CES Works
CES Works (Composites Expertise & Solutions) is a French specialty engineering firm that designs and manufactures advanced composite structures for space, defense, marine, and scientific clients including NASA, DOE, Thales, CMN, and Alstom.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLa Penne-sur-Huveaune, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CES Works does
CES Works, legally registered as Composites Expertise & Solutions SARL, is a French specialty engineering firm headquartered in La Penne-sur-Huveaune that designs and manufactures advanced composite structures for demanding applications in aerospace, space, defense, marine, and scientific research. The company is a privately held SARL with €60,000 of registered share capital and no disclosed parent, investor, or external funding. It operates a sales-led, project-based B2B model through direct engagement with major industrial contractors and government agencies.
The company's core technology centers on composite materials engineering, with demonstrated capabilities spanning prepreg carbon, prepreg glass, monolithic glass/polyester structures, and sandwich constructions using nida nomex honeycomb cores. CES employs proprietary manufacturing techniques such as one-shot production processes (e.g., 64-cell space calorimeter modules) and 100% composite integrated hinge systems that eliminate metal components while preserving structural integrity. The company has delivered structures with extreme environmental tolerances, including space modules rated for 16G launch acceleration, an 8.4m observatory dome rated for 270 km/h winds and temperatures from -35°C to +18°C, antenna dishes up to 14m in diameter, and naval interceptor hulls operating at 60 knots.
CES generates revenue primarily through custom composite engineering projects — design assistance, structural sizing, manufacturing, and qualification — alongside funded participation in international collaborative R&D programs such as I2MC. Documented client engagements include structural modules for the NASA/Department of Energy GLAST-FERMI space telescope (with IN2P3 and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory), parabolic antennas for Thales, hydrofoil flaps for the Aeolos II vessel built under contract from Alstom and Nexter, the DV15 fast interceptor for CMN, and a light-aviation landing gear developed with LMA. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and contracts are awarded through direct relationships and competitive procurement.
CES Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CES Works
- Legal name
- Composites Expertise & Solutions SARL
- Website
- https://composites-expertise-solutions.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CES Works (Composites Expertise & Solutions) is a French specialty engineering firm that designs and manufactures advanced composite structures for space, defense, marine, and scientific clients including NASA, DOE, Thales, CMN, and Alstom.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CES Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Composite Engineering & Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Aircraft & Parts (3720), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Composite Structures & Layup Manufacturing (IMABAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Radomes & Composite/Aero Protective Structures (IMABAEAG), FRP/GRP & Composite Materials (Resins, Fibers, Core Materials) (IMAJAKAC)
Keywords
Where CES Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Penne-sur-Huveaune
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CES Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Composite Engineering Projects: Project-based engineering contracts for aerospace, space, marine, and scientific research applications involving design assistance, structural dimensioning, and composite manufacturing
- R&D Contract Research: International collaborative R&D projects funded by government agencies and research institutions for multi-instrument evaluation and technology development
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
CES Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CES Works designs, engineers, and manufactures custom advanced composite structures for aerospace, space, defense, marine, and scientific research applications. The company delivers project-based engineering services including structural design assistance, dimensioning, materials selection (prepreg carbon, prepreg glass, monolithic glass/polyester, nida nomex honeycomb sandwich), and one-shot composite manufacturing for clients such as NASA, IN2P3, Thales, Alstom, and CMN. It also participates in international R&D consortium projects for technology development and evaluation.
Product overview
Composites Expertise & Solutions (CES) is a specialized engineering company that designs and manufactures advanced composite structures for aerospace, defense, and scientific applications. The company offers a portfolio of custom-engineered composite solutions including structural components for space telescopes (GLAST-FERMI), scientific domes (Coronographe du Pic du Midi), aviation landing gear, marine hydrofoils (FLAP NGV-ALN for Aeolos II), naval vessels (DV15 Interceptor), and parabolic antennas (Paraboles Monge). CES provides end-to-end services from design assistance and sizing to manufacturing, utilizing prepreg carbon/glass composite technologies and structural optimization techniques. The company also conducts international R&D projects (I2MC) and offers expertise financing, market analysis, and green engineering lifecycle optimization services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GLAST-FERMI Space Calorimeter Modules Custom carbon prepreg structural modules designed and manufactured for the GLAST-FERMI space telescope calorimeter, supplied to research institutions including IN2P3 and Naval Research Laboratory for end clients NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Coronographe du Pic du Midi Dome Large monolithic glass/polyester dome structure for the Pic du Midi coronagraph observatory, offering approximately 5x cost savings versus metal or carbon/epoxy alternatives while meeting extreme environmental specifications.
- Light Aviation Main Landing Gear Composite main landing gear system for light aviation operating on unprepared terrain, developed in partnership with LMA (Laboratoire de Mécanique et d'Acoustique), with 60% mass reduction versus conventional designs.
- Paraboles Monge Telemetry & Trajectory Antennas Parabolic composite antennas in 3m, 4m, and 14m diameters for aerospace telemetry and trajectory measurement applications, supplied to Thales.
- FLAP NGV-ALN Hydrofoil Flap 100% composite hydrofoil flap (4m x 2m) for the Aeolos II vessel, featuring integrated composite hinges and 144 embedded measurement points, achieving 40% mass savings. Developed for Alstom and Giat Industries (Nexter Group).
