In 2026, ALTER will celebrate 40 years of experience, consolidating its position as one of Europe’s leading companies in electronic engineering, high-reliability testing and advanced technological solutions for strategic sectors. Since its foundation in 1986, ALTER’s evolution has been marked by a constant commitment to technical excellence, internationalisation and leadership in highly complex fields such as space and semiconductors.
The history of ALTER began in Madrid with the creation of TECNOLOGICA, a company that laid the foundations for the current business model, which from the outset has been focused on offering specialised engineering and testing services for electronic components for use in space. In 1993, the relocation of its headquarters to Seville marked a turning point in its growth, enabling the development of new technical capabilities and the progressive expansion of its testing and certification infrastructure.
Over the following decades, ALTER strengthened its position through a process of strategic growth based on both organic development and the integration of specialist companies in various European countries. The incorporation of HIREX Engineering in France, IGG in the United Kingdom, TOPREL in Italy and OPTOCAP in Scotland, as well as its integration into the TÜV NORD group in 2011, enabled it to expand its technological and geographical reach. More recently, the acquisition of the German company HTV has significantly strengthened ALTER’s capabilities in the field of semiconductors, consolidating its position as a provider of long-term maintenance services.
In the semiconductor sector, the company’s main focus, ALTER has developed a comprehensive offering that ranges from device assembly and encapsulation to electrical characterisation, reliability testing, chip programming and final component validation, establishing itself as a leading OSAT in Europe and ensuring a supply chain that is fully focused on the objectives of European technological sovereignty and independence. This comprehensive vision enables it to serve manufacturers, integrators and industrial sectors that require high-precision solutions and complete process traceability. The opening of a state-of-the-art semiconductor testing centre in the United States, specifically in Plymouth, Minnesota, has been a key step in strengthening the group’s international presence and its responsiveness in the North American market.
In terms of electronic component testing, the company participates in the qualification and certification of electronic components and equipment for satellites and space missions, offering environmental testing, electromagnetic compatibility testing, thermal and mechanical validation, as well as specialised irradiation and reliability analysis services. This ensures the proper functioning of technologies that must operate in extreme environments and under highly demanding conditions. ALTER collaborates with the European Space Agency, the Spanish Space Agency and most national and global space agencies, as well as with players in the New Space ecosystem, contributing to the validation of commercial components adapted to modern space missions.
Alongside space and semiconductors, ALTER serves other strategic sectors such as aeronautics, drones and unmanned systems, telecommunications, defence and automotive, as well as major scientific projects such as ITER, thereby expanding the impact of its technological solutions in industries that are critical to economic development and technological security.
After four decades of activity, ALTER is not only celebrating an anniversary, but also the consolidation of a model based on technical knowledge, continuous innovation and international cooperation. Its evolution reflects its ability to adapt to market changes and its ongoing commitment to reliability, quality and technological advancement. With an eye on the future, ALTER is facing the coming years by strengthening its role as a key player in digital transformation, the microelectronics industry and the development of new-generation space technologies.