What DEFI S.A.S does

DEFI S.A.S is a French industrial equipment distributor founded in 1990 and headquartered in Saint-Jean-de-Soudain, France, operating as an SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) wholly owned by Gaetan Gartemann. The company specializes in the sale of machines, accessories, and consumables for printers working in flexography, rotogravure (héliogravure), and offset, targeting flexible packaging converters, film extruders, and bag/sachet manufacturers across France, the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), and French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa. Its portfolio spans the full production chain: printing presses (UTECO, GIUGNI), extruders (CMG), bag-making machines (BMTEK, ELBA), slitter-rewinders and cutters (BIMEC, 4M REFAI), cleaning equipment (FLEXOWASH, OFRU), and a wide array of peripherals (web control from RE S.p.A., doctor blades from BFT and ECOGRAPH, viscosity systems from FASNACHT, corona/plasma from Ferrarini & Benelli).

DEFI's go-to-market is consultative field sales: pre-sale technical advice, machine specification, import logistics and customs handling, installation and commissioning, operator training, and preventive maintenance, with sales handled via direct phone/email contact and quote-based pricing. Revenue comes primarily from one-time capital equipment transactions, with a recurring layer from consumables (CIC cassettes, photopolymer plates, cleaning liquids, doctor blades) tied to the installed base. The proprietary CIC (Central Impression Cleaner) cassette system and the MasterClean automatic central drum cleaning system are DEFI's own branded products, addressing the specific pain point of hazardous manual cleaning of central impression drums on CI flexographic presses. The company runs an annual FLEXOPARTNER demonstration event at its headquarters and maintains an active technical blog targeting printing professionals in its served markets.

Name

DEFI S.A.S

Legal name

Gaetan GARTEMANN – SAS

Website

https://defi-sa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DEFI S.A.S is a French industrial distributor founded in 1990 that sells printing machines, accessories, and consumables for flexography, rotogravure, and offset converters across France, the Maghreb, and francophone sub-Saharan Africa, with proprietary CIC and MasterClean central drum cleaning systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Printing Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Converted Paper Product Manufacturing (3222), Paper Bag and Coated and Treated Paper Manufacturing (322220), Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing (322212), Other Paperboard Container Manufacturing (322219)

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555), Paperboard Containers & Boxes (2650), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Bagging, Pouching & Sachet Packaging Machines (IMALAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Paperboard Sheet & Roll Converting (Slitting/Sheeting/Rewinding) (IMAMAFAM), Paper & Paperboard Packaging Converting & Finishing (Die-Cutting, Gluing, Windowing, Coating) (IMALACAL), Paper Converting Services (slitting, sheeting, coating, laminating, rewinding) (IMAMAHAJ)

Keywords

• Flexographic printing equipment
• Rotogravure printing machinery
• Flexible packaging machinery
• Printing consumables distribution
• Industrial printing accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Jean-de-Soudain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment and Machine Sales: DEFI generates the majority of its revenue through the sale of industrial printing and converting equipment including flexographic presses, rotogravure presses, bag-making machines, slitter-rewinders, extruders, and coater-laminators. Equipment sales are one-time capital transactions, typically involving installation, commissioning, and operator training as part of the package.
2. Accessories and Peripheral Equipment: Sale of peripheral equipment and accessories including brakes, tension controllers, load cells, web guidance systems, doctor blades, anilox rollers, pneumatic shafts, and web control systems. These items support and optimize existing production lines.
3. Consumables: Sale of consumables including cleaning liquids, adhesives for reels, magnetic filters, reverseible pneumatic pumps, photopolymer plates (XSYS), and manual viscosity control tools. Consumables provide recurring revenue from the installed equipment base.
4. Proprietary Products (CIC / MasterClean): DEFI's proprietary CIC cassettes and MasterClean systems for automatic central drum cleaning. These are proprietary branded products sold as both new units and through a reconditioning program for returned used cassettes.
5. Technical Services and After-Sale Support: DEFI provides technical services including installation, machine commissioning, operator training, and ongoing preventive maintenance. These services are bundled with equipment sales and represent an important component of the customer relationship and revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DEFI S.A.S distributes industrial equipment, machines, accessories, and consumables for printers in flexography, rotogravure (heliogravure), and offset printing, serving flexible packaging converters. Its portfolio includes printing presses, bag-making machines, extruders, slitter-rewinders, coater-laminators, web control systems, doctor blades, viscosity control, and proprietary automatic central drum cleaning systems (CIC and MasterClean) developed in-house.

