Mobilis
Mobilis is a French designer and manufacturer of modular maritime and fluvial navigation buoys, serving port authorities, defense, dredging, oil/gas, scientific, and inland waterway operators across 85 countries. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, it operates an in-house rotomoulding factory and offers proprietary software (CALMAR) recognized by IALA/AISM.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersAix-en-provence, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Mobilis does
Mobilis is a privately held French designer, manufacturer, and distributor of maritime and fluvial navigation equipment, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Aix-en-Provence. The company produces a modular portfolio of buoys organized into product lines including JET (JET 5000/7000/9000), AQ (AQ 1500), SP (ice-zone spar buoys SP 630–1200), MODULE (e.g., MODULE 1200), DB (oceanographic data buoys DB 5000–24000), and AMR series, spanning floating beaconing, fixed beaconing, luminous beaconing, data acquisition, mooring, dredging, and marina applications. Manufacturing is vertically integrated through an in-house rotomoulding factory in Bon-Encontre (Agen), opened in 2012, producing thermoplastic buoys from 100% recyclable materials. The company has cumulatively delivered over 60,000 units across 85 countries and operates in 6 languages.
The company's revenue mechanics combine one-time hardware sales (buoy systems and components such as the PS314 solar pyramid), professional services (feasibility studies, installation, periodic maintenance), and software — most notably CALMAR, a catenary mooring line calculation tool developed in 2014 and recognized/distributed freely by IALA/AISM since 2016. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed through direct field sales engineers from the Aix-en-Provence headquarters combined with a network of official distributors (e.g., Hydrosphere UK Ltd) and manufacturer representatives covering regional markets. Pricing is quote-based with no public price list. Customer segments are organized by vertical, with Port Authorities as the primary segment and Defense/Military, Dredging, Oil/Gas/Mining, Scientific/Meteorological, Lighthouse Authorities, Civil Engineering, and Inland Waterways as secondary verticals.
The product architecture extends beyond hardware into software and data services, including a Zone Traffic Supervision System (developed 2010) and the Mobilis Data Portal, which provides live meteorological and oceanographic data from deployed buoys. Quality and standards positioning is anchored by ISO 9001:2015 certification, IALA/AISM membership, and designs compliant with IALA recommendations. The ownership structure is founder/closely-held, registered as a Société par Action Simplifiée (SAS) under SIRET 377 762 554 000 48, with François Juniet serving as Director of Publication. No external venture capital, private equity investment, or M&A activity is disclosed in the available data.
Mobilis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mobilis
- Legal name
- MOBILIS
- Website
- https://mobilis-sa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mobilis is a French designer and manufacturer of modular maritime and fluvial navigation buoys, serving port authorities, defense, dredging, oil/gas, scientific, and inland waterway operators across 85 countries. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Aix-en-Provence, it operates an in-house rotomoulding factory and offers proprietary software (CALMAR) recognized by IALA/AISM.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mobilis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Navigation and Signaling Equipment
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers) (IMAFAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)
Keywords
Where Mobilis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aix-en-provence
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Mobilis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: Sale of maritime buoys including floating beaconing, fixed beaconing, luminous beaconing, data acquisition buoys, mooring buoys/boxes, and dredging floats
- Professional Services: Installation, maintenance, and project engineering services including feasibility studies, custom engineering solutions, and periodic maintenance contracts
- Software Licensing: CALMAR software for catenary mooring line calculations, distributed freely by IALA/AISM
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mobilis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mobilis designs, manufactures, and distributes maritime navigation and signaling equipment, including floating, fixed, and luminous buoys; data acquisition buoys with environmental sensors; mooring buoys and boxes; dredging floats; and marina products. The company also offers the CALMAR catenary mooring calculation software (distributed by IALA), a Mobilis Data Portal, and zone traffic supervision systems. Operations span five rotomoulding factories (four in France and one in Tunisia) and an in-house R&D department, with the company delivering more than 60,000 products to customers in 85 countries.
