History of Manitou

Manitou has more than 60 years of experience, a presence in 140 countries, 10 production sites, 7 spare parts logistics centres.

1958

The story begins in the small French village of Ancenis in 1958, when Marcel Braud came up with the principle of an original machine: inverting the layout of a farm tractor, adding a lifting mast and hydraulic steering. The first all-terrain forklift truck was born. It was to make the company a success and lead to its worldwide expansion.

"I had to find a name for these forklifts... We decided on MANITOU during a family brainstorming session: a forklift that "handles everything"! It can be pronounced in any language, making it ideal for international expansion!

Marcel Braud, Founder of Manitou

1982

Everything followed in quick succession, with the same desire : to make your life easier, to push back the boundaries and take on new challenges. The first telescopic forklift arrived on the construction market

1989

Followed by its agricultural version in 1989.

1993

MRT RANGE

This product range, which can rotate 360°, has been added to the range of products available to construction professionals.

1995

New TMT range

These machines, designed to make it easier to load and unload lorries, are regarded in the logistics industry as "last-mile experts".

1998

All-terrain aerial work platforms on your construction sites

Our values:

Simplicity

Challenge

A listening ear

Our commitment

To maximize performance means to be creative

Supporting our customers means more than just
providing them with what they need. It also means
anticipating their expectations and
before they are formulated.
It means innovating to offer more and better!
More technology, more services,
more advice, more proximity,
more profitability for our customers.
More than just machines, we sell
innovative customised solutions
tailored to individual needs.