Satlink has integrated French company nke Group (nke), which has more than forty years of experience in providing innovative end-to-end custom manufacturing instruments for both water quality measurement and monitoring in oceans and fresh waters, and navigation. Headquartered in Hennebont, nke is a key partner to thousands of private and public customers across the world.
This transaction brings together two of the most established players in the sector and stands as one of the most significant milestones in the ocean tech industry in recent years, creating the largest independent European ocean tech platform.
Following this announcement, Satlink now provides services to more than 10,000 organisations – including governments, research institutions, industry partners, and NGOs – across over 130 countries, with 13 offices in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, as well as a global network of local partners. The company will close this fiscal year with sales exceeding €100 million, consolidating its position as a global benchmark in maritime technologies.
‘We are thrilled to welcome the entire nke team, with whom we partner to further accelerate our innovation capabilities, expand our portfolio of solutions, and ultimately improve ocean knowledge and sustainability through proprietary technology. The integration strengthens our global reach and, most importantly, onboards an extraordinary team that shares our values and ambition to make a difference,’ said Faustino Velasco, Founder and Executive Chairman of Satlink.
With this combination, Satlink further accelerates the development of data-collection and analysis solutions, enabling a better understanding and management of the oceans and their resources, ensuring their long-term sustainability. nke complements these capabilities with its renowned technological expertise in water monitoring, including major contributions to the Argo program, among others.
Together, Satlink and nke create a unique platform that combines world-class instrumentation with advanced data analysis, integrated science-based and proprietary solutions to better understand, protect, and manage the oceans’ resources.
Joining forces with Satlink represents a unique opportunity to accelerate growth and expand our international presence while further enhancing our R&D capabilities. We are confident that this step will bring nke to the next level and are very excited with this new chapter alongside Faustino and the overall team,’ commented nke CEO Alain Boschet.
nke will continue to operate under its own brand, preserving its identity and trusted customer relationships. nke’s leadership team will remain unchanged, ensuring business continuity and preserving the company’s DNA. The integration also includes Aquaread, a UK-based manufacturer of portable and fixed water quality monitoring instruments and part of nke, which expands Satlink Group’s reach into inland and coastal water monitoring.
