (On-Site Product Demonstration) On-site product demonstrations where FDS Pro experts travel to client locations to present equipment directly on customer work sites for evaluation before purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% customer satisfaction rate in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Topcon Positioning France SAScoreTechnology or IntegrationFDS Pro Positioning serves as exclusive French distributor for Topcon solutions including motor guidance systems, construction lasers, total stations, and GNSS/GPS positioning systems for construction and topography professionals. Engineering sales team and itinerant technicians provide personalized support from initial consultation through equipment maintenance.
• VEOLIAmajorOthersLong-standing business relationship with major French water management group. VEOLIA represents one of several national groups served by FDS Pro with professional equipment and tools for water network operations.
• GRDFmajorOthersLong-standing business relationship with French gas distribution network operator. GRDF represents a key national customer for gas equipment and detection tools.
• SUEZmajorOthersEstablished business relationship with major French environmental services group specializing in water management and treatment.
• SAURmajorOthersOngoing commercial relationship with French water services company serving municipalities and industries across France.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Cedeo: French distributor of plumbing, heating, and sanitary equipment serving professional installers, owned by Saint-Gobain. Directly comparable as a B2B distributor of water-trade equipment to French professionals, though broader in heating/HVAC scope.
• Brossette: French wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, and sanitary equipment to professional installers. Comparable distribution model and customer base (French trade professionals) but focused on plumbing/heating rather than leak detection and water networks.

Broad incumbents

• Manutan: European B2B distributor of equipment and supplies for businesses and communities, with French operations headquartered near Paris. Comparable B2B catalog distribution model, though serving a much broader set of professional segments beyond water trades.
• Rexel: Major French-listed distributor of electrical, lighting, and energy management equipment serving professional installers. Comparable B2B distribution model with field sales reps and digital catalog, though focused on electrical rather than water trades.
• Würth France: French subsidiary of Würth Group, a global B2B distributor of assembly and fastening materials, tools, and professional supplies. Comparable field-sales-driven B2B distribution model serving French trades professionals across multiple categories.
• Leica Geosystems: Global manufacturer of surveying and geospatial equipment (total stations, GNSS, laser scanners). Comparable to FDS Pro Positioning's Topcon portfolio, serving the same surveyor/geomatics professional customer base.

Direct peers

• Radiodetection (SPX): Manufacturer of cable and pipe locators, including C.A.T and Genny products sold by FDS Pro. Directly comparable as a supplier of buried utility detection equipment for the same professional customer base, though operating upstream as a manufacturer rather than distributor.
• Sewerin: German manufacturer of gas and water leak detection equipment. Comparable product portfolio (acoustic leak detection, tracer gas, pipe location) targeting similar water utility professionals, and would be a direct competitor for FDS Pro's leak detection category.
• TRACTO-TECHNIK: German manufacturer of trenchless pipe installation and underground utility equipment. Comparable to FDS Pro's sanitation and rehabilitation category, serving contractors who install and rehabilitate underground water and gas networks.

Others

• Topcon Positioning Systems: Japanese-American manufacturer of GNSS, total station, and machine control positioning equipment. FDS Pro Positioning serves as Topcon's exclusive French distributor; comparable as the upstream supplier whose products anchor FDS Pro's positioning business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fdspro830
• Facebookfacebook.com/francedetectionservices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/france-detection-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/fdspro_
• Xx.com/francedetection

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 FDS PRO