Goubard Wins Gold Medal at the Concours Lépine International Paris 2026

A patented low-tech solution developed at Goubard to improve forklift operator safety and reduce physical strain

Paris, May 11, 2026 — Jérémie Bourdillon, a French engineer and entrepreneur, has been awarded the Jury Gold Medal at the Concours Lépine International Paris 2026, one of France’s most prestigious awards for innovation.

The award recognizes an invention developed within Goubard to reduce the physical strain experienced by forklift operators when fitting fork extensions.

This patented equipment enables forklift operators to temporarily extend the reach of a forklift in order to handle long loads or transport several pallets simultaneously, without having to leave the driver’s seat.

Developed in just nine months using a purely low-tech approach, the system combines simplicity, robustness and affordability.

Key benefits
- Reduced physical effort and lower risk of musculoskeletal disorders.
- Improved safety for operators and forklift drivers.
- Made in France with genuine after-sales support.
- Cost-effective solution, with an estimated operating cost of around €15 per month.
- 10-year warranty.
- Potential eligibility for funding as part of workplace adaptation programs.

Throughout the event, major industrial companies, occupational physicians, labor inspectors and workplace risk prevention specialists praised the practical value and relevance of the invention, which brings together productivity and safety.

One of them commented:

“You embody a profound philosophy of innovation: technological simplicity, operator safety, industrial performance, the circular economy and reindustrialization. This is an exemplary invention that goes far beyond the product itself.”

More than ten forklift operators also visited the stand every day, often reacting in the same way:

“I’m telling my manager about this as soon as I get back!”

An entrepreneur committed to innovation

Jérémie Bourdillon, 36, has been passionate about innovation since childhood. He was already imagining “rotating houses” before going on to study product design and engineering.

Throughout his career, he discovered entrepreneurship as another way to innovate and to bring about lasting change in business models.

In 2021, he took over Goubard SAS, where he began implementing a more resilient strategy based on the principles of the functional and cooperative economy.

He also serves as President of ADECC, an organization bringing together 250 companies in the Pays de la Loire region committed to developing a more circular and sovereign economy.

An award that recognizes a vision

Created in 1901 by Louis Lépine, the Concours Lépine recognizes some of the most useful and promising inventions.

“This Gold Medal confirms a simple belief: useful, robust, simple and sustainable innovation can make a tangible difference to workers’ daily lives while strengthening the competitiveness of our industry.”

The award opens up new opportunities for Goubard SAS, which now aims to accelerate the deployment of this solution among manufacturers, logistics companies and material-handling professionals in France and internationally.