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 telescopic work platforms, articulated work platforms, scissor lifts, trailer mounted work platforms and vertical mast-work platforms.
The Haulotte Group acquired 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 factory in Spain, one in Romania, near Pitesti City. There is a new factory that opened during the winter of 2008. This factory is just 1 km away from the existing plant near the city of Pitesti in Arges County. The factory is called Arges II. There are also two plants in the United States, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
The company was established in 1881 in Lyon, France by Alexandre Pinguely. The company initially build steam locomotives. The business eventually evolved into making machines. In the year 1892, they provided a steam engine 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 steam engine manufacturer. The company provided a steam train to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone during the year 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely started manufacturing steam shovels. Steam locomotive production was stopped and the company started focusing instead on mobile cranes and making earthmoving equipment instead.
Haulotte
Arthur Hualotte established the beginnings of Haulotte in 1924, when it was referred to as Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This business specialized in the production of 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, design, research and development. All products were abandoned by Saubot so that the company can concentrate on self-propelled aerial work platforms.