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 making articulated work platforms, telescopic work platforms, vertical mast-work platforms, scissor lifts and trailer mounted work platforms.
On July 24th, 2008 the Haulotte Group acquired Bil-Jax, who was the US' largest scaffold manufacturer. Now, Haulotte Group has three factories in France, one factory in Spain, one in Romania, near the City of Pitesti. There is a new factory which opened during the winter of the year 2008. This plant is only 1 km away from the existing factory near the city of Pitesti in the County of Arges. The factory is known as Arges II. There are also two plants within the United States, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
Alexandre Pinguely established the Pinguely Company during the year 1881 within Lyon, France. At first, they built steam engines. The business evolved into making machines eventually. In 1892, they provided a locomotive to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
Pinguely provided 7 locomotives 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 in the year 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely started manufacturing 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 established the beginnings of Haulotte during the year 1924, when it was called Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This business specialized in manufacturing derricks, aerial platforms and mobile cranes.
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 company could concentrate on self-propelled aerial work platforms.