Groupe Aeroplan

What Groupe Aeroplan does

Aimia Inc. (formerly Groupe Aeroplan) is a publicly traded diversified holding company headquartered in Toronto, Canada, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: AIM) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: AII). Following the divestiture of its Bozzetto specialty chemicals business in 2026 and the prior transition of its Aimia Loyalty Solutions business to Kognitiv Corporation, Aimia's operating portfolio is concentrated in two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Cortland International, a global manufacturer of high-performance synthetic fiber ropes, netting solutions, slings, and tethers serving maritime, aerospace & defense, renewables, and diversified industrial end markets via the Tufropes (founded 1992) and Cortland Industrial (founded 1979) brands; and Clear Media, a global out-of-home advertising company. Cortland International operates manufacturing facilities in Anacortes, WA and Houston, TX and distributes through a global network of sales distributors in over 70 countries, while Cortland Industrial sells directly into aerospace & defense, marine, renewables, and other diversified industrial end markets.

Aimia's revenue mechanics derive from hardware sales of industrial rope and netting products through Cortland International and from advertising space sales through Clear Media; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company's stated strategic priorities include increasing intrinsic value of holdings, reducing holding company costs, narrowing the share-price discount to intrinsic value, and redeploying capital to investments in undervalued companies. Recent capital actions include the 2026 NCIB share repurchase program (up to 5,012,419 shares), the offer to purchase 9.75% Senior Notes following the Bozzetto closing, a secondary JSE listing, and capital returns to shareholders via dividends and buybacks. Aimia has also navigated material tax-related events, including a June 2025 settlement with the Canada Revenue Agency, a September 2025 CRA refund of $29.3 million, and a November 2025 Revenu Quebec refund of $8.8 million.

The company has no identified AI/ML, software, or platform technology product lines; its competitive position rests on industrial brand equity, global manufacturing and distribution scale, and the post-divestiture simplified hold-co structure. Recent leadership events include an executive succession plan and board transition announced March 2025, the Executive Chairman's increased ownership position in April 2025, and the termination of the prior investor agreement with the Executive Chairman.

Name

Groupe Aeroplan

Legal name

Aimia Inc.

Website

https://aimia.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Aimia Inc. (formerly Groupe Aeroplan) is a publicly-traded Toronto-based diversified holding company whose remaining operating subsidiaries are Cortland International (global synthetic fiber ropes and netting manufacturer) and Clear Media (global out-of-home advertising). It is divesting non-core assets, returning capital to shareholders, and dual-listed on TSX and JSE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Holdings - Cortland International: Cortland International (combining Tufropes and Cortland Industrial) manufactures and sells high-performance synthetic fiber ropes, netting solutions, slings and tethers for maritime, aerospace & defense, renewables, and industrial markets globally
2. Investment Holdings - Clear Media: Clear Media operates as a global out-of-home advertising company, generating revenue through advertising space sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Aimia Inc. (formerly Groupe Aeroplan) operates as a diversified holding company that owns and manages industrial and media businesses. Its principal operating holding, Cortland International, combines the Tufropes and Cortland Industrial brands to design, manufacture, and distribute high-performance synthetic fiber ropes, slings, tethers, and netting solutions for maritime, aerospace and defense, renewables, and broader industrial end markets. Its other holding, Clear Media, operates in global out-of-home advertising.

Product overview

Aimia Inc. (formerly known as Groupe Aeroplan) is a diversified investment holding company focused on enhancing the value of its holdings. The company operates a platform of industrial operating companies rather than a unified software product. Current holdings include Cortland International (which combines Tufropes and Cortland Industrial as operating divisions), a global leader in high-performance synthetic fiber ropes for maritime and industrial applications, and Clear Media. The portfolio companies serve diverse industrial end markets including maritime, aerospace & defense, renewables, and general industrial sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cortland International: Global leader in manufacturing of high-performance synthetic fiber ropes and netting solutions for maritime and industrial customers. Also provides synthetic ropes, slings and tethers to Aerospace & Defense, Marine, Renewables, and other diversified industrial end markets.
• Tufropes
• Cortland Industrial

Products and services

• Cortland International Cortland International is an Aimia-owned holding company combining Tufropes and Cortland Industrial to design, manufacture, and supply high-performance synthetic fiber ropes, slings, tethers, and netting solutions for maritime, aerospace and defense, renewables, and broader industrial end markets.
• Tufropes Tufropes is a global manufacturer of high-performance synthetic fiber ropes and netting solutions for maritime and other industrial customers, known for UV radiation resistance, low abrasion, and high tensile strength, distributed via a global sales distributor network in over 70 countries.
• Cortland Industrial Cortland Industrial is a leading global designer, manufacturer, and supplier of technology-driven synthetic ropes, slings and tethers serving Aerospace & Defense, Marine, Renewables, and other diversified industrial end markets, with manufacturing locations in Anacortes, WA and Houston, TX.
• Clear Media Clear Media is a global out-of-home advertising company that is a current operating holding of Aimia Inc., generating revenue through advertising space sales.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kognitiv CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAimia Loyalty Solutions, formerly part of Aimia, is now part of Kognitiv Corporation. This represents a previous business divestiture in the loyalty solutions space.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Samson Rope Technologies: US-based manufacturer of industrial rope products, including synthetic fiber ropes and tethers serving marine, industrial, safety and rescue markets. Closest North American synthetic-rope comparable to Cortland Industrial.
• Bridon-Bekaert Ropes Group: Global manufacturer of synthetic and steel wire ropes serving marine, offshore, cranes, mining and other heavy industrial end-markets. Closest direct comparable to Cortland International given overlapping products, end-markets and global distribution.
• Teufelberger: Austrian manufacturer of synthetic fiber ropes, braids and twines for industrial, marine, climbing and arborist applications. Direct competitor to Tufropes in synthetic rope technology and global distribution.
• Yale Cordage: Specialty manufacturer of high-performance synthetic fiber ropes serving industrial, arborist, marine, and rigging markets. Direct comparable in technology-driven custom synthetic rope solutions.
• Outfront Media: US-based out-of-home advertising company operating billboards, transit and digital OOH assets. Direct public-market peer for Clear Media's OOH business model and capital structure.
• Lamar Advertising: One of the largest outdoor advertising operators in North America with a portfolio of billboards, transit and digital displays. Closest direct public-market comparable to an OOH-focused subsidiary like Clear Media.

Others

• Icahn Enterprises: Diversified holding vehicle structured as a public partnership with operating businesses across multiple sectors. Useful thematic comparable for Aimia's share-buyback and discount-narrowing strategy, though structurally different.

Broad incumbents

• JCDecaux: Largest global out-of-home advertising company operating street furniture, transit and billboard advertising. Broad incumbent comparable for Clear Media's OOH advertising operations.
• Loews Corporation: US diversified holding company running a small set of operating subsidiaries with a stated focus on long-term value creation. Broad structural comparable to Aimia's holding-company model.
• Berkshire Hathaway: Diversified conglomerate holding operating businesses across industrial and other verticals. Broad benchmark for the holding-company discount that Aimia is explicitly trying to narrow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aimia-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Groupe Aeroplan