OliKrom was at the Eurosatory exhibition dedicated to defence

Olikrom, intelligent chemistry at the heart of defense issues

Present on the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional stand at Eurosatory 2024, Olikrom highlighted its technological advances in the field of smart materials. Founded in 2014 in Pessac, this innovative SME specializes in coatings capable of reacting to environmental stimuli: temperature, pressure, light, shock or the presence of gas. Its objective is clear: to provide manufacturers with immediate visual detection solutions to enhance the safety of equipment and personnel. Eurosatory, the world’s leading meeting place for defense and security players, was an opportunity for Olikrom to demonstrate the relevance of its technologies in a strategic context marked by the need for sovereign innovation.

Already renowned for its LuminoKrom® photoluminescent paint, which captures light during the day and lights up at night without energy, the Gironde-based company is also positioning itself in high value-added sectors such as aeronautics, cybersecurity and now defense.

A paint to detect hydrogen leaks, developed as part of the Horizon 2030 program

Among the innovations highlighted at the show, Olikrom presented an intelligent coating capable of changing color in the presence of hydrogen. Developed as part of the European Horizon 2030 program, this coating will be applied directly to tanks to detect any leaks, particularly in critical environments where the colorless, odorless gas is difficult to spot. This visual, autonomous device, with no on-board electronics, significantly enhances the safety of installations and personnel.

This technology meets a growing need in the hydrogen sector, which is set to play a strategic role in the coming decades, including in military propulsion systems and on-board energy solutions. The development of this type of solution testifies to Olikrom’s ability to transform research into concrete industrial applications, in direct line with the needs of its partners: Thales, Safran, Airbus, ArianeGroup, but also GRTgaz, already involved in similar projects in the civil sector.

An agile, strategic SME for the French defense ecosystem

The fact that Olikrom is based in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, which is strongly committed to dual technologies and the energy transition, has encouraged its integration into a network of excellence. Supported by the Region, Bpifrance and competitiveness clusters, the SME is pursuing its growth with a clear strategy: to create, formulate and produce tailor-made materials in France, with complete control of the value chain, from molecule to finished product.

By taking part in Eurosatory, Olikrom is asserting its strategic role in the national defense ecosystem. Its low-energy, responsive, eco-designed technologies meet the challenges of security, traceability and predictive maintenance – themes at the heart of current military innovation. The company thus confirms its ambition to make intelligent colors the industry standard of tomorrow.