Manitou founder Marcel Braud passes away

Manitou Group has announced that Marcel Braud, honorary Chairman and founder of the Manitou forklift truck, has passed away, aged 93, on Tuesday this week.

The company said he was driven by a passion for innovation, industry, dealers network and the group’s products. Serving as Chairman until 2017 he transformed a family business into a global name in material handling, aerial work platforms, and earthmoving equipment.

Marcel Braud. (Image: Manitou)

His sister and Chair of the Manitou board, Jacqueline Himsworth, said he possessed “a rare genius for anticipating the needs of professionals. We are losing a visionary.”

The life of Marcel Braud is a story of a destiny and ingenuity, said Manitou. Fatherless at the age of 13, he joined the family business Braud Mécanique Générale, at the request of his mother Andrée Braud, following World War II.

Starting as a labourer, then a painter, welder, assembler, and foreman, Braud mastered every production role at the company.

Revolutionary thinker 

“In 1958, he imagined the improbable: converting the layout of a farm tractor to add a lifting mast and power steering. The Manitou was born,” said the company. “This simple yet revolutionary idea would travel the globe, transforming construction sites, farms and industrial market forever.”

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 represents the company’s core strength. He continued to regularly visit the group’s factories and international trade shows until 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,” said Manitou. 

Family tributes 

Jacqueline Himsworth, Chairman of Manitou’s Board, said; ”My brother dedicated his life to Manitou Group. Thanks to him, our small family business became an international leader, recognised for its products, values, and innovation.

(Image: Manitou)

“He was a passionate man who shared his energy and pride in belonging to our group with everyone. He possessed that rare genius for anticipating the needs of professionals. We are losing a visionary, but his entrepreneurial spirit continues to guide our course.

“Marcel-Claude Braud, Sébastien Braud, and Emilie Braud, Board members of Manitou Group, join me in sharing our profound grief.”

Michel Denis, President & CEO, added, “Marcel Braud was an extraordinary man and entrepreneur. Throughout the decades spent at the head of the group, he created exceptional products, experiences, and solutions with pride and perseverance, and in doing so, contributed significantly to changing the daily lives of millions of professionals in construction, agriculture, and industry.

“It is to him that we owe the ‘big family’ culture that continues to inspire our teams around the world today. The management team and all 6,000 employees join in the grief of his family and loved ones.”

Manitou Group extended its sincere condolences to his wife, children, and the Braud family.