What Artub does

Artub is a French manufacturer of height access solutions, producing step stools, step ladders, ladders, scaffolding, and work platforms in aluminum and steel. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Crémieu with a second manufacturing site in Ailly-sur-Noye, the company operates across four product tiers — ECO, BRICO, PRO, and ULTRA PRO — addressing both DIY consumers and professional trades. Technical differentiation rests on two proprietary systems: Bloctub, a patented crimping technology for tube-to-fitting joints, and T-GRIP, a telescopic pole mechanism used in multi-position ladders. Products carry multiple EN and NF certifications, validated through an in-house testing laboratory.

The business model is B2B hardware sales through multi-channel distribution. In France, Artub is listed with the major DIY retail chains — Brico Dépôt, Castorama, Mr Bricolage, and Bricoman — while a parallel channel serves professional distributors and trades under the PRO and ULTRA PRO tiers. International sales account for approximately one-third of revenue across more than 20 countries. Pricing is contact-based, consistent with negotiated retail and B2B contracts rather than direct e-commerce.

Since 2016 Artub has operated as a subsidiary of the Frénéhard & Michaux group, an industrial platform reporting €160M in revenue, roughly 1,000 employees, and nine factories. In 2024 Artub joined the French Fab industrial initiative, and in 2025 it achieved simultaneous ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certification, signaling ongoing investment in quality, environmental, and safety credentials that increasingly gate procurement decisions in the European DIY and professional markets.

Name

Artub

Legal name

ARTUB SAS

Website

https://artub.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Artub is a French manufacturer of height access solutions — step stools, ladders, scaffolding, and work platforms — sold through major DIY retailers and professional distributors across more than 20 countries, and a subsidiary of the Frénéhard & Michaux group since 2016.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Crémieu

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware product sales: Artub generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of height access equipment including step stools, ladders, scaffolding, and work platforms. Products are sold through retail DIY chains and professional distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Artub is a French manufacturer of height access solutions producing step stools (marchepieds), step ladders (escabeaux), ladders (échelles), scaffolding (échafaudages), and work platforms (plateformes de travail) from aluminum and steel. The company serves both individual DIY consumers through its ECO and BRICO ranges and professional tradespeople through PRO and ULTRA PRO ranges, with products manufactured at two ISO-certified facilities in Crémieu (Isère) and Ailly-sur-Noye (Somme) and distributed via French DIY retailers and international channels.

Product overview

Artub is a French manufacturer of height access solutions organized into four product tiers (ECO, BRICO, PRO, ULTRA PRO) serving both consumers and professionals. The product portfolio centers on five core product families: Marchepieds (step stools) for storage and light maintenance tasks; Escabeaux (step ladders) for finishing and DIY work; Échelles (ladders) including simple, telescopic, multiposition, transformable, and extension models for various indoor/outdoor applications; Échafaudages (scaffolding) including folding, mobile, and modular solutions for construction and renovation; and Plateformes de travail (work platforms) for professional distribution use. Products are manufactured in two ISO-certified French facilities (Crémieu and Ailly-sur-Noye) and commercialized through major DIY retailers across over 20 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• French Fab: A movement of companies committed to developing French industry, of which Artub is part.

