Pichon – the French-based machinery manufacturer – has been put into receivership.

The development happened at the Commercial Court of Rennes. This means that Pichon SAS – to refer to it by its full trading name – will now enter a six-month “renewable observation period”, during which time a buyer will be sought.

The company GiLiBERT Industries, a manufacturer of trailers and muck spreaders taken over by Pichon in 2015, is now officially liquidated.

Pichon built a new 22,000m² factory in 2015 (in Landivisiau, Finistere). This, along with the purchase of GiLiBERT Industries, is believed to have led to the financial difficulties now being experienced by the company.

Ironically, equipment sales at the company have reportedly been on the rise for the past two years.

According to the company, the main objective now is to “keep the factory going under the best possible conditions, while finding a new buyer that could quickly ensure the future of the Pichon brand”.

A statement indicated that “an official administrator will help in the search for such a buyer”.

It’s worth noting that the company has been selling agricultural machinery since 1970. Today, the manufacturer claims to be the market leader for slurry tanks in France.

‘Fully galvanised’

The company has been involved in the manufacture of muck spreaders since 2011. Its slurry and muck equipment is especially notable for being “fully galvanised”.

Earlier this year, Pichon passed the manufacture of its compact loaders to fellow French company Mecalac, but retained the rights to sell them in the agricultural sector.