Crown Equipment Corp.
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[edit] History
[edit] The Temperature Control Business
Crown was established in 1945 by two brothers, Carl and Allen Dicke, in a former hardware store in New Bremen, Ohio. The company’s initial focus was the manufacture of temperature controls for coal-burning furnaces. Later in 1945 Carl’s son James Dicke joined the company.
[edit] A New Product Line
Crown launched a new product line in the late 1940s—antenna rotators, for improved television reception. Due to the public’s growing interest in television, the production of these rotators was a beneficial move for Crown. The company continued to manufacture them until October 2001, when product demand drastically declined.[3]
[edit] Another New Market
In 1951 Crown began repairing and manufacturing mechanical and electronic parts for private industry and government operations. It didn’t take long before the company’s presence in this sector was solidified.
[edit] Crown Stacks its Way to the Top
It wasn’t until 1957 that Crown began manufacturing lift trucks. The company moved in that direction with the belief that there was a need for smaller, high-quality lift trucks for medium-duty applications in the material handling industry.[4]
Crown introduced its new, full range of equipment, and product demand grew rapidly. This early success would eventually mold the company into the largest lift truck manufacturer in the U.S.[5]
[edit] Crossing Borders
In 1966, nine years after its initial material handling equipment line was unveiled, Crown expanded its business beyond the borders of the U.S. for the first time, into Australia. This endeavor would prove valuable to the company, as the Sydney, Australia regional headquarters would eventually lead Crown’s sales, services, and marketing in the Asia Pacific region.
Two years after establishing business in Australia, Crown began to delve into the European market. This began with the purchase of a manufacturing plant in Ireland, intended to manufacture Crown’s hand pallet trucks (PTH).
Later in 1968 the company opened a sales and service branch in London, close to Heathrow Airport.
The late ‘60s to early ‘70s marked a period of continued growth for Crown in Europe. The company’s entire line of lift trucks was made available in the U.K.; following this, Crown began marketing its products throughout most of Europe via independent dealers.
[edit] Design Recognition
In the early part of the 1970s, Crown produced a side-stance lift truck—a design that was seen as radical and bold. Eventually, the design gained acceptance and resulted in Crown receiving the Design of the Decade award, presented by the International Design Society of America.[6]
Throughout the years, Crown would go on to receive more than 50 design awards for its material handling products.[7]
The company asserts its design “firsts” continue to be apparent in such products as the 5200S series reach truck, which has sit, lean, or stand options.[8]
[edit] The Company Today
Presently, Crown Equipment Corp. is led by James F. Dicke II, the chairman and CEO, and James F. Dicke III, the company president. James F. Dicke III represents the fourth generation of Dickes to run Crown.
The company’s headquarters for North America are in New Bremen, Ohio; headquarters for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India are located in Munich, Germany; and Asia Pacific headquarters are based in Sydney, Australia.
Crown has manufacturing plants in six U.S. locations: New Bremen, Fort Laramie, New Knoxville, and Celina, OH; Greencastle, IN; and Kinston, NC. In addition, it has international manufacturing facilities in Sydney, Australia; Suzhou, China; Roding, Germany; and Queretaro, Mexico.
In addition to its line of electric lift trucks, Crown has sales and service products handled by a company-owned and independent dealer network around the world, in nearly 100 cities.[9]
The company’s Munich, Germany corporate office, established in the 1980s, is responsible for the marketing, purchasing, design, and engineering capabilities for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India.
[edit] Equipment List
- Hand pallet truck
- Narrow aisle reach truck
- Rider pallet truck
- Sit-down counterbalanced truck
- Stand-up counterbalanced truck
- Stockpicker (orderpicker)
- Tow tractor
- Very narrow aisle turret truck
- Walkie pallet truck
- Walkie stacker
[edit] References
- ↑ History, 1930 to 1950. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ About. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1930 to 1950. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1950 to 1975. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1930 to 1950. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1975 to Present. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1975 to Present. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1975 to Present. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
- ↑ History, 1975 to Present. Official Crown website. 03-23-09.
