Manitou

Manitou is a French manufacturing company, founded in 1953, in Ancenis in France. They manufacture Forklifts and Aerial work platforms (Scissor lift) & (MEWP)s.

History time line[edit | edit source]

1953 : Creation of "BRAUD & FAUCHEUX"
1958 : Marcel Braud imagines the first rough-terrain forklift truck, launched under the MANITOU brand.
1969 : 10,000th truck sold.
1970 : Start of Manitou's international expansion.
1972 : Sales partnership agreement for the distribution of Toyota industrial forklifts in France.
1972 : Manitou (Site Lift) Limited formed in the UK as the first overseas subsidiary of the Manitou company. A depot was opened at Avenger Close in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire.

1975 : Manitou (Site Lift) Ltd relocates to Mayflower Close, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire
1981 : Launch of the first telescopic forklift truck models
1984 : Manitou shares are listed on the on the Paris Stock Exchanges unlisted securities market.
1989 : 1st MLT MANISCOPIC designed for the agricultural market
1989 : Initial telescopic forklift truck sales in agriculture
1991 : Takeover of LOC MANUTENTION and enlargement of its warehousing equipment operations.
1995 : Development of activities in aerial platforms for personnel and in truck-mounted forklifts.
1995 : Establishment of a joint venture with Toyota for the manufacture of industrial forklift trucks for European market.
2003 : Expansion of manufacturing facilities in the United States and Italy
2004 : MANITOU celebrates the release of its 200,000th rough-terrain forklift truck by changing its logo.
2004 : Form partnerships agreement with Gehl (United States) for Industrial and commercial applications.
2005 : Setting up of subsidiaries in China and Australia.
2005 : Manitou UK Ltd adopted as new company name in place of Manitou (Site Lift) Ltd, for UK distributor.
2006 : Madame Andrée BRAUD, founder of MANITOU passed away on the 1st of April.
2007 : Opening of a new Spare Parts Center for Europe.
2008 : Began purchasing Gehl, deal not closed until 2011. Includes the Mustang brand as well.
2012 : Signed strategic alliance with Yanmar. Manitou will sell compact excavators built by Yanmar under the Gehl and Mustang brands, and supply Yanmar with Skid-steer loaders and compact track loaders to be sold under the Yanmar brand. Manitou had previously sourced compact excavators and all-wheel steer loaders from the Wacker Neuson Group.^[1]