After the First World War, Mister LEBOULCH, coming for his native Brittany, founds its wheelwright workshop in La Vieille Lyre.
It is a complex job combined wood working and forging. He produces then agricultural carts and carriages trailed by horses (up to 50 vehicles per year) that he sells on Rugles' market in the Eure department.
In 1936, Mr LEBOULCH's son, Pierre, who is 14 years old, joins his father's workshop and learns the wheelwright job.
After the liberation, tyres develop and allow to replace wooden wheels by American tyres. However, the floor and body walls remain in wood but the shafts become drawbars, allowing to hitch the material to tractors.
It is thus the end of horse-drawn vehicles and the birth of tipping trailers, on which everybody can mount a beater to make spreading easier.
The LEBOULCH company is then avant-garde in the area of spreaders in Normandy. He then buys a rotary welding unit that costs "as much as a 2CV at that time". It is the beginning of the production of steel chassis.
The first LEBOULCH sales representative is hired. He works in the Norman sector. At that time, to promote his material, Mr LEBOULCH presents his vehicles on local markets and to cantonal and departmental agricultural associations.
The spreader changes. It is now fitted with a moving floor and all the mechanics are manufactured with mechanically welded elements. The wheels are placed on the outer side of the body. The trailer is lower and can be more easily loaded.
The first hydraulic folding machine appears in the workshop (which is extremely rare and revolutionary at that time). The wooden side panels are abandoned in favour of more elaborate steel panels in mechanically welded profiles. The quality of the trailers is therefore improved. This recent technique, which is not well understood by the competitors and badly accepted by the customers in the beginning, will then be well appreciated and will allow to get very good results.
The first tipping trailers with beam chassis appear.
The body floor is now made of steel and all elements are welded, whereby the material is stronger and more reliable.
In 1958, 12 workmen work at the production. To face a growing demand, extra buildings of 1,200 m² are built. Mr LEBOULCH enters in partnership with Mr FELIZIANA, his brother-in-law, who is in charge of the sales part.
During the sixties, given a rising inflation, the market of the agricultural vehicles significantly slows down. Given the difficulties with the supply of raw material, the LEBOULCH company finds it very difficult to deliver its vehicles in time.
The first monocoque tipping trailers and sprung drawbar mark an important moment in the history of agricultural machinery.
The monocoque tipping trailers ensure sturdiness, watertightness and reliability like never before.
Furthermore, the sprung drawbar significantly improves the road-holding qualities of the trailers.
The first machines are exported to:
Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and England.
A LEBOULCH branch is installed in Belgium, under the name "Leboulch Benelux".
Some years later, the company starts working in Africa, with Ivory Coast and South Africa.
In 1968, the LEBOULCH company begins to sale its first bale trailers.
A 5,000 m² workshop is built.
The number of employees reaches 91 and the number of sales representatives is 7.
In 1969, the LEBOULCH company does not hesitate to promote its material during international trade shows, in which it takes part for the first time:
Strasbourg's fair,
Coventry's fair in England,
Brussels's fair,
Paris' agricultural machinery trade show (SIMA).
This year marks the birth of the double-axle rocker beam that makes work in fields easier and allows to cross obstacles without difficulties.
The spreader range with hydraulic door and horizontal beaters is also launched.
Spreading is in this way finer and more regular.
The required tractor power decreases.
In 1974, 3,800 m² of new buildings are built. The whole site surface area reaches in this way 10,000 m².
In 1975, given the growing sugar beet production, the LEBOULCH company presents a new tipping trailer range: the high-tipping trailers.
Furthermore, it extends its market towards the West of France, where it proposes its spreader range fitted with a continuous gearbox drive of the moving floor.
1975 is also the year of the bogie, the most appreciated double-axle running gear by the users given its multifunctionality both on fields and on the road.
Tipping trailers are now fitted with two supports on the front of the body that allow to lock it when it is not working. The body does not bounce anymore, ensuring in this way better working and driving conditions.
That year, a major change is to be observed: the crosspieces at the bottom of the body. When loading, shocks are better absorbed (no cut on the floor steel sheet). Furthermore, in order to better reinforce the bodies, a reinforcement is placed at their front, next to those on the sides.
