LOOKING BACK: A festive end to the year and a busy start to the New Year
ESTER Technopole annual dinner
At the end of 2025, our teams attended the annual luncheon organized by ESTER Technopole, which brought together numerous companies from the Limoges Métropole ecosystem.
This social gathering fostered networking among companies and strengthened ties within the local tech community. It was an event our employees enjoyed, providing an opportunity for sharing and exploring opportunities for collaboration.
Secret Santa – 2nd edition
Team cohesion is a key factor in optimizing our performance.
For the second year in a row, we organized a Secret Santa. The gift exchange took place on December 19, around a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments made by the various teams.
We would like to thank all the employees who attended for their involvement in the center’s projects and for their contribution to this positive atmosphere, which enhances the mood in our offices every day.
Internships and training
The start of the year was also marked by the arrival of two engineering students specializing in Materials Science from ENSIL-ENSCI.
EDEN LAZRI and Lévènt KARABAG are completing their internships with CITRA’s Thermal Spraying and Vacuum Deposition teams. They will be on site at various times throughout the year to accommodate their international semester.
We wish them a rewarding experience at CITRA.
Visit by students from ENSIL-ENSCI
On January 13 and 22, CITRA was pleased to welcome students from ENSIL-ENSCI—specifically those in the integrated preparatory class and the Materials Engineering program (MAT3)—for two visits focused on exploring our activities.
For the second consecutive year, these sessions provided an opportunity to present our fields of expertise, our technology platforms, and the industrial challenges associated with surface treatment and coating.
On the agenda:
- the Cold Spray,
- vacuum deposition technologies (PVD/PECVD),
- and the materials characterization laboratory.
Beyond the equipment, discussions focused on industrial challenges related to advanced materials: performance, durability, sector-specific requirements, and innovation.
We thank ENSIL-ENSCI for its continued trust, as well as all the students, faculty, and staff who contributed to the quality of these exchanges.
“Materials for Tomorrow’s Photonics” Day
Guillaume Desbordes, Vacuum Deposition Project Manager, attended the “Materials for Tomorrow’s Photonics” event.
On this occasion, we also welcomed professionals to the CITRA CRTS site for a technical tour of our facilities. Participants had the opportunity to learn about our Cold Spray and Vacuum Deposition processes, as well as our characterization capabilities.
These discussions highlighted the key role of surface treatments and coatings in improving performance in demanding sectors such as aerospace, aviation, and defense.
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to ALPHA-RLH and the European Ceramics Cluster for organizing this event and for their invitation.
Exchanges between CRTs
As part of a reciprocal visit between Technology Resource Centers (TRCs), we were pleased to welcome the teams from the CTTC (Ceramic Technology Transfer Center) for an in-depth discussion of our respective platforms and areas of expertise.
At CITRA, our two sites dedicated to surface treatment and coating allowed us to showcase several key technologies:
This event facilitated the comparison of practices, the sharing of feedback, and the identification of common challenges regarding innovation, performance, and sustainability.
Beyond the equipment, these meetings strengthen local synergies among technology stakeholders, at the heart of the dynamics of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Technology Clusters (CRTs) based at ESTER Technopole.
Tour of the characterization facility for Finimétaux members
On February 25, 2026, we were pleased to welcome members of the company FINI METAUX for a technical tour focused on sharing insights and showcasing our facilities.
This meeting allowed Julien Fougeyrollas, the characterization project manager, to present the surface characterization equipment, while Émilien P., a wet process technician, demonstrated the wet electrolytic line.
It was a constructive exchange that enabled us to identify synergies and explore opportunities related to surface treatment and coating challenges.
MAIN NEWS: Thermal Projection
Coming soon to CITRA: the MultiCoat™5 multi-process system.
In what context did this project come about?
CITRA’s business model is based on its ability to develop, using tools that simulate industrial-scale conditions, processes designed to address a need for innovation or breakthrough technology with the ultimate goal of industrialization.
In this sense, it covers a broad TRL range, as its tools allow it to start at the proof-of-concept stage (TRL 3/4) and progress through to the pre-industrialization and support phase (TRL 8).
As such, it is essential for the company to have technical capabilities that reflect the latest advancements in industrial processes in order to meet its customers’ expectations, ensuring that proof-of-concept studies and feasibility tests are conducted with the clear objective of advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and ultimately moving into production.
