The company Pinguely-Haulotte was just named the Haulotte Group in 2005. The name change was the first time within 124 years the name has not included Pinguely. The Haulotte Group is known for making telescopic work platforms, articulated work platforms, trailer mounted work platforms, vertical mast-work platforms and scissor lifts.
On July 24th, the year 2008 the Haulotte Group acquired Bil-Jax, who was the US' largest scaffold manufacturer. At present, Haulotte Group has one plant in Spain, three plants in France, one factory in Romania, near the City of Pitesti. There is a new plant that opened during the winter of the year 2008. This factory is 1 km away from the existing factory near Pitesti City in Arges County. The plant is referred to as Arges II. There are also two factories within the United States, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
The company was established in 1881 within Lyon, France by Alexandre Pinguely. The company initially constructed steam engines. The business evolved into making equipment eventually. During the year 1892, they provided a train to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
The company supplied 7 steam engines to the Voiron-Saint-Beron railway. Pinguely was not considered a main steam engine manufacturer in terms of numbers produced. The company supplied a steam locomotive to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone during 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely began manufacturing steam shovels. Production of steam locomotives was stopped and the company started concentrating instead on mobile cranes and making earthmoving machinery instead.
Haulotte
In the year 1924, Haulotte was established in L'Horme by Arthur Haulotte. The company was called Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This business specialized in the production of aerial platforms, mobile cranes and derricks.
Pinguely-Haulotte
It was decided that the actual manufacturing was to be sub-contracted to Pinguely-Haulotte. They were to be responsible for the engineering and marketing, design, research and development. All products were abandoned by Saubot so that the company can focus on self-propelled aerial work platforms.