ALTEN
A French multinational engineering, technology consulting and information-technology services group.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
ALTEN is a French multinational engineering and technology services company founded in 1988 by Simon Azoulay, Laurent Schwarz and Thierry Woog. The group works primarily as a business-to-business engineering partner, supplying technical expertise, project teams, consulting capabilities and outsourced research-and-development support rather than selling a single standardized consumer product. Its activities cover engineering design, product and systems development, information technology, software, networks, telecommunications architecture, technical assistance and program or project management. The company serves technology-intensive customers in industrial, telecommunications and service sectors. Its areas of application include automotive and other transportation industries, aerospace and aviation, defense, energy, telecommunications, computer systems, networking, multimedia, financial services and corporate information systems. Depending on the engagement, ALTEN personnel may work on product conception, embedded and digital systems, software development, infrastructure, network architecture, testing, systems integration, maintenance or technical support. The group also operates specialist businesses focused on project-management offices, energy operations, customer-support engineering and technical training. ALTEN developed its initial French business between 1988 and 1997 and entered the Paris stock market in 1999. International expansion began around 2000 and subsequently broadened to Europe, Asia and the United States. The group has used targeted acquisitions to add sector expertise and local delivery capacity, including purchases in India, the United States, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Korea and Spain. Its organization has included French engineering and technology consulting, networks and telecommunications and information-systems activities, regional French operations, an international division and a solutions division containing specialist companies. ALTEN is listed on Euronext Paris under ticker ATE.PA and is associated with the SBF 120, IT CAC 50 and other French market indices. In 2025, the company reported revenue of approximately €4.10 billion and 57,400 employees. The French market represented about 35% of group activity in that year. These figures are time-specific and should not be treated as permanent company characteristics. ALTEN’s positioning is that of an international engineering-services and technology-consulting partner for organizations that need additional technical capacity, specialist expertise or outsourced delivery across complex product and information-technology programs.
History
ALTEN was established in France in 1988 by Simon Azoulay, Laurent Schwarz and Thierry Woog, three engineers educated at French grandes écoles. The company initially concentrated on engineering and technology services for corporate customers. During its first development phase, from 1988 through 1997, it built a domestic French operating base and broadened its work in technical studies, product conception and information-systems support. ALTEN went public in 1999 on the second market of the Paris Stock Exchange. International development began around 2000, and by 2003 international operations represented approximately 20% of turnover. The group subsequently expanded outside France through a combination of organic development and acquisitions. Its international footprint came to include European markets as well as the United States and Asia; the company describes its global network as covering about 30 countries. By 2012, expansion had specifically extended into Asia and the United States, while later acquisitions continued to add local engineering and consulting capabilities. The acquisition strategy has generally focused on activities related to the group’s core engineering, technology and information-technology services. In 2011 ALTEN acquired Calsoft Labs in India and the United States, Bardenheuer in Germany and Enea Consulting in Sweden. It acquired cPrime in the United States in 2014 and EclipseIT in the Netherlands in 2015. In 2019 it acquired Quick Release in the United Kingdom. In 2020 it acquired ITSector in Portugal, strengthening its information-technology consulting presence in financial services. In 2022 the group acquired Volansys in India and the United States and AP Solutions in Korea. In 2023 it acquired Ayesa Air Control in Spain and Germany. ALTEN’s operating model has been organized around several divisions and specialist businesses. Described divisions have included Paris Engineering and Technology Consulting, Paris Networks Telecoms and Information Systems, French Regions, International and Solutions. The Solutions division has included specialist companies such as MI-GSO for project and program-management services, Anotech Energy for oil and gas operations, Atexis for customer-support engineering, Avenir Conseil for technical training and PCU3ED for program and project management. The group’s services encompass engineering and R&D outsourcing, IT and network services, consulting, technical expertise and customer support. Its client work spans industrial products, telecommunications infrastructure, software, information systems and other complex technical programs. International operations became a substantial part of the business: in 2019, international activity represented 56.8% of group revenue according to the cited company history. In 2025, ALTEN was reported to have 57,400 employees and €4.10 billion in revenue, with France accounting for 35% of activity. It remains a publicly traded French engineering-services group listed on Euronext Paris.
- 2025
Reported scale reaches 57,400 employees
[1]ALTEN is reported to have 57,400 employees and approximately €4.10 billion in revenue, with France contributing about 35% of activity.
- 2019
International revenue becomes the majority
[1]International activity represents 56.8% of group revenue, according to the cited company history.
- 2012
Expansion into Asia and the United States
[1]ALTEN broadens its international presence in Asian and United States markets.
- 2003
International activity reaches a significant share
[1]International operations are reported to represent approximately 20% of turnover.
- 2000
International expansion begins
[1]The group begins developing operations outside France.
- 1999
Initial public offering
[1]ALTEN lists on the second market of the Paris Stock Exchange.
- 1988
ALTEN is founded in France
[1]Simon Azoulay, Laurent Schwarz and Thierry Woog establish ALTEN as an engineering and technology services company.
Products and positioning
An international engineering-services and technology-consulting partner for technology-intensive industrial, telecommunications and service-sector clients.
Engineering services
Engineering and R&D outsourcing
ALTEN supplies engineering expertise and project capacity to corporate customers developing products, systems and technologies. Assignments may cover technical studies, design, research and development, systems engineering, testing and related delivery work. The offering is typically tailored to a customer’s program rather than packaged as a standardized product.
Information technology services
IT and network services
This service line supports information-systems departments and technology operators with software, infrastructure, networks and telecommunications architecture. ALTEN may contribute development teams, systems integration, technical architecture and operational support for enterprise IT and communications environments.
Technology consulting
Consulting, expertise and customer support
ALTEN provides specialist consulting and technical assistance across industrial and service-sector programs. Customer-support engineering can include lifecycle, maintenance, documentation and operational support activities. The group’s specialist companies also extend the portfolio into program management, energy operations and technical training.
Brand decisions
2023
Acquisition of Ayesa Air ControlM&ABackground
ALTEN pursued further sector-focused growth in engineering services.
Action taken
The group acquired Ayesa Air Control in Spain and Germany.
Aftermath
The acquisition added aviation-related operations in two European markets.
2022
Expansion through Volansys and AP SolutionsM&ABackground
The group continued using acquisitions to develop regional and technical capabilities.
Action taken
ALTEN acquired Volansys in India and the United States and AP Solutions in Korea.
Aftermath
The transactions expanded the group’s presence and service capacity in additional Asian and American markets.
2020
Acquisition of ITSectorM&ABackground
ALTEN continued expanding its information-technology consulting capabilities.
Action taken
The group acquired ITSector in Portugal.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened ALTEN’s IT-consulting presence in services for financial institutions.
2011
Acquisition-led expansion in Europe, India and the United StatesM&ABackground
ALTEN sought to expand its engineering and technology-services capabilities through targeted acquisitions.
Action taken
The group acquired Calsoft Labs, Bardenheuer and Enea Consulting.
Aftermath
The transactions added operations and expertise in India, the United States, Germany and Sweden.
Recent events
- 2025
ALTEN reports 2025 revenue of approximately €4.10 billion and 57,400 employees[1]
Other
The company profile reported approximately €4.10 billion in revenue and 57,400 employees for 2025. France accounted for about 35% of group activity.
- 2013
ALTEN Spain labor dispute leads to strike action[1]
Other
After Alten Spain dismissed more than one hundred employees in 2012 and proposed further dismissals and a 10% pay reduction, employees called a strike in January 2013.
Sources2 sources
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