Alqio, industrial accuracy
Officially launched two years ago, the ARMOR GROUP's newest subsidiary is the result of several years of internal incubation, marked by early successes. Building on this history, the company is now continuing its development and taking another highly symbolic step forward by unveiling a new brand identity.

Designed to support the subsidiary's ambition, this new identity is built around a premise: the industry of the 21st century will be fair or it will not be. Now bearing the name Alqio,the company is affirming its positioning based on a commitment to industrial accuracy at all levels: tailor-made design, resource optimization, economic efficiency, and controlled impact.

“Since we started our business, these principles have guided the support we provide to our partners in the design and manufacture of functionalized surface components, from the laboratory to industrial production,” reveals Fabien Resweber, Business Development Manager.

Applications everywhere, for everyone
Drawing on its expertise in formulation, coating (roll-to-roll), and precision printing (sheet-to-sheet and screen printing), Alqio designs and manufactures functionalized surface components—films, membranes, and sensors—on an industrial scale for a wide range of applications. As part of the ARMOR GROUP and with its production site based in La Chevrolière (44), its production capacity amounts to several million square meters of coated materials and several million screen-printed sensors per year. The production area also has a clean room, controlled for temperature, humidity, and dust, for roll-to-roll equipment.

Since Fabien Resweber joined the company 18 months ago as head of business development, Alqio has been accelerating its search for multiple innovation opportunities, beginning the rollout of new applications.

“The functionalized surfaces we develop—membranes, films, sensors, patches—have endless applications: healthcare, industry, sports, virtual reality, construction... our functionalized surfaces are everywhere,” says Fabien Resweber.

For example, electroactive films are used as transducers in medical devices to analyze or treat certain serious diseases, but also in ultra-thin speakers, pressure sensors, and haptic actuators for virtual reality equipment.
Sensors screen-printed by Alqio can also be integrated directly into floors to count people (connected floor). They are also found in industrial, sports, and professional protective equipment (PPE) to dynamically monitor impacts or pressures, as well as in interfaces and connected objects (punching bags, automotive and cycling equipment, connected bracelets, etc.).
Another example is Alqio, which is working on the development of electric heating films, particularly for the automotive and industrial sectors.
Finally, the company is planning to develop and produce highly specific, tailor-made selective permeability membranes.

Support from R&D to industrial production
Alqio offers four complementary levels of service: physical or chemical characterization, R&D, prototyping, and large-scale production, whereas most laboratories choose to stop at the transition to industrial-scale production.

“It is by leveraging its expertise and providing industrial support from the birth of an idea to its industrial and commercial realization that Alqio envisions the success of the projects entrusted to it by its clients,” explains Pierre Guichard, CTO of Alqio.

The company, which currently has around 15 employees, aims to triple its turnover within five years.

"According to RI Global Insight, the smart materials market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% for the period 2023-2030, with a projected market size of $115.4 billion by 2030. Thanks to our industrial capabilities and encouraging projections, we are confident about the future of our business," concludes Fabien Resweber.