What Protecno does

Protecno is a French specialty printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer founded in 1972 by Lucien Traon in Brest, France, operating as a subsidiary of the family-controlled GTID (Groupe Traon Industrie Développement) holding company. The company produces PCBs across the full technology spectrum—from single- and double-sided boards through multilayer (up to 24 layers), rigid-flex, HDI-SBU (sequential build-up with laser-drilled microvias down to 150 µm), microwave/hyperfrequency, planar transformers, backplanes, and its proprietary ARC3D plastic metallization process for electromagnetic shielding. All manufacturing is concentrated at a single 5,000 m² site in Brest, including a 200 m² clean room for advanced processes, and the firm emphasizes rapid 2-5 day lead times for prototypes and small/medium series.

The company serves professional B2B customers across aeronautics (civil and military), defence, aerospace/space, industrial EMS, automotive (via ZF Autocruise), and academic research verticals. Notable customers and partners include Thales (R&D collaboration), CNES, CEA, CNRS, ITER, University Hospitals, and several French academic labs (UBO, LABSTIC, IETR, XLIM). Protecno holds EN 9100: V2016 aerospace certification, ISO 9001, UL (US/Canada), and EN 45545-2/-5 railway fire-smoke certifications, with full manufacturing traceability. Revenue is generated through custom-quote-based PCB manufacturing orders supplemented by NPI (New Product Introduction) engineering consulting services, marketed via trade shows (Paris Air Show, Eurosatory, Electronica, Global Industrie) and direct sales through the multilingual website with online quote requests.

Protecno maintains seven active collaborative R&D projects (DENOTEIC, IMPACT, MIDIMU-HD, CORSAIRE, TIIRECO, EHDICOS, MEREDIT) and is a founding member of the MEREDIT consortium (2012) pooling French PCB manufacturer resources. It operates within the GTID group alongside three sister companies—Elliptika (RF/3D printing), Api2m (sheet metal), and Te2m (precision mechanics)—providing combined electronic and mechanical capabilities from Brittany.

Name

Protecno

Legal name

PROTECNO

Website

https://protecno.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Protecno is a French PCB manufacturer founded in 1972 in Brest, producing specialized printed circuit boards (multilayer, HDI-SBU, rigid-flex, microwave, and plastic metallization) for aeronautics, defence, space, and industrial electronics customers with 2-5 day prototype lead times.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing

NAICS

Bare Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing (334412), Printed Circuit Assembly (Electronic Assembly) Manufacturing (334418)

SIC

Printed Circuit Boards (3672)

akta.pro primary industry

PCB Fabrication (Rigid PCBs) (HDAHAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

PCB Fabrication (Flex & Rigid-Flex PCBs) (HDAHAOAH), PCB Assembly (PCBA/EMS) (HDAHAOAI), Industrial PCB & Substrate Components (Bare PCBs, rigid-flex, ceramic substrates, thick-film) (IMAGAJAM)

Keywords

• Printed circuit boards
• PCB manufacturing
• Prototype PCB fabrication
• HDI multilayer circuits
• Rigid-flex PCBs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brest

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. PCB Manufacturing: Production of printed circuit boards from simple single-sided to complex multilayer, HDI, rigid-flex, microwave, and custom PCBs. Revenue is generated from one-time manufacturing orders for prototypes, small, and medium production runs. Short lead times of 2-5 days for prototypes and small series are a key commercial lever.
2. Technical Consulting and Expertise Services: NPI (New Product Introduction) engineering services including design advice, feasibility validation, industrialization optimization, and manufacturing contract review. Services are provided by method department engineers and technicians who also support collaborative R&D projects with customers and academic institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Protecno is a French specialist manufacturer of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) producing prototypes, small and medium production runs with short lead times of 2 to 5 days. The offering spans single- and double-sided PCBs, multilayer circuits, rigid-flex boards, HDI-SBU, microwave/high-frequency PCBs, ARC3D plastic metallisation, and custom PCBs (planar transformers, backplanes), supported by prototyping, full-scale manufacturing, and NPI technical consulting services for engineering design offices and industrial electronics customers.

