French equipment manufacturer Manitou Group and Chinese forklift producer Hangcha Group have formed a joint venture to develop and manufacture lithium-ion batteries, as both companies seek to advance the electrification of material handling equipment.
The collaboration will initially focus on replacing lead-acid batteries in existing vehicle fleets with longer-lasting lithium-ion systems. The scope of the joint venture may later expand to retrofitting diesel-powered models and jointly developing fully electric machines.
Zhao Limin, Chairman and General Manager of Hangcha Group, described the agreement as a milestone for the company’s industrial strategy. “Deepening strategic cooperation with Manitou Group and jointly establishing a lithium battery joint marks a new phase in the partnership between the two sides,” Zhao said in a statement. “We will collaboratively enhance solution capability of new energy industrial vehicle power systems.”
The battery production facility will support Manitou’s “LIFT” roadmap, which outlines the company’s plan to increase the share of electric vehicles in its forklift lineup to 28% by 2030. Hangcha, meanwhile, has announced its goal to fully electrify its portfolio by the end of 2025.
Manitou is widely known in the construction and agricultural machinery segments, while Hangcha ranks as the eighth-largest industrial vehicle manufacturer globally. The joint venture underscores a growing trend in cross-border partnerships aimed at transitioning heavy equipment fleets toward lower-emission alternatives.
The facility is expected to recruit engineers, production operators, sales personnel, and service technicians. Local authorities in Le Mans Metropole, where the project will be based, will support hiring and training efforts as the venture moves into operational phases.
