In 2005, the corporation Pinguely-Haulotte was renamed Haulotte Group. This change in name brought the end of the Pinguely name after 124 years! 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' biggest scaffold manufacturer. Now, Haulotte Group has one factory in Spain, three plants in France, one plant in Romania, near Pitesti City. There is a new factory which opened during the winter of the year 2008. This factory is just 1 km away from the existing plant near Pitesti City within Arges County. The factory is called Arges II. There are also two factories in the USA, the former Bill-Jax.
Pinguely
The company was established during 1881 within Lyon, France by Alexandre Pinguely. The company initially constructed steam engines. The company evolved into making machines eventually. In the year 1892, they supplied a train to the Chemin de Fer de St Victor a Thizy.
Pinguely supplied 7 locomotives to the Voiron-Saint-Beron railway. In terms of numbers produced, Pinguely was not a major steam engine manufacturer. The company provided a steam locomotive to the Chemin de Fer du Haut-Rhone in 1930 and by the year 1932, Pinguely started making steam shovels. Steam locomotive production was stopped and the company began concentrating instead on mobile cranes and making earthmoving equipment instead.
Haulotte
Arthur Hualotte formed the beginnings of Haulotte in 1924, when it was referred to as Ateliers de Construction A. Haulotte. This company specialized in the production of 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 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.