French manufacturer M-extend made more than 10,000 tractor loaders for the first time last year. The milestone number was reached in November. The company finished the year with a record 11,308 units.
November was not just a milestone for tractor loader volumes, but also heralded a change of company name, when MX, Manip (only available in France) and Mach Connector brands joined forces under a new corporate brand, M-extend.
There is no change to the MX branding. Instead, the move is part of a plan to increase the market share overseas and to develop the OEM partnerships of the family-owned company. “It was important to have a name that reflects this growth and unite our staff under the same banner,“ comments Marie Villain from marketing support M-extend France.
MX currently equips 7,500 different tractor models from 15-300hp, covering 45 different makes and develops around 150 brackets every year. The T400 series was the most popular last year (T412 best-selling model).
The foundation for international growth began a decade ago with the opening of two factories in India (2012) and Brazil (2014) to meet the specific requirements of clients in these two major markets.
The largest tractor loader manufacturer in France and the second largest in Europe, is represented on every continent and MX has a presence in 64 countries. Europe, and in particular France, remains the key market (includes OEM distribution). Other important markets include Germany and the UK, where it has commercial subsidiaries to distribute its product ranges. New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Italy, Spain and Belgium are also important markets.
Founded in 1951 by Louis Mailleux (initially making ploughs), the first Mailleux front loader was produced in 1963. Cutting, machining, folding, welding, surface treatment, painting and assembly all take place at a 46,000m² facility in Brittany.
M-extend also has commercial agreements with Iseki France, Claas and Kubota in Europe. The most recent OEM partner is Case IH, and M-extend is confident this will allow it to grow MX annual numbers still further. However, given the current economic situation and tight raw material supply, the company says it is too unpredictable to forecast how many new loaders the company will make this year.
