History
ACMAT was founded as The ALM SA (Ateliers Legueu Meaux) in 1954 by René Legueu as a Meaux-based manufacturer of wheeled military vehicles.[5] Some of their heavy trucks and commercial vehicles are also available in civilian versions. For commercial use, there are also vehicles for protection of persons and the use of public-sector units of authorities such as the police and the fire brigade. Since the start of production, the company has produced over 12,000 vehicles that are marketed in over 50 countries.[3] In 1964, the company moved its headquarters to Saint-Nazaire.[5]
The company started as a developer and producer of vehicle parts, including transfer case and front axles for large-scale built trucks. The company holds patents for many of its in-house parts and technologies. This also gave rise to all-terrain trucks designed for agricultural uses. However, it remained only a concept and never made it to market but was then developed for the oil industry. A four-wheel and all-terrain version was included for the geophysical industry for use in the oil developments in the Sahara. With a range of just over 1,000 km on a single tank and operational capabilities in desert terrain, the vehicle offered increased viability in a hostile region, which appealed to the military.
From August 1961, production of the (now) ALM VCOM (Vehicle of de Combat d'Outre-Mer) began, with improvements to the vehicle under the direction of the Foreign Legion under testing in the Fennec Mission (Desert Fox). These tests were conducted during various missions in Mauritania and during the Chadian liberation war. A total of 193 units had been made by the completion of testing by the 13 Demi-brigade of the Foreign Legion in Djibouti.
To be closer to his father, Paul Legueu, the founder of the company moved the headquarters to Saint-Nazaire in 1964 and created a foundation, ACMAT SA (Ateliers de Constructions Mécaniques de l'Atlantique).
The company began the development of components including the front and rear axles, transmission and transfer case. This led to the company being awarded a further 12 patents. In 1967, the company launched its latest model, the ACMAT VLRA (Véhicule de Liaison de Reconnaissance et d'Appui > "Liaison, Reconnaissance, and Support Vehicle"). This was characterised by its robustness above all. It could transport 2.5 tonnes of payload, a maximum range of 1,600 km and a water tank with a capacity of 200L. The company produces an armoured variant of both the 4x4 and 6x6 versions of the VLRA.
In May 2006, ACMAT was acquired by Renault Trucks Defense SA, the majority shareholder of the company. ACMAT has been a subsidiary brand of the Volvo Group which Renault Trucks belongs to. [4] Under the guidance of the new board Moun Bourjij created in collaboration with Renault Trucks the ACMAT VLRA 2 (Véhicule de la Liaison de Reconnaissance et d'appui Blindé; "Armored Liaison, Reconnaissance, and Support Vehicle"), which launched in 2009. Based on the Nissan Navara, it is the seventh generation ACMAT AVTL (Aérotransportable Véhicule Tactique Léger; "Air Transportable Light Tactical Vehicle"). This model has been primarily been used in Afghanistan.
