Groep Maes

What Groep Maes does

Groep Maes is a Belgian family-owned B2B industrial services group headquartered in Pulle (Zandhoven), founded in 1976 by Albert Maes and now led by CEO Greet Maes alongside third-generation family members Yorben, Yasmine, and Lars. The group operates nine wholly owned subsidiaries covering the full height work value chain: Maes Hoogwerkers (aerial work platforms up to 103 meters, the world's highest), Montaco (mobile tower cranes and truck-mounted cranes up to 135 T/M), Trans Elektro (transformer manipulation and transport), Maes Industriële Verlichting (outdoor industrial lighting), Traffic Signs (public road work permitting and signage), Maes Services (internal fleet maintenance), Ouros (industrial services), Maes Rent & Sale (equipment rental and sales), and — until its 2025 discontinuation — Maes Rijplaten (road plates).

The group runs a fleet of more than 300 specialized vehicles from 4 locations in Belgium (Pulle, Beringen, Olen, Sombreffe) and serves customers in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Its core technology is heavy equipment for elevated work — boom lifts, scissor lifts, truck-mounted cranes, and tower cranes — often delivered with certified operators. Customers span construction firms, public-sector bodies (notably the City of Antwerp, including work on the Cathedral of Antwerp, KMSKA, and bridges over the Albertkanaal), utility companies requiring transformer transport, industrial facilities at the Port of Antwerp, and wind energy operators requiring external turbine maintenance.

Revenue is generated through equipment rental (recurring), equipment sales (one-time), industrial services (lighting installation, traffic signaling, transformer manipulation), and specialized logistics (transport of public lighting and transformers). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company is wholly family-owned with no external investors or public listing, holds VCA, EcoVadis, and Voka SDG Pioneer certifications, and operates within a stable Benelux industrial services niche where its 50+ year track record, fleet scale, and certified operator base constitute durable competitive advantages.

Name

Groep Maes

Legal name

Groep Maes

Website

https://groepmaes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Groep Maes is a Belgian family-owned B2B industrial services group operating nine subsidiaries that provide aerial work platforms, mobile cranes, transformer transport, industrial lighting, and traffic signage across Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Equipment Rental Services

NAICS

Industrial Truck, Tractor, Trailer, and Stacker Machinery Manufacturing (333924)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerial Access & Lift Equipment MRO (Boom/Scissor Lifts, Telehandlers) (TLAKAHAD)

Keywords

• Aerial work platform rental
• Mobile crane services
• Industrial lighting installation
• Transformer transport services
• Traffic signage solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Pulle

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Rental of aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts), mobile cranes, tower cranes with operators to construction, industrial, and infrastructure companies
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of aerial work platforms, mobile cranes, and related height work equipment through Maes Rent & Sale division
3. Industrial Services: Services including industrial lighting installation and maintenance, traffic signaling, transformer manipulation, and external wind turbine maintenance
4. Public Lighting and Transformer Transport: Transportation of public lighting equipment and transformers, specialized logistics for utility infrastructure

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Groep Maes is a family-owned group of 9 companies that rents, sells, and operates height work equipment and provides specialized industrial services. Its core offerings include aerial work platforms up to 103 meters, mobile tower cranes and truck-mounted cranes up to 135 T/M, industrial outdoor lighting installation and maintenance, transformer manipulation and transport, and traffic signage for public road works. Services are delivered to construction, infrastructure, municipal, and utility clients across Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.

Product overview

Groep Maes is a family-owned B2B service conglomerate of 9 companies specializing in all forms of elevated work. The portfolio is organized into distinct sub-brands: Maes Hoogwerkers (aerial work platforms up to 103m) and Maes Rent & Sale handle equipment rental and sales; Montaco supplies mobile tower cranes and loading cranes; Trans Elektro manages transformer crane manipulation and transport; Maes Industriële Verlichting delivers outdoor lighting design, installation, and maintenance; Traffic Signs handles road work permitting and signage; Maes Services provides internal fleet maintenance; Ouros and Maes Rijplaten round out the offering with specialized equipment. Together they serve Belgium, the Netherlands, and France from 4 locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Maes Hoogwerkers: Rental and operation of aerial work platforms and truck-mounted lifting equipment
• Montaco
• Ouros
• Maes Industriële Verlichting
• Traffic Signs
• Trans Elektro
• Maes Services
• Maes Rent & Sale
• Maes Rijplaten

