Crown Equipment Corporation has been ranked third in two design category rankings, prepared by German consultancy design.net AG.

The firm's latest rankings, which rate the 100 best service companies and manufacturers in industrial design, recognised Crown in the special use vehicles and manufacturers categories.

Crown design centre vice-president Mike Gallagher said he was honoured by the awards, which ranked the company higher than Audi, Jaguar and Porsche.

"The design of each Crown product begins where it ends - in the minds and hands of our customers. This method of design is a Crown distinction," he said.

The design.net rankings have, over their six years in existence, become a benchmark for international design competence. The ratings are based on an evaluation of 19 federal and state-organised German design competitions.