TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY

What TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY does

TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY (TMI) is a private, independent French laboratory founded in 2019 and headquartered in Bron, in the Lyon metropolitan area. The company operates from a single 600m² facility at 6 Ter Rue Maryse Bastié, Parc Saint Exupéry, and employs 7 people. Its functional role is the provision of specialized tribology testing, materials analysis, surface characterization, and computational tribology services to industrial clients across multiple sectors.

The service portfolio is organized around four complementary pillars: (1) Tribology and Materials testing, covering friction, wear, endurance, fretting, stick-slip, and seizure testing, plus materials and lubricant analysis; (2) Surface Analysis, including roughness measurement, hardness testing across Vickers to nano scales, optical interferometry, SEM/EDX, goniometry, and adhesion/scratch testing; (3) Training and Technical Assistance, delivered through Qualiopi-certified programs (TB01 initiation, TE02 mastery, ES04 surface state) plus customized courses and expert consultation; and (4) Numerical Simulation and Computational Tribology for predictive modeling. The laboratory runs state-of-the-art equipment including SRV-5, MTM, UMT-TriboLab, and MFT-5000 tribometers, and executes testing against ISO and ASTM standards (e.g., ISO 17025, ISO 14635, CEC L-07-A-95, ASTM G77, ASTM D4060).

TMI generates revenue exclusively through direct B2B professional services engagement, with no resellers or distribution partners. Pricing is project-based and quoted on request, with multi-year contracts as the default commercial vehicle. The company serves large industrial groups as well as SME engineering firms across aerospace, automotive, nuclear, medical devices, lubricants and coatings, transport and defense, energy, and agri-food. Credentials supporting market positioning include COFRAC ISO 17025 accreditation, ISO 9001 certification, CIR (Crédit d'Impôt Recherche) approval, and Qualiopi training certification. Customer acquisition is sales-led, driven by website contact forms, phone inquiries, quote requests, technical blog content, and professional social media presence.

Name

TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY

Legal name

TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY

Website

https://tmi-tribology.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TMI is a private, COFRAC ISO 17025-accredited French laboratory in Bron providing tribology, materials, surface characterization, and computational tribology testing services to industrial manufacturers and engineering firms across aerospace, automotive, nuclear, medical, and energy sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bron

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Testing and Analysis Services: Core revenue stream from tribological testing (friction, wear, fretting, endurance), physico-chemical analyses, surface characterization, and mechanical testing services. Services are delivered on a project basis with pricing based on scope, complexity, and standards applied.
2. Specialized Training: Professional training programs in tribology and surface state, including standard courses (TB01 Initiation, TE02 Mastery, ES04 Surfaces) and customized training. Recognized as Qualiopi certified training organization.
3. Technical Assistance and Consulting: Technical assistance services providing expert consultation and recommendations adapted to client's sector and technical objectives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TMI is a private, independent French laboratory that provides tribological testing (friction, wear, endurance, fretting), physico-chemical materials analysis, lubricant analysis, surface characterization (hardness, roughness, SEM/EDX, interferometry), numerical simulation, and specialized tribology training. Services are delivered on a project basis to industrial clients across sectors including aerospace, automotive, nuclear, medical, energy, and transport & defense, using ISO and ASTM standardized protocols as well as customized test methods.

