Dufournier

What Dufournier does

Dufournier is a privately-held French tire testing specialist headquartered in Riom, operating worldwide for more than 20 years since founding in 2004. The company is organized into three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Dufournier Testing, which runs ISO 17025-accredited indoor and outdoor tire testing including normative R117 wet grip and rolling resistance certification, R&D tests (forces and moments, uniformity), and on-demand testing; Dufournier Industries, which designs and manufactures proprietary testing equipment — notably the AI3T (a 75-meter automated indoor tire test track enabling 24/7 year-round climate-controlled testing), the Skid Trailer with a 6-axis hub sensor homologated for road use, and a Rolling Resistance Machine — together with worldwide after-sales calibration and maintenance services; and Dufournier Technologies, which provides engineering services including test data analysis, tire modeling using the Pacejka 5.2 Magic Formula, and proprietary in-house PFS software, plus 2-day tire analysis training courses delivered over 200 times worldwide.

The company serves three primary enterprise verticals: global tire manufacturers requiring ECE R117-compliant certification and labelling, automotive OEMs (including premium and Formula 1-linked brands) needing validated tire performance data, and racing teams requiring high-precision force and moment measurement. Its revenue model blends professional services (testing, analysis, training) with hardware sales of bespoke testing equipment and a recurring after-sales services layer covering calibration, maintenance, and upgrades. Distribution is exclusively direct enterprise field sales, with no public pricing and all contracts negotiated by contact. Dufournier's competitive positioning rests on the uniqueness of its indoor automated testing infrastructure, its regulatory accreditations, and an integrated single-vendor model spanning equipment, testing, and analysis.

Name

Dufournier

Legal name

Dufournier

Website

https://dufournier.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dufournier is a privately-held French tire testing specialist, founded in 2004, providing ISO 17025-accredited testing services, proprietary testing equipment, and tire modeling/analysis to global tire manufacturers, automotive OEMs, and racing teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tire Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH) Testing / Compliance Measurements (TLAKANAL)

Keywords

• Tire testing services
• Tire testing equipment
• Rolling resistance measurement
• Tire performance analysis
• Automotive tire validation

Headquarters

HQ city

Riom

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tire Testing Services: Normative tests (R117 wet grip, R117 Rolling resistance), Research & Development tests (Force and Moment, Rolling Resistance, Uniformity), and on-demand testing services. Testing performed indoor and outdoor with ISO 17025 certification.
2. Testing Equipment Manufacturing & Sales: Designs, develops and manufactures high-quality tire testing machines including AI3T, Skid Trailer, Rolling Resistance Machine, and quality control devices (RMS & TSD). Provides worldwide after-sales service including calibration, maintenance plans, and upgrading.
3. Tire Analysis & Engineering Services: Test data analysis (Adhesion, Braking capabilities, Behaviour, rolling resistance) and tire modeling services using Pacejka 5.2 and proprietary PFS software.
4. Training Services: 2-day training courses on tire analysis and elastomers. Delivered over 200 times worldwide, with half in Asia. Can be delivered at customer premises or at Dufournier facilities in Riom.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dufournier provides tire testing services, designs and manufactures tire testing equipment, and offers tire performance analysis and modeling. Testing services include normative ECE R117 wet grip and rolling resistance tests as well as R&D measurements of forces, moments, and braking. Equipment includes the AI3T automated indoor tire test track, Skid Trailer, Rolling Resistance Machine, and quality-control devices. Analysis and training services are delivered using proprietary PFS software and the Pacejka 5.2 Magic Formula.

Product overview

Dufournier is a specialized tire testing company operating worldwide for over 20 years, offering a comprehensive portfolio of testing services, testing equipment, and tire analysis solutions. The company operates through three divisions: Dufournier Testing (indoor/outdoor tire testing services including R117 wet grip, rolling resistance, forces & moments, and braking tests), Dufournier Industries (designs and manufactures high-tech testing equipment including the Skid Trailer, AI3T automated indoor tire test track, and Rolling Resistance Machine), and Dufournier Technologies (engineering services including test analysis, Pacejka 5.2 tire modeling, and professional training courses). The company holds ISO 17025 certification and its testing facilities span 8,000 m².

