Business Case
Qualifying the European potential of a metal structure inspection system
SURFEO assessed the European outlets for an innovative metal structure inspection system in the process industries.
01 · Context & challenges
Moving from a validated technology to a European market-entry strategy
Corrosion and material degradation remain key issues for industrial facilities. The European EUROCORR congress brings together more than a thousand specialists in the field every year [1].
A French SME in the nuclear subcontracting sector, which had developed an innovative inspection system for metal structures, wanted to assess deployment opportunities on the European process industries market.
SURFEO analysed the offer and the technology, interviewed users, identified the key players and formulated recommendations for introducing the solution in Europe.
02 · Our intervention
A qualification combining technology, market and field validation
1
Analyse the markets
Qualify the target markets and their inspection needs.
2
Identify the players
Map the relevant players in each segment.
3
Conduct the interviews
Gather field feedback on uses and adoption criteria.
4
Present the priorities
Prioritise the opportunities and present the conclusions.
03 · Key figures
4industrial markets analysed
4families of industrial applications studied
TRL 5technology readiness level at the time of the study
Europedeployment area assessed
04 · Market
Structural inspection addresses maintenance and safety challenges
Matrix of the four markets studied
ChemicalsSpecific user needs analysed
RefiningKey players and adoption conditions mapped
PharmaceuticalsOpportunities and contact points qualified
ChemicalsCross-cutting analysis of the European potential
Scope taken from the SURFEO project sheet [4].
Accuracy and reliability
Monitoring and non-destructive testing help detect corrosion mechanisms on equipment [1].
Manufacturing remains a challenge
The European chemical industry represents €635bn in turnover and 1.2 million jobs [2].
A structured ecosystem
In 2024, the European Union produced 224 million tonnes of chemicals [3].
05 · Outcomes
A factual basis to guide the introduction of the solution in Europe
The target markets were analysed in Europe.
Field interviews documented the specific needs of users.
The relevant players were identified by segment.
A debrief prioritised the study’s findings.
SOURCES
[1] European Federation of Corrosion, “EUROCORR”, page accessed in 2026. https://eurocorr.org/
[2] Cefic, “2025 Facts and Figures”, 2025. https://cefic.org/facts-and-figures-of-the-european-chemical-industry/
[3] Eurostat, “EU chemical production: -15% over 10 years”, 2025. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20251216-1
[4] SURFEO internal project sheet: sole source for the assignment facts, figures, scope, deliverables and outcomes.
[1] European Federation of Corrosion, “EUROCORR”, page accessed in 2026. https://eurocorr.org/
[2] Cefic, “2025 Facts and Figures”, 2025. https://cefic.org/facts-and-figures-of-the-european-chemical-industry/
[3] Eurostat, “EU chemical production: -15% over 10 years”, 2025. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20251216-1
[4] SURFEO internal project sheet: sole source for the assignment facts, figures, scope, deliverables and outcomes.
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