In 2005, the corporation Pinguely-Haulotte was renamed Haulotte Group. This name change brought the end of the Pinguely name after 124 years! 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 biggest US scaffold manufacturer. Currently, Haulotte Group has three factories in France, one plant in Spain, one in Romania, near Pitesti City. There is a new plant which opened in the winter of 2008. This plant is 1 km away from the existing factory near the city of Pitesti in Arges County. 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 engines. The company eventually evolved into making machinery. In 1892, they supplied a locomotive to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
The company provided 7 steam engines to the Voiron-Saint-Beron railway. Pinguely was not considered a main locomotive manufacturer when it comes to numbers produced. The company supplied a steam locomotive to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone in the year 1930 and by 1932, Pinguely began making steam shovels. Production of steam locomotives was stopped and the company began concentrating instead on mobile cranes and making earthmoving equipment instead.
Haulotte
Arthur Hualotte formed the beginnings of Haulotte during 1924, when it was called 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 engineering and marketing, design, research and development. All products were abandoned by Saubot so that the company can focus on self-propelled aerial work platforms.