Product overview

TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY (TMI) is a private, independent French laboratory providing specialized tribology, materials testing, and surface characterization services to industrial clients. The company operates as a multi-disciplinary services laboratory organized around four complementary service pillars: (1) Tribology & Materials services encompassing tribological testing (friction, wear, endurance, fretting), materials analysis, and lubricant analysis laboratories; (2) Surface Analysis covering roughness measurement, hardness testing (Vickers to nano-scale), optical interferometry, SEM/EDX, goniometry, and adhesion/scratch testing; (3) Training & Technical Assistance offering standardized courses (TB01 Initiation, TE02 Mastery, ES04 Surface) and customized tribology training programs; and (4) Numerical Simulation & Computational Tribology for predictive modeling. The portfolio includes specialized test services such as FZG testing, ASTM G77 block-on-ring wear testing, Taber abrasion testing, stick-slip analysis, and seizure testing. The company holds ISO 17025 (COFRAC), ISO 9001, CIR (Research Tax Credit), and Qualiopi certifications. TMI serves diverse industrial sectors including automotive, aeronautics, energy, medical, and cosmetics, with facilities exceeding 600m² of laboratory space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tribology Laboratory Testing Core tribological testing services including friction (COF) testing, wear testing, endurance testing, fretting testing, seizure (grippage) resistance testing, and stick-slip analysis under controlled conditions and standards such as ASTM G196, ASTM D7506, FZG A/8.3/90, VDA-230-206, and ASTM D1894.
• Materials Analysis Laboratory Physico-chemical analysis services to characterize material composition, structure, and properties for industrial clients across all sectors.
• Lubricant Analysis Laboratory Specialized laboratory for the characterization and performance evaluation of lubricating oils and greases.
• Friction Testing Services Friction testing measuring coefficient of friction using tribometers under controlled temperature (-90°C to 1000°C), dry or lubricated contact, and various sliding/rolling configurations.
• Wear Testing Services Wear testing services evaluating material resistance to wear under various tribological conditions using standardized and custom protocols.
• Seizure Resistance Testing Seizure testing evaluating material or lubricant performance under extreme contact and pressure conditions per ASTM G196, ASTM D7506, and FZG A/8.3/90 standards.
• Endurance Testing Services Long-term endurance testing simulating material and lubricant behavior over extended periods, including fatigue, micro/macro pitting, and FZG testing per CEC L-07-A-95 and ISO 14635.
• Stick-Slip Testing Stick-slip testing evaluating adhesion and stick-slip phenomena between contacting surfaces that generate vibration, noise, or premature component degradation, per VDA-230-206 and ASTM D1894.
• SEM / EDX Characterization Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy services for detailed surface analysis, defect characterization, and chemical composition analysis.
• Optical Interferometry Characterization 3D optical interferometry surface characterization providing nanometric precision for topography, roughness, morphology, and defect analysis without contact.
• Optical Microscopy Characterization Optical microscopy services for fine surface and interface analysis, enabling observation of material morphology, defect detection, and crack identification.
• Goniometry (Contact Angle) Characterization Goniometry services measuring contact angle to analyze surface wettability and adhesion properties for evaluating surface treatments and hydrophobic/hydrophilic materials.
• Hardness Measurement Services Hardness testing across Vickers, Rockwell, Shore, Brinell, micro-hardness, nano-hardness, and temperature-controlled measurements from -80°C to +1000°C.
• Roughness Measurement Services Surface roughness measurement and analysis using tactile profilometers and 3D optical interferometry for 2D and 3D surface characterization per ISO 25178 and ISO 4287.
• Adhesion and Scratch Testing Adhesion and scratch testing evaluating coating adhesion, adherence, and mechanical resistance per ASTM G171, ASTM C1624, ISO 20502, and ISO 1518.
• Mechanical Testing Services Mechanical testing covering traction, compression, torsion, flexion, creep, relaxation, impact, and shear tests per ISO and ASTM standards.
• Numerical Simulation and Computational Tribology Numerical simulation and computational tribology services for modeling and predicting tribological behavior using advanced computational methods.
• Tribology Training Programs Professional training programs in tribology and surface state including TB01 Initiation, TE02 Mastery, ES04 Surfaces, and customized corporate training delivered by a Qualiopi-certified training organization.
• Technical Assistance and Consulting Expert consultation and technical assistance providing recommendations adapted to clients' sector and technical objectives for tribology-related industrial projects.
• FZG Standardized Testing Standardized FZG testing for gear lubricant performance evaluation including scuffing and pitting resistance per ISO 14635 and CEC L-07-A-95.
• ASTM G77 Block-on-Ring Wear Testing Block-on-ring sliding wear resistance testing per ASTM G77 for evaluating wear resistance of materials, coatings, and surface treatments under controlled sliding conditions.
• Taber Abrasion Testing Rotary abrasion testing using a Taber abrasimeter for evaluating abrasion resistance of materials, coatings, polymers, and surface treatments per ASTM D4060, ISO 5470-1, and ISO 7784.

Quantifiable outcome

• Response time: team responds within 24 hours on working days with concrete solutions
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Anton Paar: Austrian manufacturer of high-precision laboratory and process measurement instruments, including tribometers and surface characterization tools. Not a testing services competitor, but a key equipment supplier whose instruments TMI-equivalent labs purchase.
• Bruker: Global manufacturer of scientific instruments including surface analysis (optical profilers, AFM) and materials characterization equipment used in tribology and materials labs. Functions as an enabler/supplier to laboratories like TMI rather than a direct testing competitor.

Direct peers

• Trescal: International calibration and measurement services group headquartered in France, providing accredited measurement and testing services to industrial clients. Closely comparable scope on the measurement and calibration side of TMI's offering.
• Cetim: France's national technical center for mechanical industries, providing mechanical, materials, and tribology testing services to industrial clients. Direct competitor in the French market for accredited mechanical testing and characterization services.
• Falex Tribology: US-headquartered tribology testing equipment and services specialist focused on friction, wear, and lubricant performance evaluation. Directly comparable offering in tribology-specific test methods (FZG, block-on-ring, four-ball).

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC services group with industrial asset and laboratory testing operations spanning materials, mechanical, and surface evaluation. Comparable French/global footprint for industrial testing contracts.
• Element Materials Technology: Global testing services platform covering materials, mechanical, and tribology characterization across aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical. Significantly larger scope than TMI but overlapping on core materials/fatigue/wear testing.
• Intertek: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) provider with extensive materials and product testing labs. Overlaps with TMI's mechanical, surface, and materials characterization offerings for industrial clients.
• Applus+ Laboratories: International testing, inspection, and certification group with materials and mechanical testing capabilities serving industrial clients. Overlaps with TMI on materials characterization and failure analysis services.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with industrial testing capabilities including materials and mechanical characterization. Competes for the same multinational industrial clients as TMI.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TTribology
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0ldMt3imE9Ik9wrRGPMvgw
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tribology-materials-for-industry

Compliance4 records

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 TRIBOLOGY & MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRY