KBO
KBO is a French industrial company founded in 2008 that designs and manufactures custom operator cabins, climate-control systems, and related maintenance services for forklift OEMs, material handling, construction, and agricultural equipment across Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersSaint-laurent-d'agny, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What KBO does
KBO (legal entity K.B.O, trading as KBO Cabine) is a French industrial company founded in 2008 that designs, manufactures, and supplies custom operator cabins, cabin components, climate-control systems, and related maintenance services for forklift trucks, material handling equipment, construction machinery, and agricultural equipment. Its core products include complete rigid cabins, semi-rigid cabins with flexible doors, air-conditioning-equipped cabins, modular cabin supplies (front/rear/roof panels, safety glass glazing, wipers, mirrors, warning lights), and add-on equipment such as safety portals, LED lighting, anti-breakage glass, and cabin pressurization systems. The air-conditioning product line, launched in 2014, delivers 5–7 kW cooling and a 5–10°C temperature differential and is supported by a separate maintenance and repair service. Manufacturing is anchored by a 120-employee production facility in Poland with state-of-the-art equipment, complemented by French headquarters and R&D/distribution near Lyon (Mornant and Saint-Laurent-d'Agny) whose logistics surface was doubled from 700 m² to 1,500 m² in a recent expansion.
KBO monetizes primarily through B2B direct hardware sales to forklift OEMs (Toyota, Still, Mitsubishi, Caterpillar, Hyundai, Linde, Manitou as core accounts; Hyster, Komatsu, Nissan, Unicarriers, Yale as secondary), aftermarket sales through dealer networks, and recurring maintenance contracts and spare parts supply. Pricing is quote-based, not publicly disclosed, and tiered from a basic equipment level to a complete plug-and-play cabin. The company is ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001 certified, CE compliant, holds a 12-month warranty on its cabins, and maintains a brand-specific technical documentation portal. There is no parent company, no disclosed external funding, and no public listing.
KBO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KBO
- Legal name
- K.B.O
- Website
- https://cabine-kbo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KBO is a French industrial company founded in 2008 that designs and manufactures custom operator cabins, climate-control systems, and related maintenance services for forklift OEMs, material handling, construction, and agricultural equipment across Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KBO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Equipment Cabin Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Motor Vehicle Body and Trailer Manufacturing (33621), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334)
- SIC
- Truck & Bus Bodies (3713), Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse) (IMACAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics) (IMACAGAD)
Keywords
Where KBO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-laurent-d'agny
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
KBO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Cabin supply and manufacturing: Custom cabin manufacturing for various forklift brands including Hyundai, Manitou, Caterpillar, Linde, Toyota, and others. Offers different service levels from minimum equipment to complete plug & play systems.
- Equipment supplies: Wide range of cabin equipment including lighting, air conditioning, safety equipment, and accessories to optimize operator workspace
- Maintenance and repair services: Aftermarket maintenance services including climate control maintenance contracts, spare parts supply, and technical support
- Climate control solutions: Air conditioning installation and maintenance for operator cabins, launched in 2014 as part of service expansion
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Basic equipment level with essential cabin features |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Complete plug & play cabin solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
KBO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KBO designs, manufactures, equips, and maintains custom operator cabins for forklift trucks, construction machinery, and agricultural equipment. The company offers complete rigid cabins, semi-rigid cabins, cabin-integrated air conditioning systems, and a full range of cabin supplies (panels, safety glass, wipers, mirrors, lighting) along with spare parts and maintenance services. Its products serve major OEM brands including Toyota, Still, Mitsubishi, Caterpillar, Hyundai, Linde, and Manitou.
Product overview
K.B.O (KBO Cabine) is a French company specializing in complete cabin solutions for forklift trucks and material handling equipment since 2008. The company operates a platform-plus-services model consisting of: (1) Core cabin products including rigid cabins, semi-rigid cabins, and cabins with integrated air conditioning; (2) Cabin supplies including front/rear/roof panels, safety glass, wipers, mirrors, and warning lights; (3) Equipment add-ons including safety portals, LED lighting, anti-breakage glass, and pressurization; (4) Air conditioning systems with 5-7 kW capacity; (5) Maintenance and documentation services. All products are CE certified with 1-year warranty. The company serves all major forklift brands including Toyota, Caterpillar, Linde, Hyundai, Manitou, Still, Mitsubishi, and others.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Complete Rigid Cabin (Cabine rigide complète) Complete rigid cabin for forklift trucks offering high quality and performance for operator safety and comfort. Designed without drilling for maximum visibility and optimized integration with host equipment.
- Semi-Rigid Cabin (Cabine semi-rigide) Semi-rigid cabin with flexible left and right doors for forklift trucks, providing a balance of protection and accessibility for operators.
- Rigid Cabin with Air Conditioning (Cabine rigide avec climatisation) Complete rigid cabin equipped with hot/cold air conditioning system for optimal working comfort in all weather conditions. Combines rigid cabin structure with integrated climate control.
- Cabin Air Conditioning System (Climatisation de cabines) Air conditioning system for operator cabins with 5-7 kW cooling capacity delivering a 5-10°C temperature differential. Designed for retrofit and OEM integration on forklifts, construction, and agricultural machinery to improve operator comfort and productivity.
- Cabin Equipment and Supplies (Equipement et fournitures de cabines) Custom cabin supplies and equipment including front panels, rear panels, roof panels, safety glass windows, wiper systems, mirrors, warning lights, LED exterior lighting, safety portals, and anti-breakage safety glass for optimizing the operator work environment.