- DV15 (F10) Fast Interceptor Structure 15m carbon-epoxy prepreg and nida nomex honeycomb composite structure for an all-weather fast interceptor vessel reaching 60 knots, designed and manufactured for CMN.
- I2MC International R&D Project International collaborative R&D project for multi-instrument technological evaluation of drop-off systems, conducted in partnership with European and Canadian research institutions including ICA (Université de Toulouse), Université Libre de Bruxelles, UGent, and CNRC Canada.
- Custom Composite Engineering & Manufacturing Services End-to-end custom composite engineering services including design assistance, structural dimensioning, materials selection, hydro-structure coupling analysis, and one-shot composite manufacturing using prepreg carbon, prepreg glass, monolithic glass/polyester, and nida nomex honeycomb sandwich constructions for aerospace, space, defense, marine, and scientific research clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- 60% mass reduction in landing gear applications (Train d'atterrissage principal)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CES Works
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CES Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
CES Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ICA (Université de Toulouse)coreInternational R&D project partner for I2MC (Evaluation technologique multi Instrumente de Drop Off), involving multi-instrument evaluation technology development
- Université Libre de BruxellescoreInternational R&D consortium partner for I2MC project, contributing to technological evaluation of multi-instrument drop-off systems
- Université de Gand (UGent)coreResearch university partner in international R&D consortium for I2MC multi-instrument evaluation project
- CNRC Canada (National Research Council Canada)coreInternational R&D partner contributing to I2MC project technology evaluation capabilities
- CPM-SensminorResearch partner in I2MC international R&D consortium focused on multi-instrument evaluation technology
- Lab-phaseminorLaboratory partner in I2MC international R&D project consortium
- LMA (Laboratoire de Mécanique et d'Acoustique)coreResearch partner for landing gear development project, providing acoustic and mechanical engineering expertise for light aviation applications
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CES Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Safran: French major aerospace and defense group using advanced composite materials across propulsion, aircraft and defense systems; comparable through composite manufacturing for engines, structures and space applications, though at vastly larger scale.
- Spirit AeroSystems: Global tier-1 aerostructures manufacturer producing composite and metallic aircraft structures; comparable composite aerostructures work for aerospace OEMs and similar customer profile.
- Latecoere: French tier-1 aerospace supplier of aerostructures, doors, and composite parts to Airbus and other OEMs; broader portfolio but overlapping composite manufacturing capability for aerospace applications.
- GKN Aerospace: Global aerospace tier-1 supplier with extensive composite aerostructures, including transparent canopies, radomes, and structural parts; comparable through radome/composite structure manufacturing for defense and space.
- Mecachrome: French precision mechanical and composite aerostructures manufacturer serving aerospace, defense and motorsport; comparable engineered composite structures business for demanding safety-critical applications.
- Daher: French industrial and aerospace group with composite aerostructures manufacturing for aircraft (including business jets) and defense platforms; overlapping composite engineering work across aerospace/defense.
Others
- Hexcel: Global supplier of advanced composite materials (carbon fiber, prepregs, honeycomb cores) used by composite parts manufacturers including CES; an enabling/adjacent player in the same composite value chain.
Direct peers
- Duqueine Group: French composite aerostructures manufacturer producing structural parts and sub-assemblies for aerospace and defense primes; directly comparable business model of custom composite engineering for demanding end-clients.
- Coriolis Composites: French-headquartered supplier of automated fiber placement (AFP) systems and composite parts for aerospace and naval customers; comparable domain (aerospace/marine composites) and technology overlap (prepreg layup, sandwich structures).
- Multiplast: French specialist composite manufacturer serving marine (race boat hulls, foils) and aerospace markets with prepreg carbon/glass layups, sandwich construction, and monolithic structures — closely overlapping CES's prepreg carbon/glass and nomex honeycomb expertise for hydrofoils and naval vessels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CES Works social profiles
Digital presenceCES Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CES Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CES Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CES Works 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 CES Works
What does CES Works do?
CES Works designs, engineers, and manufactures custom advanced composite structures for aerospace, space, defense, marine, and scientific research applications. The company delivers project-based engineering services including structural design assistance, dimensioning, materials selection (prepreg carbon, prepreg glass, monolithic glass/polyester, nida nomex honeycomb sandwich), and one-shot composite manufacturing for clients such as NASA, IN2P3, Thales, Alstom, and CMN. It also participates in international R&D consortium projects for technology development and evaluation.
Is CES Works a public or private company?
CES Works is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CES Works founded?
CES Works was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CES Works based?
CES Works is headquartered in La Penne-sur-Huveaune, France, in the Europe region.
How does CES Works make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Composite Engineering Projects are the primary driver. The others are R&D Contract Research.
Who are CES Works's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Safran, Spirit AeroSystems, Latecoere, GKN Aerospace, Mecachrome and Daher. Hexcel is listed as an others. Direct peers are Duqueine Group, Coriolis Composites and Multiplast.
Does CES Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for CES Works.
What industry is CES Works in?
CES Works's product category is Advanced Composite Engineering & Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAEAB, Composite Structures & Layup Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMABAEAG, Radomes & Composite/Aero Protective Structures. Its NAICS code is 33641 and its SIC code is 3720.