History

1980-2000

The foundations are laid!

The first 20 years of Kiloutou’s life have not been a smooth ride. It was a period of rapid expansion, but also marked by questions, and it was necessary to lay the foundations for the company of today. The watchwords: test & learn. So we try, we succeed, sometimes we stumble, or rather, we refocus. And once the concept has been established, the company can prosper… and it has been doing so for 40 years!

The bet

The year was 1980. Franky Mulliez, an entrepreneur, visited the United States and brought back with him a new concept in France: the rental of small equipment and tools. Do-it-yourself, gardening, paramedical, sports or leisure, he brings together more than 700 products that he offers in his first 3 branches in Marcq-en-Baroeul, Lille and Roubaix (59). 5 years later, it is clear that surfboards, candyfloss machines and other disco balls have no place in the market. The company is therefore gradually refocusing on construction equipment.

The human element at the centre

Little by little, the branches developed and many teammates came on board. In less than 10 years, Kiloutou employed 350 teammates in 23 branches and concluded 380,000 contracts per year. Kiloutou’s values were taking shape and from the outset, the human element was at the heart of the company. It is therefore quite natural that the company opens its capital to its teammates. This willingness to share the fruits of growth would continue, even with the various changes of shareholders that followed!

Key facts

1988 – The art and know-how of reception becomes a department in its own right

1997 – Kiloutou becomes a partner of La Plateforme du Bâtiment

1998 – Kiloutou is the first rental company to be certified ISO 9002

In 2000, Kiloutou it’s…

75

branches

1 400

team members

800 000

contracts per year

2000-2007

We are becoming more professional!

Kiloutou is now more mature and structured, its model is being perfected. The company is ready to launch new services and is taking the digital turn. It is rewarded and certified!

Welcome to kiloutou.fr!

We are in the year 2000 and Kiloutou has nearly 700 teammates in more than fifty branches. France discovered the Internet just 4 years ago and the company quickly understood the importance of setting up shop there. With its very first showcase site, it gave itself international visibility. A gamble that paid off, since in two years it doubled its workforce and passed the million annual contract mark! 

When training rhymes with digitalization

Kiloutou’s growing workforce means that new formulas must be found quickly to preserve know-how and develop the skills of each individual. And just as well, recent advances in digital technology are finally making this possible! So in 2004, Kiloutou equipped itself with an e-learning platform on which teammates can access complete and entertaining training modules to learn about the equipment and professionalize their customer sales pitch.

Investments in digitalization and customer experience on the web are paying off, as the company is regularly rewarded for its progress. 

Centre d'Essai

The Test Center: at the heart of expertise

In 2002, Kiloutou opened the doors of its test centre. From then on, each piece of equipment that wanted to move up in the range had to pass through expert hands. By establishing clear specifications based on performance, safety and, more recently, respect for the environment, the centre is able to maintain a fleet of equipment that meets the most stringent requirements. Thanks to feedback from its customers, Kiloutou is able to establish a win-win relationship with its suppliers, who do not hesitate to upgrade their ranges. 

Key facts

2004 – Kiloutou is certified ISO 9001 version 2000

2005 – Sagard Private Equity becomes a majority shareholder in Kiloutou.
Franky Mulliez steps aside but remains present to witness the Group’s transition to a completely different dimension. 

In 2007, Kiloutou it’s…

200

branches

1

acquisition

2 000

team members

1 000 000

contracts per year

2007-2012

We are commited!

Kiloutou is continuing to establish itself in France and is becoming a major local employer. Its mission is clear: Kiloutou must be a player in the environmental transition.

Committed to the planet

  1. It was 2007 and discussions about sustainable development were gaining momentum.
  2. Aware of its impact on the environment, Kiloutou will be the first to carry out its carbon footprint in 2010.
  3. In 2012, the company also signed the Global Compact, aligning its operations and strategy with ten universally accepted points concerning human rights, labour standards, the environment and the fight against corruption. Kiloutou also became the first rental company to include the carbon footprint of its rentals on its commercial documents.
  4. Finally, in 2013, it established an internal reference system and audited its branches with the help of external and objective companies in order to award them a “sustainable development” label or not.

These are major advances that will make it the “Best European Rental Company”, according to the ERA (European Rental Association). This award recognises Kiloutou’s professionalism, its economic and technological development, but also its commitment to sustainable development.

Key facts

2007 – The internal training school in Marcq-en-Baroeul opens its doors!


2011 – PAI buys Kiloutou’s shares from Sagard

In 2012, Kiloutou it’s…

300

branches

9

acquisitions

3 000

team members

2013-2022

We’re going abroad!

The Kiloutou model and its “serious, but not taken too seriously” working method are winning over European neighbours and 6 new countries are joining the adventure. This fertile ground did not prevent the Group from accelerating its environmental transition and even from taking on the entire industry! 

Expanding its playground!

