Manitou BF SA

What Manitou BF SA does

Manitou BF SA is a French industrial equipment manufacturer founded in 1958 and headquartered in Ancenis, France. Listed on Euronext Paris (ticker FR0000038606) and a constituent of the Next 150 index, the company generated €2.6 billion in revenue in 2025 and operates under two principal brands, Manitou and Gehl. It designs and manufactures material handling, aerial access platform, and earthmoving equipment for professional B2B customers in construction (67% of revenue), agriculture (24%), and industrial (9%) end markets. The portfolio includes telehandlers, scissor lifts, and increasingly electrified and hydrogen-powered variants, including what the company describes as the first 100% electric telehandler and a hydrogen telehandler prototype.

The company operates 10 production sites and 7 spare-parts logistics centers, supported by 38 subsidiaries and a distribution network of more than 800 dealers across 140 countries. It employs approximately 6,100 people and remains 65% controlled by the founding Braud and Himsworth families, a governance structure that shapes its long-cycle capital allocation. Revenue is generated primarily through equipment sales to professional end users and rental fleets, augmented by an aftermarket parts and service business tied to the installed base. Recent strategic activity includes acquisitions of SITIA Robotics (2025) and COME S.R.L. and Metal Work S.R.L. (2024), the 2026 joint venture HM Battery Solutions with Hangcha Group for battery supply, and the 2024 launch of a new scissor lift range. Q2 2026 order intake reached €550M (+22% YoY) and the order book stood at €1,092M (+4.5% YoY), indicating sustained demand momentum entering the second half of the decade.

Name

Manitou BF SA

Legal name

Manitou BF

Website

https://manitou-group.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Manitou BF SA is a French industrial equipment manufacturer producing material handling, aerial access, and earthmoving equipment under the Manitou and Gehl brands for construction, agriculture, and industrial customers across 140 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction and Material Handling Equipment

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Construction Machinery Manufacturing (333120)

SIC

Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Material Handling & Industrial Lift Vehicle Manufacturing (Forklifts/Telehandlers/Reach Stackers) (IMACAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forklifts & Industrial Trucks (IC & Electric) (IMAHABAA), Material Handling & Loader Attachments (Front Loaders, Telehandlers, Bale Handlers, Forks) (AFAAAAAC), Cranes, Hoists & Overhead Material Handling (Industrial) (IMAHABAE)

Keywords

• Material handling equipment
• Telehandler manufacturing
• Aerial work platforms
• Earthmoving machinery
• Construction equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Ancenis

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices25 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment sales: Sale of material handling, access platform, and earthmoving equipment including telehandlers, forklifts, aerial work platforms, skid loaders, backhoe loaders, and attachments. The group's product lines include fixed, rotary, and heavy-tonnage rough-terrain telehandlers; rough-terrain, semi-industrial, and industrial forklifts; skid and track loaders; articulated loaders; backhoe loaders; industrial and rough-terrain aerial work platforms; truck-mounted forklifts; storage equipment; and attachments.
2. Service and support: Full service offering including equipment maintenance, financing, and personalized customer solutions through the dealer network. Services support customers throughout the product lifecycle to optimize total cost of ownership and environmental impact.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Manitou Group designs, manufactures, and distributes material handling, access platform, and earthmoving equipment under the Manitou and Gehl brands, including telehandlers (fixed, rotating, heavy-tonnage), rough-terrain and industrial forklifts, aerial work platforms and scissor lifts (8–28m), truck-mounted forklifts, backhoe loaders, and skid-steer/track loaders. The group's output is supported by 10 production sites worldwide and reaches customers through 800+ dealers in 140 countries, complemented by aftermarket services including equipment maintenance and financing.

