Eldim, spotlight on the world market leader in conoscopes

How was Eldim created?

Thierry Leroux: I founded the company in 1992 after around 10 years at the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), where I was a researcher specialising in liquid crystal displays. My plan was to work on screen characterisation and more specifically issues relating to the viewing angle. This means that depending on the position you look at a screen from, the quality of the display is not the same. Until now, when designing these screens, light measurements were taken automatically from thousands of viewing angles. We created a piece of optical equipment that allowed for measurements to be taken from all angles at the same time: the EZContrast conoscope.

Has the market responded immediately?

T.L.: Yes, the leading screen manufacturers quickly understood the appeal of a technology that allows you to do something in a few dozen seconds that previously took four days. After demonstrating at various conferences, we signed our first contracts in the US in 1994 and in Japan in 1995. We then released new models that were more and more effective and comprehensive in terms of measurements (angle measurement, colorimetry etc.) with clients all over the world, particularly in South Korea (Samsung) and China, where screen manufacturing has gradually moved to.

You've also expanded the scope of application of your technology?

T.L.: Following some more challenging times during the 2008-09 financial crisis, we have benefited from the "smartphone and tablets" revolution and the arrival of new manufacturers (Microsoft, Apple, Google).

However, the real turning point in our development was in 2015, when our technology - which until then had been used in the development process in laboratories - made its way into factories for measuring the compliance of finished equipment in production chains. We then developed a range of specific equipment to carry out exhaustive checks of each product before it goes on the market.

It's in this context that you formed a relationship with Apple?

T.L.: We've been working with Apple's R&D teams for a long time with our analytical measurement solutions. But our collaboration entered a new dimension in a very short space of time when Apple ordered equipment from us to be used in production of the iPhone X.

What are your main business development focuses for tomorrow?

T.L.: The development of equipment for production chains is a huge growth driver with enormous commercial potential. For example, our contract with Apple has led us to triple our workforce in a few months. We are also working on other applications relating to measurement technology. We have recently been approved for checking rear-view mirrors in the automotive industry.

What role do investors play in this development?

T.L.: We've been lucky enough to have partners like Crédit Mutuel Innovation (formerly CM-CIC Innovation) that have understood that it can take a very long time for markets to mature when it comes to new technologies. In addition to their financial contribution, they have given us the most valuable thing for a start-up: time.