After nearly four years since its acquisition by the Rhone-based family group REEL, the flagship company CNIM industrial systems in Seyne emerges from its reserve. Var-matin was able to step into the 45,000m² of workshops still located at the historical sites of Lagoubran and Brégallion, from where eminently strategic constructions emerge, particularly given the global geopolitical context.
Originating from the shipyards founded in the mid-19th century, the company has developed expertise since the 1960s in developing, manufacturing, and integrating complex systems for the nuclear, defense, space, and electronics sectors.
“It is the missile launcher tubes, of which we are currently producing the 5th generation, that have made CNIM industrial systems a sovereignty company, whose acquisition could only be made by French candidates,” said Xavier Montazel, general director since January 2025.
With a new Paris headquarters for the Var-based SME, additional investments have been made to further develop strategic markets where the company has made a name. A new production line, costing €10 million, will be operational at the Lagoubran site in June, to accelerate the production pace of the third generation of motorized floating bridges, another specialty of CNIM.
“We anticipated that NATO armies would need to renew this type of equipment, and took the opportunity to adapt them to the increasing weight of modern tanks,” said the director.
Discussions for potential deals are ongoing with other countries such as Romania, Italy, and Hungary, with the conflict in Ukraine having fueled this interest.
The group’s investment will increase the production rate of floating bridges from 300-400m per year to 150m currently, transitioning the production of 11m-long modules internally.
The company achieves 60% of its revenue from exports, driven by conflicts but also by new markets based on state needs and industrial demand.
CNIM has developed, on its own funds, a mine hunter vehicle called Rocus, commercially available since 2022. The company is also working on Auroch, a combat engineering vehicle, as part of a temporary joint venture, in response to OCCAr’s offer.
CNIM is also eyeing opportunities in the nuclear market, accounting for 14% of its revenue, focusing on equipment that securely relocates nuclear fuel within power stations.
Additionally, discussions are in place for a potential intervention concerning the Chernobyl sarcophagus.
With 430 employees currently and an expected increase to 450 by year-end, CNIM’s workforce predominantly comprises engineers in nuclear and defense sectors as well as production staff.
Despite no longer working on the Iter project, big science projects still contribute to CNIM’s order book. Recent collaborations have included supplying pressurized compartments for The Exploration Company’s STM module for space exploration.
These opportunities project a strong growth for the company this year, aiming for €150 million in revenue, with a target of €200 million by 2030. This growth may lead to new recruitments as CNIM only currently occupies 15% of its available space between the sea and railway.
[Context: CNIM is a strategic French company specializing in complex systems for defense, space, and nuclear sectors] [Fact Check: The information provided should be verified with official sources for confirmation]