Product overview

Manitou Group is a worldwide reference in material handling, access platforms, and earthmoving, operating through two primary brands: Manitou and Gehl. The company develops, manufactures, and distributes a comprehensive portfolio of equipment and services. The Manitou brand offers fixed, rotary, and heavy-tonnage rough-terrain telehandlers (Maniscopic, MRT, MXT, MT electric series), rough-terrain and industrial forklifts (MC series), aerial work platforms including scissor lifts and articulated electric platforms (8-28m height range), truck-mounted forklifts (MANITRANSIT), backhoe loaders (TLB series), and attachments. The Gehl brand, acquired in 2008, provides compact equipment including skid-steer loaders, compact excavators, backhoe loaders, and articulated loaders. LOC warehouse equipment serves the European market. The product portfolio is supported by 10 production sites and 7 spare parts logistics centers worldwide, with distribution through 800+ dealers in 140 countries. Services include equipment maintenance and financing through the dealer network. Recent strategic initiatives include electric equipment launches (MT625e, MRT2260e, MRT2660e), a 2024 scissor lift range for Europe, hydrogen telehandler prototype, and 2025 robotics acquisition from SITIA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manitou: Main brand specializing in design and manufacturing of handling solutions including pallet trucks, telescopic handlers, aerial work platforms, industrial forklifts, truck-mounted forklifts and backhoe loaders for construction, agriculture and industrial markets.
• Gehl
• LOC

Products and services

• Maniscopic Telehandler Range
• MRT Rotating Telehandler Series
• MT Electric Telehandler Line
• MC Rough-Terrain Forklift Series
• Aerial Work Platform Range
• Scissor Lift Range
• Electric Rough-Terrain Aerial Work Platform
• MANITRANSIT Truck-Mounted Forklift
• Hydrogen Telehandler Prototype
• TLB Backhoe Loader Series

Quantifiable outcome

• Q2 2026 machine order intake reached EUR 550 million, representing a 22% increase year-over-year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Hangcha GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2026Manitou Group and Hangcha Group inaugurated their joint venture HM Battery Solutions, which specializes in the manufacture and distribution of lithium-ion batteries. This partnership supports Manitou's electrification strategy and new energy transition by securing battery supply and manufacturing capabilities.
• SITIAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Manitou Group acquired SITIA's robotics activity in 2025, positioning robotics as a foundational element of its innovation strategy. This acquisition secured acknowledged proficiencies to accelerate development of high value-added products and services addressing evolving needs in agricultural and semi-industrial sectors.
• COME S.R.LstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Acquisition of a 75% majority stake in Italian company COME S.R.L, a historical partner integrating manufacturing of strategic components and welded parts. COME specializes in mechanical welding expertise critical to Manitou's industrial capabilities.
• Metal Work S.R.LstrategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Acquisition of a 75% majority stake in Italian company Metal Work S.R.L, a historical partner integrating laser cutting and folding capabilities. This acquisition enhances Manitou's precision manufacturing and component production capabilities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Komatsu Ltd. Global construction, mining, and forestry equipment manufacturer with a wider portfolio including compact equipment; overlaps with Manitou in construction and competes for similar contractor customers globally.
• Liebherr: Family-owned European manufacturer of construction equipment including telehandlers, wheel loaders, and cranes; serves overlapping construction customers with broader portfolio and strong European dealer presence comparable to Manitou.
• Caterpillar Inc. Global incumbent in construction and mining equipment with much broader portfolio including telehandlers via Cat TH range; competes with Manitou across construction end markets with materially larger R&D and dealer scale.
• AGCO Corporation: Global agricultural equipment manufacturer (Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra); directly comparable to Manitou's agricultural segment (24% of revenue) as both supply material handling and farm machinery solutions.
• CNH Industrial (Case New Holland): Global leader in agricultural and construction equipment including backhoe loaders, telehandlers, and compact equipment through Case and New Holland; competes directly with Manitou across both agricultural (24%) and construction (67%) revenue segments.
• Volvo Construction Equipment: Global construction equipment OEM with broader product lines including compact wheel loaders and excavators; competes with Manitou for European construction customers and has comparable electrification roadmaps.

Direct peers

• JCB: British global manufacturer of telehandlers, backhoe loaders, and rough-terrain forklifts — the most direct competitor to Manitou across construction and agricultural material handling, with overlapping product lines and dealer networks.
• Oshkosh Corporation (JLG): Through its JLG division, Oshkosh is a global leader in aerial work platforms and telehandlers — directly comparable to Manitou's aerial platform portfolio and competing for the same construction and industrial customers.
• Haulotte Group: French manufacturer specializing in aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers) — directly competes with Manitou's aerial work platform and rough-terrain telehandler ranges, particularly in European markets.
• Doosan Bobcat: Global manufacturer of compact equipment including skid-steer loaders, compact track loaders, and small telehandlers — directly comparable to Manitou's Gehl compact equipment line and serves similar construction and agricultural end markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A7 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Manitou BF SA