Testia
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Aérospatiale |
| Headquarters | Toulouse , France |
Area served | France, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Canada, Singapore, Mexico |
Key people | Didier Simonet (head of Airbus Group Innovation overseeing unification effort) |
| Products | NDT training, inspection services, consulting, engineering support, periodic inspections, fluids analysis, Go/No-Go gauges, versatile equipment, augmented reality applications, drone technology, remote assistance solutions |
Number of employees | 250 (2018) |
| Parent | Airbus |
Testia, a subsidiary of Airbus since 2013, focuses on delivering training, services, and products related to aerostructure testing and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) within the aerospace industry.
Current activities
Established in 1991 by Aerospatiale (now Airbus) under the name "NDT Expert," Testia has grown into a prominent provider of inspection, training, consulting, engineering support, periodic inspections, fluids analysis, Go/No-Go gauges, versatile equipment, augmented reality applications, drone technology, and remote assistance solutions. The company employs a range of NDT methods including ultrasound, radiography, tomography, penetrant, infrared thermography, magnetization, shearography, and Eddy current to identify flaws in both metallic and composite materials such as CFRP, ALM, and HRD.
Testia holds a NADCAP accreditation for manufacturing processes and adheres to standards set by the EASA and FAR PART 145 for maintenance and in-service operations.
By 2018, the company employed 250 professionals spread across seven countries: France, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Canada, Singapore, and Mexico. Riding the wave of growth in the NDT sector, Testia planned to extend its presence into China and the Middle East during 2019.
History
In 1991, Aérospatiale, together with Bureau Veritas and Sogerma, established NDT Expert within its research and development division at the historic Blériot facility in Suresnes. The enterprise concentrated on training and certifying NDT inspectors according to the EN4179 standard to enhance aerospace structural integrity and ensure regulatory compliance.
NDT Expert moved to Toulouse in 1996 to be closer to industrial operations. Around this period, Sogerma divested its shares to EADS, which succeeded Aérospatiale. Following the formation of EADS and later Airbus in 2012, a strategic initiative was launched to harmonize NDT training and certification among leading aerospace companies including Aérospatiale (France), Deutsche Airbus (Germany), Hawker Siddeley (UK), and CASA (Spain). Didier Simonet, head of Airbus Group Innovation, was appointed to oversee this unification effort.
In 2015, NDT Expert adopted the name Testia to better reflect Airbus's strategic emphasis on non-destructive testing services. Airbus Group acquired Bureau Veritas’s 20% shareholding, making Testia a fully owned subsidiary.
Testia broadened its portfolio in NDT training (NAS410/EN4179), services, and product offerings while establishing operations in France; Mexico (2011); United Kingdom (2013); Germany (2013); Spain (2013); Singapore (2014); and Canada (2018).
By 2016, Testia introduced advanced products such as an NDT instrument designed for the A350XWB composite structures alongside augmented reality inspection tools implemented by Spirit AeroSystems. The company also played a role in Airbus's "Hangar of the Future" project.
In 2017, Testia expanded into Structural Health Monitoring and earned a Customer Value Leadership award.
As of April 2018, Testia was designated as the launch partner for Airbus Advanced Inspection Drone technology.