CSI Sud-Ouest inaugurated its fully rebuilt printed circuit board factory in Toulouse on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
The opening came two years after an arson fire destroyed three-quarters of the original facility.
The attack occurred during the night of July 26-27, 2024, damaging 2,000 square meters of the 3,500-square-meter site on Chemin de Fenouillet.
Damages reached 25 million euros, including more than 12 million euros for specialized machinery replacement.
Workforce and clients retained through transition
Despite the destruction, the company kept all 57 employees and its entire base of 300 industrial clients.
Those clients include major defense, aerospace, and research leaders such as Airbus, Safran, Dassault, Thales, and the CNRS.
Management sustained operations through temporary arrangements, sub-contracting parts while preserving internal computer-aided manufacturing and quality control tasks.
Employees were rotated to a sister facility in Ennery, near Metz, where workers traveled on weekends to meet production targets.
Staff members were also temporarily placed with other local companies or interim agencies to ensure no loss of income.
Only two resignations occurred among the workforce during the two-year transition.
Reconstruction took 18 months following the completion of site demolition in late 2024.
It was financed through insurance payouts alongside state and regional support via the France 2030 investment plan.
The plant resumed initial manufacturing in Toulouse in February 2026 and currently operates at 80 percent capacity.
Full operational capacity is projected for January 2027.
Executive Director Éric de Ponthaud reflected on the recovery efforts during the official opening ceremony.
"From the very first days, we looked for all possible solutions to keep working," said Éric de Ponthaud, Executive Director of CSI Sud-Ouest.
He emphasized the solidarity among staff and the milestone achieved by the reconstruction team.
"Despite the difficulties, in everyone's mind, there was always concern for the other," said Éric de Ponthaud, Executive Director of CSI Sud-Ouest.
He noted that rebuilding the specialized facility in record time represented an unprecedented feat for the industry in France.
"It is almost a miracle, an achievement for the profession.
It is the first factory of this type to be rebuilt in France," said Éric de Ponthaud, Executive Director of CSI Sud-Ouest.
Group leadership recalled the initial shock when the intrusion alarm sounded at 12:18 a. m.
on the night of the incident.
"For two hours, firefighters were prevented from intervening.
We are bruised and stunned by the scale and brutality of the event," said Laurent Bodin, General Director of Cimulec Group.
Staff representatives highlighted the strong company culture and low turnover rate, which averages 20 years of employee seniority.
"We are very proud to be part of CSI, to share our values and our courage," said Kévin Souchon, Employee Representative at CSI Sud-Ouest.
Public officials attending the ceremony praised the resilience of the workforce and management team.
"You allow us to receive a life lesson," said Jean-Luc Moudenc, Mayor of Toulouse.
"You show us that even when we are at our lowest, if there is will, solidarity, and self-surpass, everything is possible."
Regional representatives echoed the praise for the rapid rebuilding effort.
"Bravo, I have no other words," said Delphine Mercadier, Deputy at the Regional Secretariat for General Affairs.
Regional Councilor Thierry Cottelle characterized the recovery as work "that commands admiration."
During the event, nine company employees and managers received National Defense bronze medals in recognition of their strategic manufacturing support for the defense sector.
That support includes printed circuit components used in aeronautics, satellite systems, and telescope measurement instruments.
Law enforcement investigations into the 2024 arson attack remain ongoing, as authorities have not yet identified the perpetrators responsible for the fire.
