Passing of MARCEL BRAUD Loss of an exceptional leader
Ancenis, February 4, 2026 — It is with profound emotion and immense sadness that Manitou Group announces the passing of Marcel Braud, Honorary Chairman and Founder of the Manitou forklift truck, who passed away this Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at the age of 93. Driven by a passion for innovation, industry, dealers network and the group's products—serving as Chairman until 2017—Marcel Braud transformed a family business into a global benchmark for material handling, aerial work platforms, and earthmoving equipment.
The life of Marcel Braud is a story of a destiny tied to the land and to ingenuity. Fatherless at the age of 13, he joined the family business, BRAUD MÉCANIQUE GÉNÉRALE, at the request and by the side of his mother, Andrée Braud, following World War II. Starting as a laborer, then a painter, welder, assembler, and foreman, Marcel Braud held and mastered every production role within the company. In 1958, he imagined the improbable: inverting the layout of a farm tractor to add a lifting mast and power steering. The "Manitou" was born. This simple yet revolutionary idea would travel the globe, transforming construction sites, farms & industrial market forever.
Marcel Braud went on to hold various positions within the company, notably Workshop Manager and Purchasing Manager, before becoming Chairman and CEO in 1970, and subsequently Chairman of the Board of Directors from 2007 to 2017.
Under his leadership, the group expanded beyond French borders to export worldwide, went public, continued to innovate relentlessly, and built a robust dealer network that, now more than ever, represents the company’s core strength. An insatiable man of the field, he continued to regularly visit the group's factories and international trade shows through early 2026 to stay in contact with customers and employees. Until his final breath, he embodied the passion, ingenuity, and resilience that define the soul of the group.