60 YEARS CELEBRATED

Bobcat are celebrating 60 years of their telehandler manufacturing factory in Pontchâteau, France.

The construction of the present-day Pontchâteau plant commenced in 1963 with the facility specialising in off-road dumpers and forklifts.

Today, the factory produces telescopic handlers, which commenced in the early 1980s under the Sambron brand and was then acquired by the Fayat Group. Under the new ownership, Sambron became FDI Sambron and introduced hydrostatic telescopic handlers. In 2000, FDI Sambron was acquired by American corporation, Ingersoll-Rand, which also owned the Bobcat brand. Consequently, FDI Sambron transformed into Bobcat France. In 2007, Bobcat was acquired by the South Korean group, Doosan, and continues to operate as part of the Doosan Bobcat EMEA company.

In 2023, the French factory achieved a significant milestone, when it manufactured its 111,000th machine. Out of this figure, around 30,000 of the machines have been telehandlers carrying the Bobcat signature logo and typical white and orange colours.

Philippe Marescot, Pontchâteau factory manager at Doosan Bobcat EMEA said, “Our current telehandler line-up consists of 14 models in five platforms, with key markets in agriculture, construction and rental. Managing such a comprehensive portfolio is only possible thanks to our experienced engineering team, which is running all the European operations and contributing to global telehandler development activities. The majority of our production, over 80%, is targeted for export."

Employment has seen significant growth alongside production, with the workforce more than doubling to 420 employees in the last 10 years. The Mayor of Pontchâteau, Danielle Cornet, recognises the factory's significance as a major regional employer, with over 50% of employees residing within a 20 km radius, and offering diverse job opportunities ranging from manufacturing to executive roles, administration and Research & Development.

Philippe Marescot concludes, "Over the past decade, significant investments, amounting to approximately 30 million EUR, have been made in human resources, research and development and facility enhancements. These structural investments have strengthened the Pontchâteau factory’s capacity to meet market demands and maintain a growth trajectory aligned with market needs."