In 2005, the business 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 obtained Bil-Jax, Inc. on July 24th, the year 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 the City of Pitesti. There is a new plant which opened during the winter of 2008. This factory is 1 km away from the existing plant near Pitesti within Arges County. The factory is called Arges II. There are also two factories in the USA, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
Alexandre Pinguely established the Pinguely Company during 1881 in Lyon, France. At first, they built steam locomotives. The business evolved into making machines eventually. In the year 1892, they provided a locomotive 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 main locomotive manufacturer. The company provided a steam train to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone during 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely began manufacturing steam shovels. Production of steam locomotives was stopped and the company started focusing instead on mobile cranes and making earthmoving machinery instead.
Haulotte
Arthur Hualotte established the beginnings of Haulotte in the year 1924, when it was referred to as Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This business specialized in manufacturing mobile cranes, derricks and aerial platforms.
Pinguely-Haulotte
Manufacturing it was decided to be sub-contracted to Pinguely-Haulotte, who was to be responsible for the engineering and marketing, research, design and development. All products were abandoned by Saubot so that the company could concentrate on self-propelled aerial work platforms.