- Cabin Maintenance Services (Entretien et maintenance de cabines) Maintenance and servicing for cabins including assembly assistance, training, technical documentation, spare parts catalog, and 12-month warranty coverage. Supports customers throughout the product lifecycle.
- Air Conditioning Maintenance Services (Entretien et maintenance de climatisation) Technical follow-up, maintenance contracts, and repair services for cabin air conditioning systems to ensure long-term performance and reliability, including for construction and agricultural machinery.
Quantifiable outcome
- Temperature difference of 5-10°C with air conditioning systems
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KBO
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KBO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
KBO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Toyota Material HandlingcoreKBO supplies custom cabin solutions for Toyota forklift trucks as part of the company's strategy to work with all major forklift brands. The partnership enables Toyota customers to access KBO's cabin customization and air conditioning services.
- Still (Forklift Trucks)coreKBO provides cabin solutions for Still forklift trucks, with the company logo displayed prominently on KBO's partner brands section, indicating a significant commercial relationship.
- Mitsubishi Forklift TruckscoreCabin solutions supplied for Mitsubishi forklift trucks, featured in KBO's brand portfolio.
- CaterpillarcoreKBO provides cabin solutions for Caterpillar material handling and construction equipment, listed among key partner brands.
- HyundaicoreCabin supply partnership for Hyundai forklifts, with the company explicitly mentioning working with Hyundai among their major brand partnerships.
- LindecoreKBO supplies cabins for Linde forklift trucks as part of their multi-brand strategy, with catalogs available by brand.
- ManitoucorePartnership for cabin solutions on Manitou material handling equipment, explicitly listed as one of the major brands KBO works with.
- HysterminorCabin solutions available for Hyster forklifts, listed in the documentation section for brand selection.
- KomatsuminorDocumentation available for Komatsu equipment in the technical documentation portal.
- NissanminorCabin solutions for Nissan forklifts, available through brand-specific documentation.
- UnicarriersminorCabin solutions available for Unicarriers equipment through the documentation system.
- YaleminorPartnership for cabin solutions on Yale forklifts, documented in the brand selection system.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
KBO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Grammer AG: German manufacturer of operator seats, headrests, and interior systems for commercial vehicles, agricultural, and construction equipment. Grammer competes with KBO for the cab interior comfort wallet at the same OEM customers (Linde, Still, etc.).
- Modine Manufacturing: U.S. thermal management specialist serving commercial vehicles, off-highway, and industrial markets with HVAC and cooling solutions. Modine is a broader incumbent but competes in the same vehicle cabin and equipment cooling space as KBO's AC business.
- Webasto SE: Large German automotive supplier specializing in roof systems, HVAC, and thermal management for commercial and off-highway vehicles. Webasto is a much broader incumbent than KBO but competes directly in the cabin climate control subsystem KBO integrates.
- Thermo King: Trane Technologies subsidiary and global leader in transport refrigeration and HVAC for trucks, buses, and off-road equipment. While focused on transport refrigeration, Thermo King overlaps with KBO's cabin and equipment climate control solutions at industrial vehicle OEMs.
- Eberspächer: German supplier of HVAC, climate control, and exhaust technology for commercial vehicles, buses, and specialty vehicles. Comparable to KBO's cabin AC and pressurization offerings but operates at much larger scale across the commercial vehicle market.
Direct peers
- Sauer Bibus GmbH: German manufacturer of complete operator cabs for construction, agricultural, and material handling equipment. Sauer Bibus is the closest direct comparable to KBO in Europe, serving overlapping OEM customers with similar custom-cab and HVAC-integrated offerings.
- Ideal Cab Co. U.S.-based manufacturer of custom operator cabs and enclosures for heavy equipment including forklifts, construction, and agricultural machinery. Ideal Cab competes in the same niche as KBO with a comparable custom-cab, integrated-HVAC, and service model for OEM customers.
- Bergstrom Inc. U.S. manufacturer of no-idle HVAC and climate control systems specifically for commercial trucks, off-road, and military vehicles. Bergstrom overlaps directly with KBO's cabin air conditioning business and competes for the same OEM thermal-management wallet.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KBO social profiles
Digital presenceKBO compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
KBO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KBO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KBO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KBO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KBO
What does KBO do?
KBO designs, manufactures, equips, and maintains custom operator cabins for forklift trucks, construction machinery, and agricultural equipment. The company offers complete rigid cabins, semi-rigid cabins, cabin-integrated air conditioning systems, and a full range of cabin supplies (panels, safety glass, wipers, mirrors, lighting) along with spare parts and maintenance services. Its products serve major OEM brands including Toyota, Still, Mitsubishi, Caterpillar, Hyundai, Linde, and Manitou.
Is KBO a public or private company?
KBO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KBO founded?
KBO was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KBO based?
KBO is headquartered in Saint-laurent-d'agny, France, in the Europe region.
How does KBO make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Cabin supply and manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are equipment supplies, maintenance and repair services and climate control solutions.
Who are KBO's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Grammer AG, Modine Manufacturing, Webasto SE, Thermo King and Eberspächer. Direct peers are Sauer Bibus GmbH, Ideal Cab Co. and Bergstrom Inc..
Does KBO have an API?
No public API is recorded for KBO.
What industry is KBO in?
KBO's product category is Industrial Equipment Cabin Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAGAC, Truck Body & Upfit Manufacturing (Box/Dump/Service/Refuse), with a secondary code of IMACAGAD, Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics). Its NAICS code is 33621 and its SIC code is 3713.