Rivard

What Rivard does

Rivard is a French manufacturer and coachbuilder of specialty vehicles and equipment for sanitation, public works, and industrial cleaning applications, founded in 1952 and headquartered near Angers in Morannes-sur-Sarthe/Daumeray, France. The company operates as part of Groupe ALAMO and employs more than 350 people across its headquarters manufacturing site, 17 technical service centers throughout France, and its long-running training program. Core products include hydrocureurs (sewer cleaning trucks from 3.5T to 32T), vacuum excavators, trenchers with mechanized laying for utility network deployment, recyclers, dehydration systems, high-pressure cleaning equipment up to 3000 bars for hydrodemolition, and ATEX 2014/34/UE certified units for use in explosive atmospheres at SEVESO and refinery sites.

The company's technology base rests on three internal competencies: aspiration excavation, ultra-high pressure water systems, and ATEX-rated sealed pumping circuits. Equipment is certified compliant with the EU ATEX directive and the EU Machine Directive, validated against CRAM and French Ministry of Labor recommendations. These certifications, combined with design-level engineering control of gas release and pumping safety, constitute the principal competitive barrier in industrial and hazardous-environment segments. The product range is complemented by a Hydrodégommeuse line for urban surface cleaning and a portfolio of spare parts and accessories.

Rivard's go-to-market is a B2B direct sales motion targeting municipalities and sanitation utilities, public works and civil engineering contractors, and industrial facilities including chemical plants and refineries. Customer acquisition relies on presence at international trade shows (IFAT Munich, Carrefour de l'eau), catalog requests, and a direct contact/quote workflow through the company website. Revenue is generated through three streams: capital equipment sales (hydrocureurs, ATEX units, vacuum excavators, trenchers, recyclers, dehydration systems), aftermarket services delivered through 17 technical centers (spare parts, maintenance, repairs, technical assistance), and professional training programs operated through the Centre Gustave RIVARD since 1983. The customer base exceeds 1,000 active clients distributed across the three primary verticals.

Name

Rivard

Legal name

Rivard

Website

https://rivard.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rivard is a French manufacturer and coachbuilder founded in 1952 that designs and builds specialty vehicles and equipment for sanitation, public works, and industrial cleaning, serving municipalities, contractors, and SEVESO industrial sites across Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Sanitation Vehicles

NAICS

Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120), All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248)

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531), Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)

akta.pro primary industry

Pressure Washing & Jetting Equipment (IMAHALAB)

Keywords

• Sewer cleaning vehicles
• High pressure cleaning
• Vacuum excavation equipment
• ATEX certified equipment
• Public works machinery

Headquarters

HQ city

Condé-sur-sarthe

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of specialized vehicles and equipment including hydrocureurs, high pressure cleaners, aspiration excavators, trenchers, and dehydration systems. Vehicles range from 3.5T to 32T capacity.
2. Aftermarket Services: Spare parts, accessories, maintenance, repairs, and technical assistance services across 17 technical centers in France.
3. Training Services: Professional training programs for sanitation, high pressure cleaning, industrial cleaning at SEVESO sites, and public works operations, delivered through the Gustave RIVARD training center since 1983.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rivard is a French coachbuilder and equipment constructor that designs, manufactures, and services specialty vehicles and equipment for sanitation, high-pressure cleaning, and public works applications. Core offerings include hydrocureurs (sewer cleaning trucks from 3.5T to 32T), ATEX/ADR-certified equipment for explosive atmospheres, vacuum excavators, trenchers, recyclers, dehydration systems, and high-pressure cleaning equipment up to 3000 bars. The company complements equipment sales with aftermarket services, spare parts, and professional training through the Centre Gustave RIVARD.

Product overview

Rivard is a manufacturer and coachbuilder of specialized vehicles and equipment for sanitation and public works sectors. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio centered around industrial cleaning, sanitation, and excavation equipment. Core products include: Hydrocureurs (sewer cleaning trucks up to 32t), Cureurs & mini combiné 3,5T (compact sanitation vehicles), Excavatrices par aspiration (vacuum excavators), Trancheuses (trenchers), Recycleurs (material recyclers), Matériels de déshydratation (dehydration systems), Matériels Haute pression (high-pressure equipment including UHP up to 3000 bars), Matériels ADR/ATEX (explosion-proof equipment), and Hydrodégommeuse (gum removal systems). The product range is complemented by training services through the Centre Gustave RIVARD (since 1983) and spare parts/accessories. All products are designed and manufactured at the company's headquarters near Angers, France, with 17 technical centers across France providing maintenance and support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Centre Gustave RIVARD: Training center offering modules for sanitation, high-pressure water work, industrial cleaning at SEVESO sites, and civil engineering activities. Established in 1983.

