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