Manitou Group has been honoured with the Innovation Award for its retrofitted telehandler at the Drive to Zero exhibition.
Initiated in 2024, the Drive to Zero Innovation Award celebrates groundbreaking concepts that are shaping the future of decarbonised mobility. From a pool of numerous submissions, the jury comprising journalists from L’Usine Nouvelle magazine and members of the French ecological transition agency, ADEME, selected the development of the retrofitted telehandler for the “Vehicle Technology and Innovation” category.
Based on criteria of originality, environmental impact and potential for widespread adoption, the jury recognised an impressive initiative that meets a significant demand for decarbonising construction sites.
Gabriel Raffour, Services Innovation Manager, states: “We are delighted to receive this inaugural award for our retrofitted handler. This solution for electrifying existing fleets maintains an equivalent level of performance while significantly reducing noise pollution and emissions from diesel machines. The initial feedback we have gathered over the past two months has been exceptionally positive and encouraging.”
This partnership, commenced in 2024 with the Kiloutou Group, is the result of a collaborative effort expanded to include Bouygues Construction Matériel and Equans for the implementation of this testing phase. The retrofit initiative aligns seamlessly with Manitou Group’s new strategic roadmap, “LIFT”, announced in late April, which identifies the circular economy as a key area of development.