Product overview

Protecno is a specialized PCB (Printed Circuit Board) manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of seven core PCB technology products spanning from simple/double-sided boards through complex multi-layer, rigid-flex, HDI-SBU, and microwave circuits, complemented by plastic metal plating (ARC3D) and custom PCB solutions including planar transformers and backplanes. These are supported by three service offerings: prototyping with rapid 48-hour to 10-day lead times, full-scale manufacturing, and technical consulting/expertise. The company positions itself as a one-stop solution for professional electronics manufacturers requiring short delivery deadlines on prototypes, small and medium production runs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single- and Double-Sided PCBs

Quantifiable outcome

• Prototype PCB production in 2 to 5 days
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MEREDITcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012MEREDIT (Mutualisation des ressources techniques pour l'électronique des circuits imprimés) is a GIE (Economic Interest Grouping) created in 2012 by four French PCB manufacturers: GTID Group (subsidiary Protecno), Elvia PCB Group, Cimulec, and Systronic. The consortium pools technical resources, know-how, and equipment to strengthen the French PCB industry. Objectives include promoting access to new PCB technologies, accelerating industrialisation times, maintaining technical expertise, and attracting young engineering talent. The consortium focuses on aeronautics, defence, transport, energy, and telecommunications sectors. Recognised as an 'investment for the future' by OSEO (Bpifrance).
• ThalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThales participates in multiple R&D collaboration projects with Protecno. In the DENOTEIC project, Thales provided specifications for multilayer polymer circuit development (up to 3 RF levels of 20GHz class) with Protecno handling implementation. In the MIDIMU-HD project, Thales collaborates on combining RF functions (bandpass filter, power amplifier, up-converter) and HDI design on organic multilayer PCBs for 40.5-43.5 GHz applications targeting WLAN, satellite communications, and mobile networks (3G, 4G, 5G).
• ElliptikacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElliptika is a subsidiary of the GTID group alongside Protecno, Api2m, and Te2m. Specialising in RF components and 3D printing, Elliptika collaborates on microwave PCB projects including CORSAIRE (developing multilayer microwave PCB technology) and IMPACT (3D plastic metallisation for microwave components). Through Elliptika, Protecno offers design, build, and test capabilities for complex microwave circuit functions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Unimicron Technology: Taiwan-based global PCB and substrate leader. Represents the large-scale Asian PCB competition that pressures European specialists on multilayer and HDI pricing.
• TTM Technologies: US-headquartered large PCB manufacturer serving aerospace/defense, automotive, computing, and medical. Direct broad-incumbent peer for Protecno's aerospace and defense PCB business, but with significantly larger scale and broader technology portfolio.
• Ibiden: Japanese PCB and packaging substrate manufacturer. Broad incumbent in HDI and high-layer PCBs, setting competitive benchmarks on cost and capability that European specialists must differentiate against.
• AT&S: Austrian-headquartered global PCB and substrate manufacturer, the largest PCB producer in Europe. Operates across IC substrates, HDI, and multilayer PCBs for automotive, industrial, and consumer customers — a clear broad incumbent in the same product category with vastly greater scale.

Emerging players

• NCAB Group: Sweden-headquartered PCB sourcing company aggregating demand across multiple PCB factories. Competes partially with Protecno in the European PCB procurement channel but operates an asset-light sourcing model rather than in-house manufacturing.

Direct peers

• Eurocircuits: European PCB prototype and small-series manufacturer based in Belgium/Hungary. Directly comparable in target market (prototype-to-small-series PCBs) and business model, with similar short-lead-time value proposition.
• Systronic: French PCB manufacturer and MEREDIT consortium member. Comparable as a mid-sized European PCB shop focused on prototype-to-medium-series production with similar industrial and defense customer exposure.
• Beta LAYOUT: German PCB manufacturer and prototype specialist offering short lead times for prototypes and small series. Direct European peer in PCB prototyping and small-series service model.
• Elvia PCB Group: French PCB manufacturer and co-founder of the MEREDIT consortium alongside Protecno. Directly comparable mid-sized European PCB specialist serving aerospace, defense, and industrial customers, making it Protecno's closest direct peer in product, customer base, and scale.
• Cimulec: French PCB manufacturer and MEREDIT consortium partner. Directly comparable in geographic footprint, product range (multilayer, rigid-flex, HDI), and target verticals (aerospace, defense, transport, industrial), making it a close French peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/protecno-gtid

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Protecno