Crown Equipment history

In 1947, Master Electric sold the manufacturing operation back to the family team for $85,000.

By 1949, with the public’s growing interest in television, the company made its move into the production of antenna rotators, a product used to enhance television reception.

In 1950, Allen Dicke traded his stake in Crown to Carl in exchange for Carl's share of a local farm.

Tom Bidwell, an engineer at Crown, adapted the concept to the LT-500 (500-pound capacity lift truck), a "walkie lifter" he designed in 1957.

Production of a line of high-quality lift trucks for intermediate-duty use began in 1960.

In 1963, the Industrial Designers Institute awarded the resulting hand-controlled pallet truck Crown's first national Design Excellence Award.

In 1966, Crown made their first material handling venture outside of the United States in Australia.

Crown began to establish itself in the European marketplace in 1968.

In the early 1970’s, the introduction of the Crown side-stance design proved daring and innovative by material handling experts.

Launched in 1990, Crown's FC line of vehicles offered advanced ergonomics that improved comfort and efficiency, including tilt steering; adjustable seating; fingertip controls; on-board diagnostics; and more.

Industry analyst The Freedonia Group (Cleveland) forecast that the United States lift truck industry's rally would continue, growing to $1.8 billion by 1997.

The move proved successful with Crown becoming a leading manufacturer of the units until October 2001 when the company ceased production after a prolonged decline in worldwide demand for antenna rotators.

The company already develops circuit boards and software that tracks vehicle maintenance and cargo route efficiency. It started making its own engines in 2014, when its supplier stopped making them.