Gilles Manuelle

PRESIDENT OF FLUDIS

In 2001, at a time when the term sustainable development did not exist in the media or among the general public, Gille Manuelle created the first European cargo bike delivery company. This company, La Petite Reine, grew quite rapidly and was able to expand into several French cities (Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rouen and Dijon). To support its development, the company innovated by developing larger capacity utility bicycles, electric bicycles and by opening the first ELU (Espace Logistique Urbain) in the city centre, which has since been imitated by many operators. The company has been a service provider for the main integrators (DHL, FEDEX, CHRONOPOST, TNT, etc.).

Gilles Manuelle sold the company in 2009 and left in 2010. He then created a new structure, still focused on carbon-free last mile delivery. This company uses exclusively "decarbonated" vehicles (gas truck, electric truck, cargo bike) and targets shippers.

In 2014 he left this company to devote himself to a research programme on the decarbonised mobility of goods in the city, and more precisely on the design of a mobile warehouse that makes it possible to bypass the obstacles to delivery by cargo bike.

Following this R&D, in 2016 he created the company he currently runs (FLUDIS) and operates a daily warehouse boat to deliver by bike Cyclofret in Paris. Every day between 5 and 8 tons of goods for the companies LYRECO and PAPREC. The delivery drivers are employees and not independent service providers, it is part of the social commitment of the company.