17.03.2022

Groupe Plissonneau acquires Montagrues

Martinique-based Groupe Plissonneau has acquired Paris-based mobile crane rental company Montagrues.

Montagrues is based in the suburb of Gennevilliers and runs a fleet of around 35 cranes, including All Terrains up to 450 tonnes, along with a range of self-erecting mobile tower cranes. Established in 1973, Montagrues is owned and managed by brothers Pierre and Jean-Marc Chauffour.
Please register to see all images

(L-R) Pierre Chauffour of Montagrues, François Machenaud of Plissonneau and Jean-Marc Chauffour of Montagrues following the finalisation of the deal

Groupe Plissonneau is a small conglomerate based in Martinique that can trace its roots back to 1870 when it was established to trade in sugar cane and shipping. Its operations are mainly in France's overseas territories. Its lifting and material handling divisions include GLI (Grues Levages Investissements) the distributor for Grove, Potain, Manitowoc and Alimak in several French markets Guadeloupe, La Réunion, Mauritius, Mayotte and New Caledonia along with its first crane business Locmanu, which it acquired in 1995 and now operates in Martinique, Guyana, Reunion, Mauritius, Mayotte and New Caledonia. It also owns Promotex - an aerial lift and telehandler rental company - in la Réunion and AMS a telehandler and forklift, rental company in Martinique, Guadeloupe et Guyana. The group has revenues in the region of €80 million with a total of around 300 employees
Please register to see all images

A Montagrues All Terrain crane

Last year the family that owns the business raised further funds from BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance which took larger equity stakes in the company.

Vertikal Comment

This is a slightly surprising move from Plissonneau, given that its main focus has been on France’s DOM-TOM territories and not the French mainland. Although having said that it has owned Strasbourg-based industrial PPE distributor Difac since 2010. In spite of this it is still an interesting move.