Paterson Simons has learned with great sadness of the passing of Marcel Braud, founder of Manitou and a pioneering figure in the global lifting and material handling industry.
From the earliest days of Manitou, Marcel Braud’s vision and spirit of innovation set the foundation for a business that would go on to shape modern lifting solutions worldwide.
Marcel’s journey was defined by curiosity, determination and an instinctive understanding of machinery. Born in 1932, he was introduced to working life at an early age after the loss of his father during the liberation of Ancenis in 1944, when his mother, Andrée, took responsibility for the family engineering business. Growing up within the workshop environment, Marcel gained hands-on experience across every aspect of production, developing a practical knowledge that later shaped his approach to innovation and leadership. In the late 1950s, his re-imagining of a farm tractor to incorporate a lifting mast and power steering led to the creation of a new type of rough-terrain forklift – an idea that would become the foundation of Manitou. Over the decades that followed, he guided the business through sustained growth, serving as both CEO and Chairman, while remaining closely connected to the people, products and values of the company he founded.
Ever since our first visit to Ancenis and seeing the original ‘farm tractor’ fitted with a lifting mast and power steering, we have appreciated the innovation and foresight of Marcel Braud and how this early thinking has translated into the values and capabilities of the modern Manitou business.
As a family-owned business dedicated to lifting equipment, Paterson Simons has long admired Marcel Braud’s unique contribution to the industry. Over the past 14 years, Paterson Simons has been proud to be associated with Manitou, a partnership built on shared values of innovation, reliability and long-term commitment to customers.
The Paterson Simons family extends its sincere condolences to Marcel Braud’s family and to the entire Manitou organisation during this difficult time.
His legacy will continue to live on through the company he founded and the lasting impact he has made on the global lifting community.
Read further on Manitou-group.com here
Image: Manitou-group.com