What Reel does

REEL International is a privately held French industrial group, founded in 1946, that designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains complex industrial lifting, handling, and processing systems for sectors including aeronautics, defense, energy, metallurgy, offshore, hydro, and nuclear. The group operates through 11 wholly-owned specialty sub-brands — among them REEL AEMCO (nuclear maintenance and technical studies), IMECA (offshore lifting), REEL AEI (drilling machines), REEL NKM Noell Special Cranes, REEL NFM Systems (handling systems), REEL Möller (pneumatic transport and storage), and the recently retained CNIM Systèmes Industriels — organized to address distinct technical niches within heavy industry.

The group's nuclear-exposed business, REEL AEMCO, provides preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance, technical studies, and custom equipment design for sensitive nuclear installations, with a flagship product line of hermetically sealed Nuclear Glove Boxes for handling contaminated or radioactive materials. Operations are anchored in three French sites (Codolet, Cherbourg-Octeville, Saint Paul lez Durance) and now a North American factory in Springfield, Ohio, and the group holds a dense stack of nuclear-sector certifications — CEFRI 'E', EDF UTO, CAEAR Domaines 2.2, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 19443 (the latter achieved in 2025 as a global first).

Revenue is generated through B2B professional-services contracts and one-off custom equipment sales under quote-based pricing, with no public disclosure of financials. The 2025 launch of "REEL Vision Industrie 4.0" marks a step into recurring, data-driven predictive maintenance, complementing the traditional service and equipment revenue mix. The customer base is concentrated in the French nuclear and heavy-industrial verticals, served almost exclusively through direct field operations rather than channel partners.

Name

Reel

Legal name

REEL International

Website

https://aemco.reel.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

REEL International is a privately held French industrial group that designs, manufactures, and maintains complex lifting, handling, and processing systems for nuclear, offshore, defense, and heavy-industry clients across Europe and North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineering & Nuclear Maintenance Services

NAICS

Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (811210)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Balance-of-Plant (BOP) EPC (Turbine Island, Conventional Systems, Buildings) (EUAKAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Electrical, Automation & Control Systems (Power, PLC/SCADA, Navigation/Comms Integration) (TLAHAMAE)

Keywords

• Nuclear maintenance services
• Industrial lifting systems
• Material handling equipment
• Nuclear glove boxes
• Offshore lifting solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-cyr-au-mont-d'or

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Nuclear Maintenance Services: Preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance services for complex nuclear installations covering mechanics, automation, instrumentation, nuclear ventilation, weak currents, and irradiated measurements
2. Custom Equipment Design and Manufacturing: Design and realization of custom-made equipment for nuclear installations including ultimate emergency lines, mobile unit modifications, fire door compliance, process equipment, and specific tooling

Core offering

REEL AEMCO is a French subsidiary of REEL International specialized in nuclear maintenance operations (preventive, corrective, and predictive), technical studies, and the design and manufacture of custom equipment for sensitive nuclear installations. Its capabilities span mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, automation, nuclear ventilation, weak currents, irradiated measurements, and control-command systems, with flagship products including hermetically sealed nuclear glove boxes for handling radioactive materials.

Product overview

REEL International is an independent company that designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains complex industrial lifting and handling systems integrated into clients' processes worldwide. The portfolio includes multiple sub-brands: REEL AEMCO (nuclear maintenance and technical studies), IMECA (lifting and offshore solutions), REEL AEI (drilling machines), REEL CMF, REEL COH (electromechanical lifting), REEL MC Levage, REEL Möller (pneumatic transport and storage), REEL NFM Systems, and REEL NKM Noell Special Cranes. REEL AEMCO specifically offers nuclear maintenance operations, technical studies, custom equipment including nuclear glove boxes, and specialized services for the nuclear sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• REEL AEMCO: Nuclear maintenance operations, technical studies, and specific equipment manufacturing for sensitive installations.
• IMECA
• REEL AEI
• REEL Alesa
• REEL CMF
• REEL COH
• REEL MC Levage
• REEL Möller
• REEL NFM Systems
• REEL NKM Noell Special Cranes
• CNIM Systèmes Industriels

Products and services

• REEL AEMCO Nuclear Maintenance Services Comprehensive nuclear maintenance operations (preventive, corrective, predictive) and technical studies for complex nuclear installations, covering mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, automation, nuclear ventilation, weak currents, irradiated measurements, and control-command domains. Targets nuclear power plant operators and sensitive nuclear facility operators in France.
• Nuclear Glove Boxes (Boîtes à gants nucléaires) Hermetically sealed enclosures equipped with integrated gloves, allowing operators to safely handle sensitive, contaminated, or radioactive materials in confined environments. Manufactured by REEL AEMCO for nuclear facility operators.
• Custom Equipment Design and Manufacturing for Nuclear Installations Design and realization of custom-made equipment for nuclear installations including ultimate emergency lines, mobile unit modifications, fire door compliance, process equipment, and specific tooling. For nuclear power plant operators and sensitive nuclear facility operators.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Groupe Snef: French electrical engineering and industrial services group with significant nuclear division providing instrumentation, control-command, and maintenance — direct competitor to REEL AEMCO's control-command work.
• Assystem: French engineering and nuclear services firm providing technical studies, maintenance engineering, and instrumentation support to EDF and other nuclear operators — directly comparable to REEL AEMCO's maintenance and study services.
• Orano: French nuclear fuel cycle company with significant maintenance, decommissioning, and equipment engineering services for nuclear installations. Comparable in regulatory credentials and EDF relationship to REEL AEMCO.
• Framatome: French nuclear reactor services and equipment supplier, wholly owned by EDF. Direct competitor to REEL AEMCO for nuclear BOP maintenance, instrumentation, and custom equipment, with deeper EPC scope but overlapping customer base.
• Demathieu Bard Industrie: French industrial services and nuclear maintenance contractor with similar EDF and nuclear operator certifications. Comparable size and scope to REEL AEMCO in French nuclear maintenance.
• Endel (EDF subsidiary): EDF-owned industrial services provider specializing in nuclear maintenance, boiler-making, and BOP mechanical services. Closest direct competitor to REEL AEMCO given EDF parentage.
• Nuvia (Vinci Energies): Specialized nuclear services arm of Vinci providing engineering, maintenance, and radiological protection across European nuclear sites. Directly comparable to REEL AEMCO in scope and customer base.
• Spie Nucléaire: Subsidiary of SPIE providing nuclear maintenance, electrical, instrumentation, and HVAC services. Direct overlap with REEL AEMCO's nuclear maintenance service lines.

Broad incumbents

• Liebherr: Major diversified industrial group with cranes, maritime, and aerospace divisions. Competes with REEL NKM Noell Special Cranes and IMECA for industrial and offshore lifting projects.
• Konecranes: Global industrial lifting and cranes leader serving similar industrial end-markets (nuclear, ports, manufacturing). Overlaps with REEL's lifting and handling brand portfolio (NKM Noell, CMF, COH, MC Levage).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries11 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 Reel