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