The Apave Group strengthens its industrial testing offering with the acquisition of Continental Automotive France's Qualification Laboratory in Toulouse

Industrial testing is a cornerstone of the Group's offering, which now includes more than 20 equipment testing and qualification centres in France and abroad. In France, the Group draws on the expertise of its subsidiary Sopemea, founded in 1948 and specialising in equipment qualification, particularly for the aerospace, nuclear, transport and defence sectors.

The tests carried out in its laboratories are COFRAC accredited and CIR and CII approved, enabling defects to be detected, performance to be validated and product compliance with applicable standards to be guaranteed. They are therefore essential for ensuring the reliability, safety and performance of equipment throughout its life cycle.

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Founded in 1988 and based in Toulouse, the laboratory has over 40 employees and offers a comprehensive range of high-quality services: tests and measurements, materials and failure analysis, technical support throughout the equipment life cycle, and production testing in direct line with industrial chain requirements.

Historically focused on supporting the design and production of electronic components for the Continental factory in Toulouse, the laboratory has diversified its customer and sector portfolio and now covers a wide range of industrial sectors, including automotive, aerospace, defence, consumer goods and medical.

This acquisition is fully in line with the Apave Group's strategic plan, which aims to strengthen its growth in France and internationally, particularly in priority markets such as Europe.

The laboratory joins Sopemea, an Apave subsidiary specialising in qualification testing and simulations. There are numerous synergies:

• Complementary expertise and equipment for tests and measurements,
• A stronger geographical presence in Toulouse,
• Expansion of the range of services offered in production testing and qualification of electronic components, as well as materials analysis.

Apave is an international group with over 150 years of experience in technical, human, environmental and digital risk management. An independent company with a turnover of €1.4 billion in 2024, Apave currently has 17,500 employees, 130 branches in France, 170 training sites in France and abroad and more than 20 testing and equipment qualification centres. Apave has an international presence in nearly 60 countries. Apave provides inspection, certification, technical training, testing and measurement and consulting services to private companies and public authorities in France and abroad. For more information, visit www.apave.com