Regarding the body watertightness, it is now complete (LEBOULCH applies for a patent for a drop door with adjustment by eccentrics). Since the door is no longer held in position, unloading is more fluid (e.g.: sugar beets).
The watertightness of the LEBOULCH muck spreaders is improved by a set design of the profile of the body elements.
The response to tyre scrub is given by the first free or self steering axle. Both can also fulfill each other on a triple-axle running gear.
The spreaders also have a significant payload and ever more efficient spreading devices. In this way, the wide spreading table fitted with a canopy can spread up to 12 m wide (depending on the density of the matter).
The range of tipping trailers with drop sides is completed by the triple-axle bale trailers, which provide a higher stability and larger dimensions, so as to avoid several transports. The production of the feeder wagons is stopped.
A new colour and a new logo are designed for the tipping trailers and muck spreaders of the Gold 2000 and Gold RE series.
The body design is standardized with swinging doors with large clearance with "LEBOULCH patent" and reinforced arms.
LEBOULCH launches its livestock trailers with 5 models from 4 to 12 animals. They are fitted with an essential basic equipment to transport animals properly. Their design is based on a monocoque structure like the one of tipping trailers.
New muck spreaders are launched with the "Maxi" range.
LEBOULCH proposes 18 models so that everybody has a material meeting his needs.
Now fitted with a HLE steel chassis (high tensile steel), these spreaders offer in this way a better resistance to heavy loads.
The company launches a revolutionary concept of a body bolted on the chassis, which allows to improve the material finishing and make the manufacturing process management easier.
The Gold RB range (tipping trailer range) is modified with higher sides, a new rocker beam with offset axis for uneven grounds.
The RB name disappears to be replaced by "Gold", a range of tipping trailers with 17 vehicles from 8.5 to 24 tons payload.
This year is marked by the birth of the "Maxi HV" lowered muck spreaders with reinforced spreding device with two vertical beaters with spreading disc at their base.
Their high payload allows to limit transports.
The spreading pattern is fine and regular on 6 to 9 m wide.
Thanks to large size tyres and a very low center of gravity, the "Maxi HV" are very stable and can be used on all types of ground.
In 1994, the biggest spreader also leaves the factory: the Maxi 4-23006 with 25 tons payload.
A new range of monocoque tipping trailers is launched: the "Gold Plus".
The body is fitted with horizontal reinforcements and reinforced elements. The lower center of gravity ensures moreover a better stability.
Furthermore, in an effort of ecology and given the growing demand, a new machine is proposed to compost manure: the swathe aerator. It accelerates and improves the transformation of waste material (manure, poultry manure, green waste, etc.) into compost. The resulting product, which is rich in fertilizing elements, can be spread in smaller quantities.
The company is purchased by two private shareholders.
The company employs then 90 persons and it produces 700 vehicles a year.
The whole monocoque tipping trailer range is redesigned. The "Gold Plus" becomes "Gold".
The company opts for a new system of lead-free polyurethane painting.
The new "Goliath" muck spreader range appears on the market.
6 models combining a new body profile and new specifications are developed.
At the same time, the marketing of the TPC tipping trailers is launched. They allow to combine construction works and works in the fields.
The Altero is born. The arm can slide or slide and be articulated. The chassis can be fitted with several body types: tipping trailer, muck spreader, container, etc.
Leboulch buys out the HAUSWIRTH company, which manufactures livestock trailers, bale trailers, low loaders, harrows and meadow aerators, to complete its activities.
The marketing of the Green Space range, with 1 or two axle(s) and from 2 to 8 tons payload, is launched.
In December 2012, the Leboulch company is acquired by the JOSKIN group, thereby giving a boost to the Leboulch brand, both regarding product quality and industrial and sales development.
La Vieille Lyre's production site is refurbished thanks to investments of more than 3 million Euros and all products are reviewed by the research department to launch the new "Evolution" range on the entire Leboulch catalogue.
Installation of 7 automated warehouses to improve the after-sales service with an availability of the spare parts within 48 hours. Set up of a technician team to help dealers during very technical discussions on our products in order to make sure the vehicle will perfectly correspond to the use the farmer intends to have of it.
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