Product overview

DEFI S.A.S is a specialized distributor of industrial equipment for flexography, rotogravure, and offset printing, operating since 1990 from Saint-Jean-de-Soudain, France. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized across four main categories: Machines (UTECO printing presses including hybrid flexo-digital OnyxOMNIA, BMTEK bag-making and winder systems, ELBA DoyPack machines, GIUGNI Miniflex printing modules, CMG extruders, 4M REFAI cutters, ZANCANER palletization, OFRU solvent distillers), Accessories (RE S.p.A. web control equipment including brakes and tension regulators, BFT CARBON carbon fiber doctor blades and BFT FLEXO automatic inking systems, FASNACHT viscosity control systems, FERRARINI & BENELLI CORONA/PLASMA treatment, POWERWISE pumps, VACUUMATIC label insertion), Consumables (DEFI CIC cassettes, ECOGRAPH doctor blades, XSYS Nyloflex photopolymer plates, FLEXOWASH cleaning machines and liquids, DEFI repositionable adhesives, manual viscosity cups), and Proprietary Products (CIC and MasterClean automatic central drum cleaners). The company also distributes FLEXOWASH cleaning equipment for anilox, cylinders, plates, sleeves, and parts, serving markets in France, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIC (Nettoyeur de Tambour Central): The CIC© (Cassettes CIC) is a proprietary product by DEFI designed to automatically clean the central drum of flexographic printing presses, eliminating manual cleaning, reducing machine downtime, and improving print quality.
• MasterClean by DEFI
• DEFI Cassettes CIC
• DEFI Adhésifs pour Bobines

