AQLE

AQLE, a leading player in industrial electronics, joins the French industrial group Gérard Perrier Industrie (GPI)

Societex Corporate Finance, one of the French member firms of Cognos, exclusive advisor for the transaction, announces the completion of the transfer of AQLE, a leading SME in the design, manufacture and integration of electronic cards and wired cabling, to the French industrial group Gérard Perrier Industrie.

Founded in 1993 and managed by Damien Asselin, AQLE, based in Saint-Just-en-Chaussée (60), has established itself over the years as a recognised industrial partner in the development and industrialisation of complex electronic solutions for strategic and sovereign sectors such as aeronautics, defence, energy and special vehicles.

The company has an integrated industrial model covering the entire value chain—from design to final integration—and based on some of the most demanding quality standards on the market (including EN 9100 and IPC Class 3).
This comprehensive expertise enables AQLE to offer its customers a high level of reliability, performance and This comprehensive expertise enables AQLE to offer its customers a high level of reliability, performance and responsiveness in challenging technical environments.

AQLE also relies on a structured industrial organisation, combining a production site in France and a facility in Tunisia, and currently employs more than 170 people. This organisation supports a growth trajectory driven by a solid and expanding customer portfolio, reflecting the renewed confidence of leading industrial players.

As part of the competitive process led by Societex–Adviso Group, the Gérard Perrier Industrie Group quickly distinguished itself as a leading industrial partner, perfectly aligned with AQLE’s DNA, values and development ambitions.
The integration of AQLE into Gérard Perrier Industrie, a listed French group with a turnover of €319 million in 2024 and nearly 2,800 employees, will enable AQLE to benefit from the group’s strong industrial base and expertise in the field of industrial automation.

AQLE will continue to operate as an independent company, with its own management team and corporate identity.
The integration of AQLE into Gérard Perrier Industrie, a listed French group with a turnover of €319 million in 2024 and nearly 2,800 employees, opens up significant technical, industrial and commercial synergies, particularly within the group’s Aeronautics and Defence division, which already includes AECE, a recognised player in embedded electronics.
AECE, a recognised player in embedded electronics. Beyond the operation itself, this transaction is part of an industrial consolidation process aimed at strengthening critical technological capabilities in Europe, serving sectors with high industrial, technological and strategic sovereignty stakes.

SOCIETEX CF has been exclusively commissioned by AQLE shareholders to seek strategic partners willing to support the company’s next phase of development.

SOCIETEX was very familiar with the company's environment, thanks to its experience in transactions carried out for the same industries and in the same target markets. This made it possible to quickly identify the most appropriate transaction to consider and guide me through the potential merger process. It also made it possible to consider the type of high-quality players that would meet our clients' expectations. Their attentiveness and support at every stage of the process were total and remarkable, with a high level of responsiveness in answering every question and query and proposing appropriate solutions and answers. The values that drive the SOCIETEX teams were even decisive and greatly appreciated by the partner with whom we carried out the transaction. This establishes the principles of trust, goodwill and credibility that are essential to the success of such a project, without necessarily putting the notion of capital first, but rather defending the company's project as a whole. Finally, I would say that the humanism of my interlocutors also allowed me to look further ahead and calmly prepare the next stage of the company's project... which is why, today, I am delighted to continue with the GPI group to drive the transformation and acceleration of the company's development. Damien ASSELIN– Chief Executive Officer of AQLE

Thomas Beaurain