In line with its strategy of moving “beyond the tyre”, French tyre maker Michelin has acquired 100% ownership of the company AirCaptif, a French start-up with know-how in the field of ultralight inflatable structures for protection and insulation. It is also in line with the group’s intend to invest in France, “in innovative fields that create jobs”, said Michelin. Terms were not disclosed.
Equipped with ultra-modern industrial means, AirCaptif offers inflatable structures with an ultralight modern assembly. These solutions, which are simple to use and ten times lighter than steel, opt for a single inflation point for quick and simplified implementation. They find applications in fields as varied as aeronautics, medicine, construction, and even leisure.
For 130 years, Michelin has been developing renowned expertise within the field of inflatable structures and highly technical materials. Michelin’s acquisition of AirCaptif will allow for much faster development of activities on new markets.
AirCaptif has an innovation platform and the advanced industrial means in the materials field, applicable in several sectors of activity, it adds. This acquisition falls within Michelin’s sustainable growth strategy, beyond the tyre, and comes to illustrate its development in the field of high-technology materials.