Products and services

• Maes Hoogwerkers (Aerial Work Platform Rental and Sale) Rental and sale of truck-mounted and crawler-mounted aerial work platforms (boom lifts, scissor lifts) reaching heights up to 103 meters, serving construction, infrastructure, and industrial clients in Belgium, Netherlands, and France.
• Montaco (Mobile Crane Services) Rental of mobile tower cranes and a large fleet of truck-mounted loading cranes up to 135 T/M, offering lifting services across Belgium with continuous fleet innovation.
• Maes Industriële Verlichting (Industrial Outdoor Lighting) Design, installation, and maintenance of outdoor lighting across four sectors: public street lighting, architectural lighting, sports lighting, and environmental lighting in the Benelux region.
• Traffic Signs (Traffic Signaling and Permits) Permit applications for public road works, creation of traffic signage plans, coordination with relevant authorities, and placement and removal of temporary traffic signage across Belgium.
• Trans Elektro (Transformer Manipulation and Transport) Specialized crane work and manipulation of transformers including associated transport and storage operations, serving utility clients from locations in Pulle and Olen.
• Maes Services (Fleet Maintenance and Garage) Workshop and maintenance services for the group's fleet of vehicles and equipment, including takeover of external garage operations.
• Maes Rent & Sale (Equipment Rental and Sales) Rental and sale of equipment within the Groep Maes portfolio, complementing the specialized brands and offering customers direct purchase options.
• Ouros (Industrial Services) Industrial services subsidiary contributing to the group's activities in elevated work solutions.
• External Wind Turbine Maintenance External maintenance services for wind turbines, providing safe access to turbine components at height using specialized aerial platforms for wind energy companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest aerial work platform in the world at 103 meters

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• PaglierominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Collaborative development in 1989 for the first 65m aerial work platform, marking an early innovation partnership for specialized height equipment

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Manitou Group: Manitou is a French-based global manufacturer of material handling, aerial work platforms, and telehandlers. It competes with Groep Maes-adjacent equipment categories and serves overlapping construction and industrial customers across Europe.
• Loxam: Loxam is the largest equipment rental company in Europe and a market leader in France, with a significant aerial platform fleet. It overlaps with Groep Maes across Benelux/France on aerial work platform and crane rentals.
• Haulotte: Haulotte is a French manufacturer of aerial work platforms (boom and scissor lifts) and is a key equipment supplier to the European rental market. While not a direct rental competitor, its products fill Groep Maes-adjacent fleets and define the supply landscape.
• JLG Industries (Oshkosh): JLG is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aerial work platforms and telehandlers, including ultra-high boom lifts. Its products constitute a major share of European rental fleets that compete with Maes Hoogwerkers' offering.
• Sunbelt Rentals: Sunbelt Rentals is the largest equipment rental company in North America and operates in the UK/Europe, offering aerial platforms and a broad fleet. It is a comparable broad-incumbent rental platform to Groep Maes, though it does not yet specialize in ultra-high platforms.
• Boels Rental: Boels is one of Europe's largest equipment rental companies, headquartered in the Netherlands, offering aerial platforms, cranes, and a broad tool/equipment range. It competes with Groep Maes on aerial platforms and crane rentals while also serving broader customer needs.

Direct peers

• Mateco: Mateco is a leading European aerial work platform rental specialist with strong presence in Belgium, Netherlands, and France. It is a direct overlap on height-access equipment rental with comparable fleet and customer base.
• Klubb Group: Klubb is a French manufacturer of aerial work platforms mounted on vehicles, with a growing European presence. Its truck-mounted aerial platforms overlap directly with Maes Hoogwerkers' specialty offering, especially in France and Benelux.
• Riwal: Riwal is the largest aerial work platform rental specialist in Europe, headquartered in the Netherlands and operating across Benelux. It directly competes with Maes Hoogwerkers on boom and scissor lift rentals in the same geographies.

Others

• TVH Parts: TVH is a Belgian-based global distributor of replacement parts and accessories for material handling, construction, and aerial equipment. It is an ecosystem supplier serving the same fleet operators and rental companies as Groep Maes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GroepMaes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groep-maes
• Instagraminstagram.com/groep_maes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries9 records

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 Groep Maes