Products and services

• UTECO Printing Presses (ONYX, CRYSTAL, DIAMOND, QUARZ, OnyxOMNIA) UTECO manufactures flexographic, rotogravure, and hybrid flexo-digital printing presses, laminators, and coating machines. The ONYX series offers speeds up to 600 m/min, the CRYSTAL series reaches 500 m/min, and the DIAMOND HP series delivers 600 m/min with up to 10 colors. The OnyxOMNIA is a hybrid flexo-digital press for short to medium runs at up to 400 m/min. Sold through DEFI to flexible packaging printers.
• BMTEK Bag Making Machines, Winders, and Macro-Perforation BMTEK designs and manufactures automatic welding machines for bag production, including SMART and HGL series for PEBD, PEHD, PEMD, and biodegradable materials. The AMW automatic winder handles welded film on cores, while the DMW winder includes automatic labeling. Electronic perforators handle films and plastic tubes from 3mm to 80mm diameter at up to 1100 punches/min. Sold through DEFI to bag and sachet manufacturers.
• ELBA Bag Machines (SA-V, DoyPack) ELBA has 70 years of experience manufacturing high-speed automatic bag and sachet machines for food, medical, and agricultural markets. The SA-V model produces DoyPack stand-up pouches, gusseted bags, 3-seal bags, and Bag-in-box formats in widths of 620mm to 1520mm, working with laminated, complex, or barrier films. Sold through DEFI.
• GIUGNI Flexo Printing Modules (Miniflex) GIUGNI manufactures flexo printing modules with over 60 years of experience. The Miniflex series offers print widths up to 1600mm and speeds up to 400 m/min for passive, motorized, and variable pitch configurations. Modules can be integrated inline on various machines and substrates with water, solvent, or UV inks. Sold through DEFI.
• FLEXOWASH Cleaning Machines (Anilox, Cylinder, Plate, Sleeve Washer) FLEXOWASH is a global leader in cleaning solutions for flexography and rotogravure. Products include FW Handy series for narrow anilox (up to 1120mm), .NXT generation for wide anilox (up to 3900mm), laser anilox cleaners (FW 200 LASER, FW 2000 LASER X), cylinder multi-washers (up to 22 cylinders/hour), plate washers (45-180cm width), sleeve washers (.NXT and SL6/SL8), and parts washers using non-flammable, alkaline, or solvent-based cleaning. Sold through DEFI.
• 4M REFAI Format Cutters (Flexy Cut, Multi Cut, Cut Size Sheeter, Heavy Cut) 4M Refai manufactures industrial cutting machines with over 50 years of experience. Products include Flexy Cut for transverse sheet cutting of delicate papers, Multi Cut for cutting multiple formats with minimum 5-sheet reams, Cut Size Sheeter for final format cutting (up to 500 cuts/min), and Heavy Cut for paper, cardboard, and laminated materials from 80-1000g/m². Sold through DEFI.
• OFRU Solvent Distillers (COMPACT, ASC series) OFRU manufactures solvent distillers with models ranging from 70L to 500L capacity. The COMPACT model (6KW, 70L) distills 7-20L/h, while the ASC-500 (50KW, 500L) processes 100-220L/h. Steam heating systems eliminate thermal fluid oil changes and prevent element fouling. Sold through DEFI for solvent recovery and reuse in flexographic and rotogravure printing.
• CMG Extruders (Mono-layer and Multi-layer) CMG has manufactured extrusion equipment since the 1980s, producing mono-layer and multi-layer (3-7 layer) blown film extrusion machines. Machines process polyolefins, biodegradable polymers, and recycled materials with back-to-back winder configuration options. Sold through DEFI to film extruders.
• CIC (Nettoyeur de Tambour Central) - Central Drum Cleaner The CIC (Central Impression Cleaner) is DEFI's proprietary automatic central drum cleaner for flexographic printing presses. It replaces manual cleaning operations that use aggressive solvents, reducing machine downtime and eliminating operator exposure to hazardous chemicals. The system uses approximately 5 meters of tear-resistant, highly absorbent tissue per cassette. Sold to flexible packaging printers.
• MasterClean by DEFI - Central Drum Automatic Cleaner MasterClean by DEFI is an automatic cleaning system for the central drum of CI (Central Impression) flexographic presses. It replaces manual cleaning with programmable, autonomous cycles. Compatible with BOBST, Comexi, Soma, W&H, Uteco, and Flexotecnica machines. Works with water-based, solvent, UV, and EB inks. Reduces machine stoppages, improves operator safety, and ensures homogeneous cleaning. Sold to flexible packaging printers.
• DEFI CIC Cassettes DEFI manufactures CIC cassettes containing approximately 5 meters of tear-resistant, high-absorption tissue for the CIC central drum cleaning system. Cassettes are available new (packaged in sets of 24 in reusable wooden crates) or reconditioned through a return program. Sold as recurring consumables to CIC users.
• FLEXOWASH Cleaning Liquids FLEXOWASH provides cleaning liquids for the complete machine range and other manufacturers. Products include daily anilox cleaning liquid for all ink types and corrective anilox cleaning liquid for heavy contamination. Selection depends on ink type and machine components being cleaned. Sold through DEFI as consumables.
• ECOGRAPH Doctor Blades (PreciSwiss, InoxSwiss, PlasticSwiss, EcoCer) ECOGRAPH offers high-quality doctor blades for rotogravure and flexography including PreciSwiss (steel with various wear resistances), InoxSwiss (stainless steel for water-based inks), PlasticSwiss (polyester and polyethylene), and EcoCer (ceramic-coated). Available in wide dimension ranges with custom cutting to customer chamber specifications. Sold through DEFI.
• BFT CARBON Carbon Fiber Doctor Blades BFT CARBON manufactures doctor blades made from carbon fiber with epoxy resin coating, avoiding oxidation issues common with aluminum blades when using water-based inks. The blades are lightweight, rigid (reducing vibration), adaptable to all flexo press models, and feature 120-second blade change times with the Touch2go pneumatic pressure system. Sold through DEFI.
