French billionaire Altrad agrees giant All Blacks sponsorship deal

French billionaire Mohed Altrad's influence in rugby has just gone up a notch, with the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) revealing his construction equipment company, Altrad, is to become their new kit sponsor.

Altrad, 'a world leader in the provision of industrial services and the manufacturing of equipment for the construction markets', has agreed a six-year deal with the sport's biggest brand, which will begin in 2022.

The deal is reported to be worth in the region of £90million pounds to the NZR over the span of the agreement.

It confirms French reports from earlier in the year, which flagged the move which will also see Altrad on the kit of the All Blacks Sevens, Black Ferns Sevens, M?ori All Blacks and the New Zealand U20s.

"The length of the partnership is testament to Altrad’s enduring passion for rugby which includes its ownership of Montpellier Hérault Rugby Club (MHR) and being the major sponsor of the French national rugby teams. Altrad sees its partnership with NZR as an opportunity to make a positive impact across both rugby and society on a global scale," said the NZR in a statement.

NZR Chief Executive, Mark Robinson said: “In creating this partnership, we have recognised Altrad’s founding principles of courage, respect, solidarity, conviviality and humility as truly relevant to our game - and with the support of their international footprint, we will continue to build our global legacy in rugby. We are excited by the opportunity for both parties to deepen connections with communities by providing All Blacks clinics to children and young people, and leadership learnings around the world. We are incredibly proud to have agreed to this partnership and look forward to getting underway next year.”

Mohed Altrad, Founder and President of Altrad, added: “Rugby upholds the values that I have always defended in my life. New Zealand Rugby is the embodiment of these values on and off the pitch. With our parallel journeys from indigenous roots to international success, the partnership between Altrad and NZR is a natural next step in our pathways. The power of rugby to connect people and inspire communities cannot be understated and is an area we will champion through our relationship with NZR. Altrad is proud to begin its long-term partnership and start writing a defining legacy in the sport alongside the Teams in Black.”

With its headquarters in France, Altrad provides products and services in more than 100 countries and employs about 40,000 people. It has a rich heritage of cultural diversity through its international footprint.