Gimar Montaz Mautino

Gimar Montaz Mautino (GMM) is a French manufacturer that was created when Gimar (founded in 1980 by Jean-Claude Giraud and Dominique Mareau, two former executives at Weber ) and Montaz Mautino(founded in 1952 by Pierre Montaz and Victor Mautino) merged. they are well known to make aerial lifts (mostly 2 seat chairlifts) and surface ski lifts. They are headquartered in Échirolles near Grenoble. Originally known as Montaz Mautino they had the best success of any lift company in the 70s and 80s constructing 2-3 men chairlifts especially in France.

The company was founded by industrialist Bernard Drevet, who led Montaz Mautino-in to the end of 1986 1987. The businessman bought Gimar in 1988 and Montaz Mautino 1989, year in which he grouped the two entities, first under the name Montaz Mautino Gimar then rapidly under the name GMM.

Since 1994, the company is certified according to the standard NF EN ISO 9001.

But the company still experiencing difficulties due to some distant sites the hazardous nature, particularly in India, and was bought in 1994 by Didier Serre, a Lyon businessman. He appointed the head of GMM François Montes, former Secretary General of Lafuma, to conduct a responsible policy.After these turbulent times, the manufacturer refocused on making chairlifts and ski lifts, its historic know-how, and after sales service of the previous-Montaz Mautino and Gimar installation.

The current range of GMM chairlifts based on 7+ stations and mini 7 of motor type or motor-voltage comptactes (on massive concrete). 7+ The first copy was made in 1998 at the Alpe d'Huez: this is the Lievre Blanc chairlift .

GMM retains also to catalog a range of lifts with poles (fixed and detachable). Although they are now less popular, they are a historical know-how of the company since as Montaz Mautino , then as GMM, the manufacturer has made the territory more than 600 slope-back of its kind since 1950s the company has modernized the same range with the design of 4 new type of stations S whose first units were delivered in 2005.

However, the manufacturer now offers lifts retractors. GMM has developed for this purpose a so-called range E (as winders) with 3 different driving-voltage terminals; lighter is sized to fit devices for beginners, the heart of the product target. The first aircraft of this range is the lift of Daffodils, installed in 2010 to Prabouré in the Forez (Massif Central).

Retractors are models which have the particularity of being magnetic braking plates. Until 2015, they came from manufacturer LST (Loipolder Seilbahn Technik). Since 2016, GMM has its own reel, developed by the internal design department.

Best seen in the resort of Chamonix as well as gondolas and surface lifts (similar in design to POMA surface lifts). Though in recent years, due to the rapid growth of rivals POMA and Leitner in France, Montaz Mautino lifts are being replaced with faster and higher capacity lifts from it rivals. GMM still constructs surface lifts and a completely new design of 4 person chairlift.