ELNO is the French specialist of the communications in severe environment on the Military markets and the Public Security and, in the railroad domain. This SME (150 persons and a 30 million euro turnover) is a significant actor and a permanent employee of the industry of the National Defence since the 1930s. This manufacturer is involved in the main programs of the Land Forces (SIR, VCI, FELIN) with systems of interphony and of telephony (in particular for armoured vehicles made by PANHARD, RTD, etc.) and peripheral equipments of radio communication (helmets of communication, transducers electro-acoustics, audio equipments). ELNO also collaborates with EADS on the network of security Tetrapol and is the designer of the audio headset of the foot soldier of the future FELIN, developed by SAGEM DS. Finally, ELNO benefits from direct contracts with the DGA and develops in this frame the future helmet which will equip the pilots of helicopters of Three Weapons.

Mr. Xavier Duquesne, Chief Executive Officer of the Activities France of ELNO and Vice-president of the GICAT, and Mr. Jérôme Diacre, Chief Executive Officer of the Defence and Security Activities of ELNO and Director of the workgroup SME of the GICAT, welcomed our representative during half-day and offered him a complete visit of the offices of their company, the engineering consulting firm to the workshops of assembly. Mr. Vigna was so able to comprehend the industrial process and its adjacent stakes.

This meeting also was the opportunity for ELNO and the GICAT to discuss and to exchange information on the following themes: development of the company, growths of the exports or activities R&D. Indeed, this initiative of on-site meeting aims at knowing better our members through their activities, their products and/or services, and is motivated by the will to perceive their difficulties and their expectations towards our grouping.

The GICAT thanks again the ELNO company and his leaders, Misters Duquesne and Diacre, to have welcomed Mr. Vigna and wishes the same success for the next visits of its SME members, already scheduled by the end of January 2010.