Crown Equipment Corporation, one of the world’s largest material handling companies, has achieved 30 years of manufacturing lift trucks for European and global markets in the Bavarian town of Roding, Germany.
Providing a central location within the European market and a skilled workforce, Roding has been home to Crown manufacturing in Germany since 1986. The facility began as a production site for hand pallet trucks and single components and has grown into a major manufacturing location for the company. Today, the facility produces a wide array of lift trucks and technology, including the award-winning ESR 5200 Series reach trucks and the popularGPC 3000 Series order pickers, as well as Crown’s innovative QuickPick® Remote order-picking system.
“In Roding, we have everything we need to meet the changing needs of our customers,” said Ken Dufford, vice president, Europe, Crown Equipment. “The location lies at the geographical heart of Europe. And, there is a highly qualified and motivated workforce available locally. Together, these are ideal prerequisites for further growth. We are very optimistic about our future development and look forward to many more years of success in Roding.”
In 2014, Crown opened a second production plant in Roding, significantly expanding the company’s European production capacity. Lift truck components are manufactured in the original facility, while final truck assembly takes place in the newer production facility. The showpiece of the new building is a testing area where new trucks are thoroughly tested before they leave the factory.
The Roding location has enabled Crown to work closely with European customers. For instance, when Stürmer Maschinen, a tool manufacturer in Hallstadt, Germany, set up a new logistics hub, the company took the opportunity to renew its entire lift truck fleet with a combination of Crown forklifts.
“We don’t compromise on quality, comfort or safety,” said Kilian Stürmer, CEO of Stürmer Maschinen GmbH. “The quality of the individual parts in Crown’s products is first-class. I couldn’t find such high-quality products anywhere else.”
In addition to Roding, Crown also operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico and China.
