Company Profile: APLIX Group
Corporate Overview
APLIX Group is a premier global specialist in hook-and-loop fastening systems and self-gripping technologies. Founded in 1958 by Jean Billarant (originally as "Velcro France"), the company rebranded as APLIX in 1976 and has since evolved into the world's second-largest manufacturer in its sector. Headquartered in Le Cellier, France (near Nantes), APLIX remains a family-owned enterprise that operates with a massive international footprint, including six production plants across France, the United States, Brazil, and China.
The company is distinguished by its deep technical expertise in textiles and plastics, managing the entire production cycle from raw material processing to the creation of custom-designed manufacturing machinery. With over 950 employees and an annual turnover of approximately ?193 million, APLIX serves as a critical partner for highly technical industries where performance and reliability are non-negotiable.
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What the Company Does
APLIX designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance fastening solutions that serve as superior alternatives to traditional joining methods like zippers, adhesives, or mechanical fasteners. The company?s core focus is on "fastening the future" through a combination of traditional weaving and cutting-edge polymer engineering.
Key Industrial Capabilities
- Advanced Material Science: The company masters a wide range of technologies including weaving, knitting, yarn texturing, extrusion, and plastic injection.
- Vertical Integration: Unlike many competitors, APLIX designs its own manufacturing processes and builds the specialized machinery used in its global plants, ensuring a high level of proprietary technical control and quality.
- Eco-Design & Sustainability: APLIX is a leader in sustainable fastening, developing bio-sourced, compostable, and 100% recyclable fasteners to meet the evolving environmental standards of the packaging and personal care industries.
- Industry 4.0: The firm has integrated "Factory 4.0" solutions, utilizing automated, robotized, and digitalized systems to increase agility and efficiency in its production lines.
Products and Services
APLIX offers a vast portfolio of over 3,000 products, categorized by their technical construction and the specific market needs they address.
1. Fastening Technologies
- Textile Hook and Loop: High-cycle life fasteners (up to 10,000 cycles) available in various materials, including fire-retardant NOMEX? and PPS for extreme environments.
- Plastic/Extruded Hooks: Low-profile, miniaturized hooks designed for discrete closures in the hygiene and medical sectors.
- Hook-to-Hook Closures: Specialized systems where both sides of the fastener are identical, commonly used in high-end packaging.
- Intermold? Technology: A proprietary process that allows hooks to be directly molded into plastic parts (such as automotive seat frames) during the injection process, eliminating the need for adhesives.
2. Specialized Brands
- Easylock by Aplix?: A world-leading resealable closure for flexible packaging (e.g., cereal bags, pet food, detergents). It is designed to be intuitive and sensory, providing an audible "click" that confirms the package is sealed.
- SoftFit by Aplix?: Ultra-soft, high-performance fastening tapes specifically designed for the "Personal Care" market, including baby diapers and adult incontinence products.
- TexLoop by Aplix?: A range of high-performance technical loops used in demanding industrial applications.
3. Market-Specific Solutions
- Automotive: Seat assembly systems, headliners, and interior trim fasteners.
- Aerospace: Fire-retardant insulation fastening, seating, and maintenance solutions compliant with strict aviation safety standards.
- Healthcare: Fasteners for orthopedic braces, blood pressure cuffs, and single-use surgical products.
- Military & Security: Camouflage-patterned and anti-infrared treated hook-and-loop for tactical gear and uniforms.
- Cleaning: Specialized "mop-heads" and scrubbers that utilize hook-and-loop for quick-change industrial cleaning.
Research, Development, and CSR
Innovation is the primary driver for APLIX, with approximately 3% of annual turnover reinvested into R&D. The company holds over 400 active patents and focuses heavily on the development of "circular economy" products.
The company is also a leader in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), holding the ISO 26000 (Engag? RSE) label. Since 2020, they have been participants in the United Nations Global Compact, committing to ten principles regarding human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption.
