Manitou Group, a world reference in the handling, aerial work platform and earth moving sectors, has announced the acquisition of an 82 percent stake in easyLi, a specialist in the design and production of lithium-ion batteries.

This strategic transaction gives the Group specific skills in the context of its energy transition.

Founded in 2011, easyLi manufactures and maintains lithium-ion battery systems for electric mobility and stationary energy storage solutions. It has 25 employees and is based in the Poitiers — Futuroscope business district. As a result of this acquisition, Manitou Group is extending its competence with business lines dedicated to R&D and the production and reconditioning of these batteries.

Michel Denis, president and CEO of the Group, said, "easyLi's expertise adds substantial value to our organization. By internalizing this expertise, we are going to be able to study machine-battery interactions in depth and thus continue to reduce total cost of ownership for our users. This operation is in keeping with our research and development plan to accelerate our energy transition."

François Barsacq, founder and CEO of easyLi, added, "We are proud to be joining Manitou Group. It is a fantastic opportunity to share our know-how internationally on different ranges of handling products, while stepping up our activities on our historical markets of urban electric mobility, on- board energy systems and self-sufficient environments. We look forward to accompanying Manitou Group in this new stage."

For more information, visit www.manitou-group.com.