Product overview
Mobilis is a global leader in maritime navigation and signaling solutions, operating as a comprehensive product and service provider with a modular portfolio of buoy-based systems. The core offering comprises floating beaconing, fixed beaconing, luminous beaconing, and data acquisition buoys, complemented by mooring solutions, dredging floats, and marina products. The product architecture is organized around modular product lines including JET (JET 5000/7000/9000), AQ (AQ 1500), SP (SP 630-1200), MODULE (MODULE 1200), and DB (DB 5000-24000) series, alongside proprietary software tools (CALMAR for mooring calculation, zone traffic supervision system) and the Mobilis Data Portal for real-time monitoring. Products are manufactured in France at company facilities and distributed globally across 85 countries, serving sectors including port authorities, offshore/oil/mining, dredging, defense, scientific/meteorological, civil engineering, and inland waterways. The company provides full lifecycle services including R&D, project studies, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CALMAR: Catenary mooring line calculation software developed by Mobilis, recognized and distributed by IALA since 2016
- CALMAR (Mouillage Caténaire)
Products and services
- Floating Beaconing (Balisage flottant)
Quantifiable outcome
- 60,000+ buoy productions delivered since 1990
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Mobilis
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Mobilis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Mobilis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hydrosphere UK LtdcoreOfficial distributor of Mobilis products in UK market. Handled the Wick project for port authorities in Scotland, selecting appropriate buoy models and providing local installation support. Developed Hydrowatch remote control system integrated with Mobilis buoys.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mobilis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sealite: Australian-headquartered global manufacturer of marine buoys, marine lanterns, and aids-to-navigation equipment. Directly comparable to Mobilis across floating/fixed beaconing, data buoys, and global government-port customer base.
- JFC Manufacturing: Irish-based marine equipment manufacturer producing navigation buoys, mooring buoys, and marina products across Europe. Comparable product portfolio and customer base to Mobilis, primarily in European port and marina markets.
- Pharos Marine (Vega Industries): Producer of marine lanterns, range lights, and navigation aids sold globally to port authorities and navies. Comparable component-level competitor, especially for the lighting/solar-power subsystems Mobilis integrates.
- AXYS Technologies: Canadian manufacturer of data acquisition buoys and metocean monitoring systems for oceanographic and offshore applications. Direct overlap with Mobilis's DB series and Mobilis Data Portal offerings.
- Sabik Marine (Carmanah / SPX): Manufacturer of marine lanterns, beacons, and aids-to-navigation products serving port authorities and lighthouse authorities worldwide. Overlaps Mobilis's luminous beaconing and fixed beaconing product lines.
- Tideland Signal: Long-established supplier of marine aids-to-navigation including lanterns, fog signals, and buoys for port and offshore applications. Competes with Mobilis primarily in floating and luminous beaconing.
Others
- IALA (International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities): Non-profit international association that sets standards for marine aids-to-navigation and which distributes Mobilis's CALMAR software. Not a competitor but a standards/ecosystem entity that shapes buyer requirements and lends credibility to Mobilis.
- Hydrosphere UK Ltd: UK-based distributor and product developer of aids-to-navigation including remote monitoring (Hydrowatch) integrated with Mobilis buoys. Channel partner rather than competitor; relevant for ecosystem and distribution-comparable scale.
Broad incumbents
- Fugro: Global geo-data specialist providing offshore site characterization, metocean, and ocean monitoring services. Adjacent incumbent that operates its own data buoy networks and competes indirectly with Mobilis's data acquisition business at scale.
Regional players
- Zeni Lite Buoy: Japanese manufacturer of navigation buoys, lighted buoys, and mooring buoys primarily serving Asia-Pacific maritime authorities. Comparable in product scope but geographically distinct from Mobilis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mobilis social profiles
Digital presenceMobilis compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Mobilis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mobilis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Mobilis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mobilis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mobilis
What does Mobilis do?
Mobilis designs, manufactures, and distributes maritime navigation and signaling equipment, including floating, fixed, and luminous buoys; data acquisition buoys with environmental sensors; mooring buoys and boxes; dredging floats; and marina products. The company also offers the CALMAR catenary mooring calculation software (distributed by IALA), a Mobilis Data Portal, and zone traffic supervision systems. Operations span five rotomoulding factories (four in France and one in Tunisia) and an in-house R&D department, with the company delivering more than 60,000 products to customers in 85 countries.
Is Mobilis a public or private company?
Mobilis is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mobilis founded?
Mobilis was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mobilis based?
Mobilis is headquartered in Aix-en-provence, France, in the Europe region.
How does Mobilis make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and software Licensing.
Who are Mobilis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sealite, JFC Manufacturing, Pharos Marine (Vega Industries), AXYS Technologies, Sabik Marine (Carmanah / SPX) and Tideland Signal. Others are IALA (International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities) and Hydrosphere UK Ltd. Fugro is listed as a broad incumbent. Zeni Lite Buoy is listed as a regional player.
Does Mobilis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mobilis.
What industry is Mobilis in?
Mobilis's product category is Maritime Navigation and Signaling Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAJAH, Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers), with a secondary code of IMAJAIAG, Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.