The Pontchâteau plant in Loire Atlantique in France has just manufactured its 20,000th Bobcat telehandler.


L-R: Laurent Gicquel, Mickael Coutard and Michel Coutard of Manuco, Benoit Pion, Bobcat District Manager, Northern France and Xavier Larroque

During an official ceremony attended by the site's 200 strong workforce, Xavier Larroque, Business Line Director Telescopic Handlers and Laurent Gicquel, Pontchâteau Plant Manager, presented the keys of the 20,000th machine to roll off the production line (a new Bobcat T40180 model) to its purchaser, the Manuco dealership from the suburbs of Rouen.

The ceremony provided Bobcat management with an opportunity to emphasise how, after the difficult times experienced towards the end of the last decade, the Pontchâteau plant continues to be a successful production facility for Bobcat. Laurent Gicquel commented: "We foresee growth of around 15% in sales and 17% in turnover this year compared to 2013.

"This growth is largely due to good results from the agricultural sector, which represents some 49% of Bobcat telehandler sales. The remaining 51% of our sales come from the rental and construction sectors and general industry."

To underline the optimism felt by Bobcat management, various investments are planned for the Pontchâteau site in 2014 to boost production and take advantage of the strong demand for Bobcat's French-made telehandlers.