In 2013, Kiloutou set foot in a foreign country for the first time, with the acquisition of BM Loc Poland. And then everything followed in quick succession! Spain in 2015 with Rentecnika, Germany in 2016 with Starlift, Italy in 2017 with Cofiloc and finally Denmark and Portugal in 2022 with GSV and Grupo Vendap. In 2015, the Group also formalised the activity of its three specialities: Kiloutou Energie, Kiloutou Module and Loca Réception, to which Kiloutou Signalisation will be added in 2020. At the same time, the French network is also continuing to develop and at the end of this last extraordinary year had more than 6,000 teammates and 600 branches. A total of over 40 acquisitions!

A second life for equipment 

In 2016, the company created Kiloutou Matériel d’Occasion (KMO) in response to the problem of an ageing fleet. In this way, it manages to give a second life to nearly 4,000 items of equipment per year, ranging from drills to excavators, which may be old, but are still very much operational! 

Safety & ergonomics on the worksite 

In 2018, Kiloutou created the Kare range. With its device for preventing machine-pedestrian collisions, its Laser Jig, its Ergoskeleton, its 0-Gravity Arm and the latest addition, the Ergo-Gen, it fights against Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) and preserves the safety of workers on construction sites. 

Now yellow also comes in green 

This is the slogan chosen for the iMPAKT range! Launched in 2021, it brings together more than 3,500 alternative materials, including recharging solutions such as hybrid or hydrogen generators, fast chargers, or more recently powerbanks and a 100% electric tipper truck model! 

That same year, Kiloutou initiated the Rencontres du Matériel Durable (Sustainable Equipment Meetings), bi-annual meetings bringing together the entire construction and public works sector and aimed at proposing solutions to reduce carbon emissions from construction sites. 

The company took advantage of this opportunity to formalise a quantified carbon target: it will have reduced its emissions by 40% by 2030 and will have achieved carbon neutrality by 2050. 

The result of these actions/reflections is a Gold level certification awarded by EcoVadis every year since 2019 and the agreement of a financing package indexed on ESG criteria in 2021! 

An employer… Happy! 

This success story is first and foremost the story of passionate teammates, who every day demonstrate what we call “yellow blood” in the corridors. Made possible by a benevolent management style that favours autonomy and empowerment, it is the very definition of a company where it is good to work. This is reflected in the HR certifications that are awarded every year, such as Happy Candidates, Happy Trainies and Top Employer, every year since 2014! 

Key facts

2016 – The company gives itself a new visual identity: simplified and easily identifiable, it will give rise in 2018 to a communication campaign “that only professionals understand” which speaks more to its main target: professionals

2018 – HLD, a company owned by Dentressangle, becomes a majority shareholder

Deepki becomes a partner to monitor the energy consumption of agencies



2019 – Kiloutou entre sur le marché obligataire avec une première émission publique et cotée à la bourse du Luxembourg

2022 – France commits to reducing electricity and gas consumption in response to the energy crisis by signing the ecowatt and ecogas charters

Kiloutou Module is also committed and offers low energy modules

BTP Magazine and the DLR award Kiloutou the Trophée de la Location, category “Energy Transition!”

In 2022, Kiloutou it’s…

600

branches

43

acquisitions

6 000

team members

2023…

What about tomorrow?

Today, Kiloutou, like most companies, must respond to new challenges. Inflation, the energy crisis and component shortages mean that we must redefine where we are going and how we are going to get there! 

Recruiting yes, but responsibly!

With candidates increasingly looking for meaning and strong values (and rightly so!) it is no longer simply a question of recruiting, but above all of building loyalty! So in 2023, Kiloutou is developing the concept of responsible recruitment. Flash interviews, discovery days or even personalised advice to improve your application, there are many ways to recruit a personality, not a CV! The integration process, otherwise known as onboarding, is then the key to a successful first year. 

Accelerating the environmental transition

While the guideline was previously clear for France, 2023 marks the beginning of a Group-wide environmental transition. The aim is to measure carbon emissions in each country in order to define a common action plan and export the iMPAKT range. Quite a programme! This new historical period will also allow us to test and try out new solutions such as electric or hydrogen.

Continued growth

Whether organically or through the acquisition of new companies, the coming years should bring more good news. Specialities and generalist networks will continue to develop. 

Innovation, always innovation

Whether it is for the performance of our teammates or that of our customers, innovation is at the heart of our business. In terms of productivity, sustainability or safety, it raises knowledge and develops skills. Telematics in particular is a tool that offers increasing possibilities! And in 2023, the spotlight will be on digitalisation: by getting the best out of each company, new tools and processes will be discovered. It is now up to us to standardize them to obtain a solid and serene framework to focus on the core business!

Faits marquants

2023 – During its “Yellow Partner’s Days” exhibition, Kiloutou presents its Equipment Manufacturers’ Environment Trophy to Volvo

The 4th and 5th Sustainable Equipment Meetings bring together manufacturers, customers, rental companies and professional federations to establish concrete and universal proposals for the environmental transition of construction sites.

Kiloutou is named Top Employer for the tenth consecutive year! 

2024 – The first retrofitted equipment (from a combustion engine to an electric motor) leaves the factory. A product born of the partnership between Kiloutou and Manitou.