Manitou Group has officially opened its new factory in Candé, France, dedicated to the production of rough-terrain aerial work platforms (AWPs). Built in collaboration with the Legendre Group, the site covers an area of 80,000 sq m, featuring 18,000 sq m of industrial buildings and two automated production lines, a test centre and logistics facilities.

Located in the Petit Tesseau area of Candé (Maine-et-Loire), the new ‘smart’ factory currently employs 80 people and is an example of Manitou’s digital transformation, with remote management of energy consumption and improved workplace quality for employees. The facility will also showcase the group’s energy transition with the assembly of new electric models.

The new plant becomes Manitou’s second platform factory, and the group’s sixth factory based in the Grand-Ouest, consolidating the group’s presence in this region. The existing factory in the Fosses Rouges industrial estate, also in Candé, will continue to produce industrial aerial work platforms, while the new site will be entirely focused on the production of rough-terrain aerial work platforms.

This €26 million investment is part of a global plan to develop and modernise the industrial facilities on all of Manitou’s production sites. It will enable the group to respond to the structural growth of this sector in Europe as well as internationally, particularly in the US.

Sylvain Jaguelin, vice president for AWP production unit at Manitou, said, “The aerial work platform market is a key opportunity for growth for the group. This modern factory gives us a very important and scalable production capacity that will accompany us in the long term. To support our development, our recruitment needs will be adjusted as the activity evolves.”