The company Pinguely-Haulotte was recently named the Haulotte Group in the year 2005. The change in name was the first time within 124 years the name has not included Pinguely. The Haulotte Group is popular for manufacturing telescopic work platforms, articulated work platforms, vertical mast-work platforms, scissor lifts and trailer mounted work platforms.
On the 24th of July, 2008 the Haulotte Group acquired Bil-Jax, who was the US' largest scaffold manufacturer. Now, Haulotte Group has one factory in Spain, three plants in France, one in Romania, near the City of Pitesti. There is a new factory that opened during the winter of the year 2008. This plant is just 1 km away from the existing plant near the city of Pitesti within the County of Arges. The factory is known as Arges II. There are also two factories in the USA, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
Alexandre Pinguely formed the Pinguely Company in 1881 within Lyon, France. At first, they constructed steam locomotives. The business eventually evolved into making machines. In the year 1892, they provided a locomotive to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
Pinguely supplied 7 steam engines to the Voiron-Saint-Beron railway. When it comes to numbers produced, Pinguely was not a major locomotive manufacturer. The company provided a steam train to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone during 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely began making steam shovels. Production of steam locomotives was stopped and the company started concentrating instead on mobile cranes and manufacturing earthmoving machinery instead.
Haulotte
Arthur Hualotte formed the beginnings of Haulotte during the year 1924, when it was known as Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This company specialized in manufacturing mobile cranes, derricks and aerial platforms.
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 could focus on self-propelled aerial work platforms.