Products and services

• Cureurs & mini combiné 3,5T (Compact Sanitation Vehicles 3.5T) Compact sanitation vehicles at 3.5 tonne capacity designed for property maintenance applications including septic tanks and grease traps, used by sanitation service providers and municipalities.
• Hydrocureurs PL (High-Capacity Sewer Cleaning Trucks) High-capacity sewer cleaning trucks available up to 32 tonnes, designed for collective and non-collective sanitation systems, targeting municipalities and sanitation utilities.
• Matériels ADR / ATEX (Explosion-Proof Equipment) Equipment compliant with ATEX 2014/34/EU directive for use in explosive atmospheres, designed for SEVESO sites, refineries, and industrial maintenance applications in chemical and petrochemical industries.
• Excavatrices par aspiration (Vacuum Excavators) Vacuum excavators for non-destructive digging used in public works and utility installation projects, enabling safe material extraction near existing underground infrastructure.
• Trancheuses (Trenchers) Trenchers with mechanized laying capability for installing underground networks including HTB, HTA, water, gas, and fiber, used by public works contractors for utility network deployment.
• Recycleurs (Combined Recycler Units) Combined recycler units that process and reuse materials during sanitation and cleaning operations, supporting circular use of water and materials in industrial sanitation.
• Matériels de déshydratation (Dehydration Equipment) Dehydration equipment for processing sanitation waste and sludge, used by industrial facilities and sanitation operators for wastewater treatment applications.
• Matériels Haute pression (High-Pressure Cleaning Equipment) High-pressure cleaning equipment for industrial processes, capable of ultra-high pressure (UHP) up to 3000 bars for hydrodemolition, targeting industrial cleaning contractors and refineries.
• Hydrodégommeuse (High-Pressure Gum Removal Equipment) High-pressure gum removal equipment for cleaning surfaces in urban environments, used by municipalities and urban cleaning services for street and pavement maintenance.
• Formation (Centre Gustave RIVARD Training Services) Professional training services for sanitation trades, high-pressure water operations, industrial cleaning at SEVESO sites, and civil engineering activities, delivered since 1983 through the Gustave RIVARD training center.
• Pièces détachées & accessoires (Spare Parts and Accessories) Spare parts and accessories supply supported by a dedicated team across 17 technical centers in France for maintenance, repair, and replacement of Rivard equipment components.
• Matériel d'occasion (Used Equipment) Second-hand Rivard equipment offered through the company, providing used specialty vehicles and equipment to budget-conscious buyers in sanitation and public works.

Quantifiable outcome

• Equipment serving 1,000+ clients across sanitation, public works, and industrial sectors

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• GAPVAX: North American manufacturer of industrial vacuum loaders, sewer cleaners, and hydro-excavation trucks. Comparable in product scope to Rivard's sanitation/excavation portfolio but regionally focused on the US/Canada market.
• Altro-group (Aquajet / Hammelmann): Swedish manufacturer of hydrodemolition and high-pressure water jetting robots. Comparable to Rivard's UHP industrial cleaning equipment in industrial contractor applications.

Direct peers

• Cappellotto S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of sewer cleaning and industrial vacuum vehicles with European-wide distribution. Directly competes in the same specialty sanitation vehicle category as Rivard.
• Hammelmann GmbH: Specialist manufacturer of high-pressure plunger pumps and ultra-high-pressure water jetting systems up to multi-thousand bar — directly comparable to Rivard's UHP capability up to 3000 bars for hydrodemolition.
• Falch GmbH: German specialist in high-pressure water jetting technology and equipment, including hydrodemolition systems. Competes head-on with Rivard in industrial UHP cleaning.
• Putz & Partner: European service and equipment provider in industrial high-pressure water technology, hydrodemolition, and tank/vessel cleaning — overlapping with Rivard's industrial cleaning offerings.
• Müller Umwelttechnik: German maker of sewer cleaning vehicles, suction excavators, and combined sewer cleaning units. Overlaps directly with Rivard's hydrocureur and vacuum excavator product lines.
• Kroll-Fahrzeugbau: German manufacturer of sewer cleaning and suction vehicles (hydrocureurs) plus vacuum excavators. Closest direct peer to Rivard in European specialty sanitation and public works vehicles.

Broad incumbents

• KAISER AG Fahrzeugwerk: Austrian manufacturer of premium sewer and industrial cleaning vehicles. Overlaps with Rivard's hydrocureur product line but serves a broader premium/operator-truck market.

Regional players

• Westech (UK): UK-based supplier of industrial cleaning and vacuum equipment focused on UK and Ireland utilities. Comparable range of sewer cleaning and high-pressure equipment with a regional focus versus Rivard's French base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rivard

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rivard