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Crown Crown Equipment Corp., headquartered
in New Bremen, Ohio, is the largest manufacturer of lift trucks in the U.S.,
and the sixth largest in the world. Crown also provides services and support
for its products, which comprise 85 % Crown-designed and manufactured
components. The
Temperature Control Business - Crown was founded by two brothers in 1945, Carl and
Allen Dicke, in a former hardware store in New Bremen, Ohio. The company’s goal
was to manufacture of temperature controls for a coal-burning furnaces. In 1945
Carl’s son joined the company James Dicke. Another New
Market -
In 1951 Crown began manufacturing and repairing mechanical and electronic parts
for private industry's and government operations. Before long the company’s
presence in this sector was solidified. Crown stacks
its Way to the Top - It hasn't been until 1957 that Crown began manufacturing
lift trucks. The company has moved in a direction with belief that there was a
need for a smaller but high quality lift trucks for the material handling
industry. Crown introduced its new, full range of equipment, and the product
was immediately on high demand. This early success would eventually mold the
company into the largest lift truck manufacturer in the U.S. Crossing
Borders -
In 1966, 9 years after its initial material handling equipment line was
revealed, Crown has expanded its business beyond the borders of the U.S. the
location was Australia. This endeavor would prove very useful to the company,
as the Sydney, Australia regional headquarters would eventually lead in crown's
sales, services and marketing in the Asia Pacific region. Two years after
establishing business in Australia, Crown began to venture into the European
material handling market. This began
with the purchase of a manufacturing plant located in Ireland, intended to
manufacture Crown's hand pallet trucks. Later in 1968 the company opened a new
sales and service branch located in London, close to Heathrow Airport. The late
60's to early 70's marked a period of continued growth for crown in Europe. The
company’s entire line of life trucks was made for purchase in the U.K.
following this; Crown began marketing its products throughout most of Europe
over independent dealers. Design
Recognition - In the early 1970's, Crown has produced a side stance lift truck a
design that was seen as radical and very bold. Eventually, the design gained
acceptance and resulted in Crown getting awarded by "Design of the
Decade" award presented by the International Design Society of America.
Throughout the year, Crown would receive more than 50 design awards for its
material handling products. 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. 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. Headquarters for North
America are in New Bremen, Ohio; headquarters for Europe, Africa, the Middle
East and India are located in Munich, Germany; and Asia Pacific headquarters
are located in Sydney, Australia. Crown has six manufacturing plants in the
U.S., 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 dealer network around the world, in almost
100 cities. 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.
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