Products and services

• Marchepieds (Step Stools) Step stools for storage, maintenance, and light DIY work. Includes models for interior use such as reaching high shelves, cleaning ceilings, washing windows, changing pictures, and replacing bulbs. Available in ECO, BRICO, and PRO ranges.
• Escabeaux (Step Ladders) Step ladders for finishing work and DIY tasks such as changing bulbs, installing curtain rods, painting, wallpapering, installing drywall, fixing detectors and alarms, varnishing pergolas. Available in ECO, BRICO, PRO, and ULTRA PRO ranges.
• Échelles (Ladders) Ladders for finishing, renovation, and tree pruning work including installing lighting, facade maintenance, gutter cleaning, sanding, roof edge varnishing, painting shutters, roof access, and hedge/tree trimming. Includes simple, extension, multiposition, telescopic, and transformable models in BRICO, PRO, and ULTRA PRO ranges.
• Échafaudages (Scaffolding) Scaffolding for construction, renovation, and finishing work for both indoor and outdoor use such as rendering facades, installing cladding and paneling, painting walls and ceilings, maintaining siding and shutters, trimming and pruning. Includes folding, mobile, and modular models in BRICO and PRO ranges.
• Plateformes de travail (Work Platforms) Work platforms for professionals in distribution, providing stable elevated work surfaces for various height access tasks.
• Artubasic Eco Step Stool Entry-level step stool with wide anti-slip striated steps (30 x 20 cm), 2-year warranty, max load 150 kg, steel construction. EN 14183 and Décret 96-333 compliant.
• STEPPY Double-Access Step Stool Lightweight step stool with double access (accessible on both sides), aluminum construction (2.87 kg), anti-spread rigid stems, access height 2.60 m, wide anti-slip footrest 34.5 x 20 cm.
• Escabeau BRICO Step Ladder Practical and resistant step ladder with enveloping imperdable anti-slip caps, anti-corrosion steel anti-slip footrest, patented step fixation system, access height 2.57-3.62 m.
• Escabeau PRO Step Ladder Reliable and robust step ladder with reinforced articulations, wider back leg than climbing leg, anti-slip caps with anti-lift lock on footrest, multifunction tool holder (screwdriver storage, bucket hook), access height 2.99-3.63 m.
• Escabeau ULTRA PRO Step Ladder Expert step ladder with ultra-resistant ribbed articulations, 64 cm XL guardrail, professional crimping step fixation, imperdable high-quality anti-slip caps, XXL footrest 28 x 27.5 cm, multifunction tool holder (screwdriver storage, bucket hook), access height 2.66-3.82 m, 10-year warranty.
• X-Scopic Telescopic Ladder Telescopic ladder with locking indicator and closing slowdown system, anti-slip striated XL steps, 26 cm spacing, telescopic and compact for easy storage and transport, handle included, access height 3.50-4.70 m.
• Échelle multipositions télescopique PRO

Quantifiable outcome

• Height access solutions covering range from 1.90m to 11.99m depending on product type

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Frénéhard & MichauxcoreOthersParent company of Artub since 2016. Frénéhard & Michaux is a 120+ year-old group specialized in metal products for roofers, with €160M revenue, 9 factories, and nearly 1,000 employees. The group focuses on height safety solutions including access equipment, roofing accessories, fall protection, and custom metalwork. Artub shares the group's tradition of French industrial expertise.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KRAUSE: German manufacturer of ladders, steps, and scaffolding for trade, industry, and DIY. Comparable product breadth, similar European retail/professional distribution model, and direct overlap with Artub's EN 131-compliant range.
• Altrex: Dutch manufacturer of ladders, scaffolding, and work platforms serving both DIY and professional users across Europe. Closely comparable product portfolio and channel mix.
• Tubesca-Comabi: Sister company of Artub within the Frénéhard & Michaux group and the French/European market leader in professional access equipment. Directly comparable in product category (ladders, scaffolding, work platforms) and customer overlap.
• Zarges: German manufacturer of aluminium ladders, scaffolding, and access solutions. Previously Artub's parent company (via Tubesca-Comabi, 2002–2016), now a direct competitor with comparable product breadth and European DIY/professional distribution.
• Hailo: German manufacturer of step stools, household ladders, and built-in access solutions. Direct competitor in the consumer step-stool category, with similar European DIY retail distribution.
• Facal: Italian manufacturer of aluminium ladders, step stools, and scaffolding. Direct European competitor with overlapping product portfolio and similar DIY/professional channel mix.

Broad incumbents

• WernerCo: US-headquartered global leader in ladders and climbing/access equipment under brands such as Werner and Youngman. Overlaps with Artub in ladders but operates at significantly larger scale and global footprint.
• Stanley Black & Decker: Global tools and hardware conglomerate with adjacent ladders/access equipment exposure (including the Stanley FatMax ladder range). Much broader portfolio and global scale, with overlap in the consumer hardware trade channel.

Regional players

• Lyte Ladders: UK-based manufacturer of ladders and step stools. Comparable product line focused primarily on UK and Ireland, with similar retail distribution model.
• Youngman: UK-based access equipment manufacturer (ladders, towers, work platforms) primarily serving UK and European markets. Comparable product range with regional rather than global distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Artub