The company Pinguely-Haulotte was recently named the Haulotte Group in 2005. The name change was the first time in 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 obtained Bil-Jax, who was the US' largest scaffold manufacturer. Currently, Haulotte Group has three plants in France, one factory in Spain, one in Romania, near the City of Pitesti. There is a new plant that opened during the winter of the year 2008. This factory is just 1 km away from the existing plant near Pitesti City in Arges County. The factory is called Arges II. There are also two factories within the United States, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
The company was formed in 1881 in Lyon, France by Alexandre Pinguely. The company initially build steam engines. The business eventually evolved into making equipment. In 1892, they provided a steam engine to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
Pinguely supplied 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 during 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely started making steam shovels. Steam locomotive production was stopped and the company began focusing instead on mobile cranes and manufacturing earthmoving equipment instead.
Haulotte
In 1924, Haulotte was formed in L'Horme by Arthur Haulotte. The company was known as Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This business specialized in manufacturing derricks, aerial platforms and mobile cranes.
Pinguely-Haulotte
Manufacturing it was decided to be sub-contracted to Pinguely-Haulotte, who was to be responsible for the marketing and engineering, design, research and development. All products were abandoned by Saubot so that the business could focus on self-propelled aerial work platforms.