• XSYS Nyloflex Photopolymer Plates XSYS is a leader in flexographic photopolymer printing plates under the Nyloflex brand for adhesive labels, flexible packaging, corrugated cardboard, selective varnish, and special applications. Products include plates for pre- and post-print corrugated cardboard and varnish printing on offset sheet presses. Sold through DEFI as consumables.
• FASNACHT Viscosity Control and Measurement (S6-VR, S6-FB) FASNACHT provides viscosity control systems including the S6-VR vibration viscosimeter for inline installation and the S6-FB falling body viscosimeter. Products include ViscoPoint Magnager for managing printing jobs and color databases, active color cooling systems for ink consumption reduction, and solvent management systems for precise mixing and consumption tracking. Sold through DEFI.
• RE S.p.A. Web Control Equipment (Brakes, Tension, Guides, Cameras) RE S.p.A. (officially distributed by DEFI) provides complete web control equipment including pneumatic and electromagnetic brakes, tension regulators, web guides, visualization cameras, pneumatic shafts, safety bearings, and extensible ends. Products serve label printing, flexible packaging, blown film extrusion, and winding-slitting operations. Sold through DEFI.
• FERRARINI & BENELLI CORONA/PLASMA Treatment Systems FERRARINI & BENELLI provides CORONA and PLASMA surface treatment systems in a wide power range for both conductive and non-conductive films. Products include CORONA markers and DYNE test pens for measuring surface tension of plastic materials to determine liquid adhesion and printability. Sold through DEFI.
• VACUUMATIC Automatic Label Insertion Systems VACUUMATIC provides automatic label insertion systems operating at up to 600m/min on all substrates. Systems can be positioned over-web or off-web with fully automatic, contactless application for edge or center positioning, including automatic defect identification through customized label printing. Sold through DEFI.
• BFT FLEXO Automatic Inking and Cleaning Systems BFT FLEXO automates ink supply and washing cycles with touchscreen parameter input and saving, reversible pump for residual ink recovery, and 50% water consumption reduction. Centralized control panel available for multi-group sites. Sold through DEFI.
• DEFI Repositionable Adhesives for Coils (ZHS60) DEFI's ZHS60 repositionable adhesive tapes with colored markers serve as intelligent closure solutions for plastic film conversion, defect signaling, and coil splice marking. Available in 15mm or 25mm widths and 55mm lengths with fingerlift design. Sold as consumables.
• DEFI Technical Services and After-Sale Support DEFI provides technical services including installation, machine commissioning, operator training, and ongoing preventive maintenance. These services are bundled with equipment sales and represent an important component of the customer relationship and revenue stream. Sold to flexible packaging printers and converters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Speed increase from 70 m/min to 150 m/min on laser micro-perforation lines after LANG LASER system installation
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UTECOcoreTechnology or IntegrationUTECO is an Italian manufacturer specialized in flexographic, rotogravure, and hybrid digital printing presses, as well as coater-laminators and extrusion coating lines. DEFI distributes UTECO equipment in France and francophone markets. UTECO has over 30 years of experience and offers presses reaching up to 10 colors and speeds of 600 m/min on certain models.
• CMGcoreTechnology or IntegrationCMG is an Italian manufacturer of blown film extrusion lines producing mono-layer and multi-layer films (3-7 layers) for polyolefins, biodegradable and recycled polymers. DEFI distributes CMG extruders in France and francophone Africa.
• BMTEKcoreTechnology or IntegrationBMTEK is an Italian manufacturer of automatic bag-making machines (welders), rewinders, and macro-perforators designed to work in-line with extruders or offline. DEFI distributes BMTEK products in France and francophone markets.
• ELBAcoreTechnology or IntegrationELBA has 70 years of experience manufacturing high-speed automatic bag and sachet machines including DoyPack and stand-up pouch formats for food, medical, and agricultural markets. DEFI distributes ELBA equipment in France and francophone Africa.
• FLEXOWASHcoreTechnology or IntegrationFLEXOWASH is a Danish manufacturer recognized as the world leader in cleaning solutions for flexographic and rotogravure printing. Their product range includes anilox laser cleaners, anilox wash machines, cylinder washers, plate washers, sleeve washers, and parts washers. DEFI is the exclusive French distributor for FLEXOWASH products.
• GIUGNIcoreTechnology or IntegrationGIUGNI has over 60 years of experience manufacturing flexographic printing modules designed for in-line printing on various substrates. Their MINIFLEX modules offer print widths up to 1600mm and speeds up to 400 m/min. DEFI distributes GIUGNI modules in France and francophone markets.
• BIMECcoreTechnology or IntegrationBIMEC manufactures slitter-rewinder machines for the flexible packaging industry. DEFI distributes BIMEC equipment in France and francophone markets.
• 4M REFAIcoreTechnology or Integration4M REFAI has over 50 years of experience manufacturing industrial cutting machines including format cutters, multi-cut sheet cutters, cut-to-size sheeters, and heavy-cut machines for paper, cardboard, and laminated materials. DEFI distributes 4M REFAI equipment in France and francophone markets.
• OFRUcoreTechnology or IntegrationOFRU manufactures solvent distillation systems that enable the recovery and reuse of solvents used in flexographic and rotogravure printing. DEFI distributes OFRU equipment in France and francophone markets.