CITRA is therefore required to have a vision for the evolution of its machine fleet to align with this business model: This may involve retrofitting operations, adding additional functionalities by integrating new peripheral equipment with existing tools, or replacing specific obsolete components—all with the aim of extending the equipment’s lifespan while ensuring it remains aligned with market needs.
Over the past few years, this is how CITRA has worked to evolve its service offerings and meet the needs of its customers, particularly with regard to the following equipment:
- PVD/PECVD vacuum deposition systems
- Wet surface treatment lines
However, these solutions have their limitations, and some equipment eventually becomes truly obsolete, largely due to technological advancements over time. This was particularly the case with CITRA’s atmospheric pressure plasma and HVOF thermal spray systems.
In fact, these facilities, which were commissioned in 2003 and 2008, respectively, proved inadequate in practice when compared to the needs and expectations of today’s customers, particularly in the following areas:
- The disappearance of this type of equipment in industrial innovation circles: in this context, CITRA can no longer follow its business model, as it has become much more difficult to transfer developments to its clients.
- Outdated interface with limited functionality compared to current standards: it is impossible to manage projection quality analysis systems, and control of the tool has become much more precise with the latest-generation equipment.
- High energy consumption compared to newer types of equipment: In the quest for energy savings, this factor has become a key differentiator in the search for the best technical solution to a given problem.
- Limited management of casting data: In addition to data collected from peripheral analysis systems, the market now demands access to as much data as possible regarding the entire process. However, with its current thermal imaging equipment, CITRA is unable to meet these needs, which have become essential in the context of the factory of the future.
The new momentum generated by CITRA through its establishment within the Surface Treatment Resource Center (CRTS), in direct connection with the SAFIR platform, has led it to rethink and reorganize its activities for maximum efficiency.
Since CITRA’s move into the CRTS in April 2023, a number of activities have been transferred, accompanied by investments aimed at gradually accommodating the rest of the planned facilities.
In fact, in addition to all the vacuum characterization and deposition equipment, the CRTS was slated to house all of CITRA’s thermal spraying processes.
The plan is therefore for the ENSIL-ENSCI site to eventually house only administrative offices and wet surface treatment facilities, with spaces better suited to training and R&D activities.
A major undertaking—how is it funded?
This project is supported by funding provided to CITRA by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), for the planned investments.
The funding requirements covered various components:
- Spray booth: This soundproofed and ventilated environment is essential for carrying out the planned thermal spray processes.
- Robot and rotary table: this equipment is necessary for the reproducible and precise production of both simple and complex parts.
- Dust collection system adapted to the flow rate requirements of the spraying processes.
- New-generation mixed Plasma/HVOF spraying system, meeting the criteria specified in the technical specifications.
A structured approach?
Since its inception, this project has continued to reach key milestones. Driven by an ambitious vision and a collective effort, it is gradually taking shape through a series of significant developments.
Discussions surrounding this project culminated in the launch of the grant application process in November 2024 with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. A few weeks later, in December 2024, the application was officially submitted, before being presented to the Standing Committee in July 2025, marking a major milestone in the project’s implementation.
At the same time, the first operational steps are being taken: strategic orders were placed with Delaunay and Oerlikon in 2025, marking the start of the actual transformation of the infrastructure.
The project then took on a new dimension with the dismantling and transfer of the ENSIL-ENSCI cabin to the CRTS, accompanied by an expansion of this facility, paving the way for new technical capabilities.
At the same time, robotic equipment is also being brought to the CRTS, strengthening the site’s technological ecosystem and preparing for future experiments.
Today, the final stages of installation are underway at the CRTS.
When will this new equipment be put into service?
Teams are currently hard at work finalizing the last technical adjustments. Each step brings the project a little closer to completion: a fully operational tool designed to support the innovation and industrial projects of tomorrow.
Once installation is complete, CITRA will be pleased to open the doors to this new facility. A demonstration session will be offered to members, staff, and partners so they can experience firsthand the capabilities of this technology.
This event will also serve as an opportunity to present the CRTS in its complete configuration, as envisioned in the initial plans from 2022–2023. It is a way to share with the entire ecosystem the culmination of several years of reflection, collaboration, and development.