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AI3T (Automated Indoor Tire Test Track) Revolutionary automated indoor tire test track for automobile and commercial vehicle tires (C1 and C2), operating 24/7 year-round with full climate control over temperature, rain, wind, and humidity. Performs R117 wet grip, rolling resistance, forces and moments, and braking tests on a 75m computer-controlled asphalt track. Sold to tire manufacturers, OEMs, and test centers worldwide.
• Skid Trailer Proprietary tire testing equipment featuring a 6-axis hub sensor for Forces & Moments measurements of C1/C2 tires on real ground in dry or wet conditions. Electronically controlled transverse slipping, camber, and vertical load (0–1500 kg, 2000 kg on demand), GPS tracking, homologated for road use, single-operator design.
• Rolling Resistance Machine High-accuracy rolling resistance measurement machine for C1/C2/C3 tires, compliant with UNECE R 117, ISO 28580, and ISO 18164 standards. Features two measurement heads to test two tires simultaneously with premium sensors and actuators. Used for both tire labelling and R&D testing.
• Roughness Measurement System (RMS) Portable roughness measuring device for soil micro and macro-roughness classification. Measures a profile in 15 seconds, supports up to 250 soil analyses with 3-hour battery autonomy, and transfers data via USB in ASCII format. Used to characterize test surfaces for tire testing.
• Tire Selection Device (TSD) Portable, easy-to-use device that verifies tire physical tread properties (e.g., tread uniformity) before testing. Performs non-destructive checks on mounted and inflated tires in less than one minute per tire, optimizing tire matching for testing campaigns.
• R117 Wet Grip Test Certified wet grip testing service compliant with ECE R117 standard, performed at 65 km/h with water levels of 0.5–1.5 mm. Also compliant with ASTM E 274, EU 1222/2009 modified by 228/2011 and 1235/2011, ISO 15222 (C2), and ISO 23671. Includes tire labelling within 1 week.
• R117 Rolling Resistance Test Certified rolling resistance testing service compliant with UNECE R 117, ISO 28580, and ISO 18164 standards. Delivers the R117 label for tires that pass the rolling resistance test, supporting tire labelling certification for C1, C2, and C3 tires.
• Forces & Moments Test Comprehensive 6-axis force and moment measurement service (Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My, Mz) for tires in dry, wet, snow, and ice conditions. Tests performed longitudinally, transversally, or in combined configurations using proprietary equipment.
• Braking Test Braking performance testing in dry, wet, snow, and ice ground conditions at various load and pressure levels. Reveals tire performance in terms of braking distance and grip for OEM validation programs.
• Tire Analysis & Modeling Services Engineering services covering test data analysis (adhesion, braking capabilities, tire behavior, rolling resistance, DMA material analysis) and tire modeling using the Pacejka 5.2 Magic Formula combined with proprietary PFS software. Targeted at tire manufacturers and OEMs.
• Tire Training Courses 2-day professional training courses on tire analysis and elastomers delivered by tire experts. Covers general tire approach, rubber properties, thermomechanical description, and operational use on qualified ground. Delivered over 200 times worldwide (with half in Asia), either at customer premises or at Dufournier facilities in Riom, France.
• Maintenance & Calibration Services Worldwide after-sales services for Dufournier-manufactured testing equipment including calibration, maintenance plans, and upgrading. Covers equipment maintenance, engineering and design support, analysis, and tailor-made trainings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tire labelling within 1 week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• HORIBA: Automotive test equipment and instrumentation supplier with tire and chassis dynamometer offerings. Competes with Dufournier Industries on rolling resistance and drivetrain test equipment sold to OEMs and tire manufacturers.
• MTS Systems: Mechanical and materials test equipment manufacturer serving automotive, tire, and aerospace markets with dynamometers and force/moment test rigs. Comparable as a peer in tire force/moment test equipment manufacturing rather than lab services.
• AB Dynamics: Specialist in vehicle dynamics test equipment and driving robots used by OEMs, proving grounds, and tire manufacturers. Comparable peer in supplying high-precision, automated tire and vehicle test systems, especially for forces & moments and braking test scenarios.

Direct peers

• Smithers: Independent tire and vehicle testing laboratory operating proving grounds and accredited labs in the US and Europe. Directly competes with Dufournier Testing on R117 wet grip, rolling resistance, forces & moments, and braking services for the same tire manufacturer and OEM customers.
• Calspan: US-based vehicle dynamics and tire testing provider operating proving grounds and accredited labs. Competes with Dufournier on forces & moments, braking, and tire performance testing for North American and global OEMs.
• Applus+ IDIADA: Automotive engineering services and proving ground in Spain offering tire performance testing, vehicle dynamics, and homologation support. Competes head-on with Dufournier for OEM and tire manufacturer testing contracts in Europe and offers complementary certification services.
• UTAC: French vehicle and tire testing, certification, and homologation organization. Both a competitor to Dufournier Testing in regulatory tire testing and a customer using Dufournier Industries' equipment, making it a tightly overlapping peer in the same European market.

Broad incumbents

• AVL: Global automotive engineering services and test equipment provider with strong tire and vehicle dynamics testing capabilities. Adjacent peer offering tire/vehicle testing services and proprietary test equipment to the same OEM and supplier base.
• Rheinland TÜV (TÜV Rheinland): Major international testing, inspection, and certification body providing tire performance and homologation services globally. Overlaps with Dufournier on regulatory tire testing but at much broader scale and across many industries.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant already serving Dufournier's customer base as a customer. Overlaps with Dufournier on tire regulatory testing and certification but operates as a broad multi-industry TIC incumbent rather than a tire-specialized lab.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DufournierSAS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dufournier

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Dufournier