• RE S.p.A.coreTechnology or IntegrationRE S.p.A. is an Italian specialist in web control and handling equipment including pneumatic and electromagnetic brakes, tension regulators, web guiders, load cells, pneumatic shafts, cameras, safety bearings, and expandable shafts. DEFI is the official distributor of RE S.p.A. products in France and francophone markets. The partnership covers the full range of web handling equipment used in printing, laminating, extrusion, and slitting operations.
• BFT GROUP (BFT Carbon / BFT Flexo)coreTechnology or IntegrationBFT Carbon produces doctor blades made from carbon fiber with epoxy coating, eliminating oxidation issues common with aluminum blades when using water-based inks. BFT Flexo offers automatic ink supply and washing systems. DEFI distributes BFT GROUP products in France and francophone markets.
• FASNACHTcoreTechnology or IntegrationFASNACHT manufactures viscosity control and measurement devices including the S6-VR (vibration viscometer) and S6-FB (falling body viscometer), as well as color temperature control systems and solvent management systems. DEFI distributes FASNACHT products in France and francophone markets.
• LANG LASERcoreTechnology or IntegrationLANG LASER manufactures laser micro-perforation systems for flexible packaging. DEFI distributes LANG LASER equipment in France and francophone markets. An installation demonstrated speed increases from 70 m/min to 150 m/min on existing lines.
• FERRARINI & BENELLI (Ferben)coreTechnology or IntegrationFERRARINI & BENELLI (Ferben) manufactures CORONA and PLASMA surface treatment systems, markers, and DYNE test pens for measuring surface tension of plastic materials. DEFI distributes FERRARINI & BENELLI products in France and francophone markets.
• ECOGRAPHcoreTechnology or IntegrationECOGRAPH produces high-quality doctor blades for rotogravure and flexography in steel (PreciSwiss), stainless steel (InoxSwiss), plastic (PlasticSwiss), and ceramic-coated (EcoCer) variants. DEFI distributes ECOGRAPH products along with custom-manufactured doctor blade joints and seals for chambers including TRESU models.
• VACUUMATICcoreTechnology or IntegrationVACUUMATIC offers automatic label insertion systems for printing and converting lines at speeds up to 600 m/min, available in over-web and off-web configurations. DEFI distributes VACUUMATIC products in France and francophone markets.
• XSYScoreTechnology or IntegrationXSYS is a leader in photopolymer printing plates for flexography, including Nyloflex plates for labels, flexible packaging, corrugated cardboard, and selective varnish applications. DEFI distributes XSYS photopolymer plates in France and francophone markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mark Andy: US-based manufacturer of flexographic and digital printing presses for labels and flexible packaging. Competes in overlapping product categories (narrow-web CI flexo) with DEFI's represented press portfolio and serves similar packaging converter end-customers globally.
• MPS (Mouvent): Dutch manufacturer of flexographic and hybrid printing presses for labels and packaging. Direct comparable to DEFI's represented CI flexo press offerings and competes for the same narrow- and mid-web flexible packaging and label converter customers.
• Comexi Group: Comexi is a Spanish manufacturer of flexographic presses, laminators, slitters, and CI flexo equipment with global sales/service operations. Directly comparable to DEFI's UTECO, BIMEC, and CMG-supplied equipment lines and serves the same flexible packaging printer customer base worldwide.
• SOMA Engineering: Czech manufacturer of CI flexographic presses for flexible packaging, film, and paper. Directly comparable to DEFI's UTECO-supplied flexo press offering and competes for the same mid-market flexible packaging converter customers across Europe and emerging markets.
• Uteco Group: Italian manufacturer of flexographic, rotogravure, and hybrid flexo-digital printing presses (ONYX, CRYSTAL, DIAMOND, OnyxOMNIA), coater-laminators, and extrusion coating lines. A core partner of DEFI but also a competitor when selling direct to large converters in France, Italy, and global markets.
• Nilpeter: Danish manufacturer of flexographic and digital printing presses for labels and packaging. Comparable to DEFI's press portfolio and competes for similar label and flexible packaging converter customers, with overlapping web-handling and finishing product categories.
• Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H): German manufacturer of flexographic and gravure printing presses, blown film extruders, and bag-making equipment. A direct comparable to DEFI's UTECO, CMG, and BMTEK lines and serves overlapping flexible packaging converter customers in Europe and emerging markets.

Broad incumbents

• BOBST: Swiss-headquartered global leader in printing and converting equipment for packaging, with broad portfolios in flexo, gravure, and lamination. Operates direct sales and service globally and competes with DEFI's represented brand portfolio in the same customer accounts.
• Heidelberger Druckmaschinen: German printing press manufacturer with extensive packaging and label offerings, including flexographic and digital equipment via subsidiaries. A broader incumbent competitor with global direct service that competes with DEFI's represented brand portfolio in overlapping packaging segments.
• Koenig & Bauer: German printing machinery giant with broad portfolios across packaging, commercial, and security print. Competes with DEFI's offset and some flexo offerings at the larger end of the customer base and represents a broader incumbent in printing equipment distribution.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/defi-s-a-s

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 DEFI S.A.S