Interview with CERSA-MCI, the specialist in measuring instruments for wire and cable

With forty years of experience in the design and manufacture of wire, cable, and fiber optic  instruments, CERSA-MCI is now synonymous with performance and reliability.
To better understand the origins of the French company based in Cabriès, the research and development process of new products we recently interviewed Eric Nogues, sales and application engineer of CERSA-MCI.
              
Let us briefly retrace the history of CERSA-MCI. How has your company evolved since its creation in 1981?
In 1986, we developed the first laser diffraction (LDS) detectors for on-line measurement of fine diameter wires; that was a real revolution for the market, which encouraged us to develop other even more efficient accessories and instruments, adapted to the changing needs of our customers.

At the beginning of the 1990's, in close collaboration with optical fiber producers, CERSA-MCI developed the first rapid laser interferometric detector for the measurement of glass fibers (LIS-Glass). The great success of this instrument encouraged us to develop other complementary devices: instruments for the contactless measurement of tension (the NCTM), then 5 axis measurement instruments for coated fibers (the CM5). This range of instruments, together with our CIM software, is now used worldwide by the biggest telecommunications optical fiber manufacturers.

With this range of instruments for wires, cable and optical fibers, CERSA-MCI is nowadays one of the leaders in metrology and its name is synonymous with performance and reliability.

Even if the size, the in-house organization of CERSA-MCI and the number of instruments available has greatly evolved since its creation, this has never been a contradiction with what characterizes us: technical excellence and innovation in the service of our customers as well as the concern for the preservation of the environment, so dear to the founder of the Company.

Why did you choose to dive into the area of measurement systems and control for wires and cables?
Initially, we created CERSA-MCI in order to meet the needs for automation and metrology of high-tech industries such as military and aeronautical companies for example, but very rapidly, the activities of the company broadened to wire and cable manufacturing industries. The in-house mastery of optics and electronics allowed us to propose instruments meeting the measurement needs for very small diameters on rapid production lines. An essential combination for allowing us to improve the quality of manufactured products, while optimizing productivity and reducing waste.

Let’s talk about your range of equipment dedicated to optical fibres. How have you fitted into this very dynamic niche sector over time?
CERSA-MCI has been really one of the pioneers in this field of optical fiber quality control that has really taken off since the early 2000’s. Its range of instruments for performing quality control on the fiber during manufacture is used day-in and day-out by the largest fiber manufacturers worldwide. These devices have become indispensable for guaranteeing 100% certification of the optical fiber produced. The massive investment in R&D in this area has allowed CERSA-MCI to position itself as the undisputed leader globally. A reputation for performance and reliability that makes us very proud.

The recent boom in the demand for optical fiber for meeting the needs of communication, in particular following the period of confinement due to Covid-19, has reactivated projects for the creation of optical fiber plants. And CERSA-MCI has reaffirmed its position of leadership and proximity partner for monitoring the technical developments in the sector with novel apparatus.

What is the secret of your success? What is the winning strategy you have used to establish your presence in the market?
We have always known how to make our technical expertise and our head start in terms of innovation stand out, so as to maintain a constant level of high quality for our products. Right from the start, CERSA-MCI has chosen to design, assemble, optimize and test its instruments with a highly qualified team, all in the same location in France. We master all the different steps and minimize our recourse to sub-contracting. This is a major advantage for ensuring the reliability of our apparatus, for providing rapid and effective maintenance with controlled costs, as well as the possibility of upgrading and maintaining the proper operation of our devices over the years.

It's one difference that makes us stand out from the competition and that is really appreciated by our faithful customers throughout the years. The proximity to our customers is not an illusion and we intended to keep it that way!

Let’s talk about the structure of your company. How many employees does CERSA-MCI have and how are they organised?
CERSA-MCI has about 20 employees based in France, but also an entity dedicated to service and repair in China, close to the optical fibre factories. It is a small company where a very friendly, family-like ambiance reigns: having a pleasant working environment is very important to us. The company is organized in several departments: first of all, Research and Development, that has been an essential element at CERSA-MCI from the beginning, where our engineers work permanently creating solutions for today but especially for tomorrow!

We then have the Production part. It is here that we take care of the electronics, the mechanical aspects, of all the assembly, mounting and adjustment parts. A team perfectly qualified to meet the needs for quality given in the specifications. Last but not least, an administrative unit and a sales team with representatives of the CERSA-MCI brand in many countries throughout the world.

What are the criteria that you look for when choosing new members of your team?
To join CERSA-MCI, of course you have to have state-of-the-art skills in our areas of interest. But that is not all! You have to be passionate, to want to excel, to be able to work on your own and obviously to be able to develop in a multidisciplinary team. The turnover is very low with us, which goes to prove that people feel good here and want to carry high the colours of CERSA-MCI!

What is the importance of R&D at CERSA-MCI? What are your priorities in terms of research and development of new products?
R&D has been an essential element at CERSA-MCI ever since its creation. We keep a close collaboration with our customers so as to offer new products that meet their needs with the best performances. We adore overcoming technical challenges! Our R&D team works constantly on the upgrades of our existing equipment but also on the future devices for tomorrow. It’s what allows us clearly to always be a step ahead of a good number of competitors much bigger than us. Flexibility and reactivity are our strengths.

The need to always have a greater throughput and to reduce latency sets the need for technical developments in the field of optical fibres. We are fully involved beside the biggest names in this sector for offering solutions for the future.

And to put out instruments that are really innovative and unique on the market, like the SQM today for the continuous detection of surface imperfections on wires and tubes, shows that CERSA-MCI has indeed the best ideas for new developments in the wire and cable sector.

For further information, please contact the CERSA-MCI team through the references on the side.