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