Crown's RM 6000S reach truck

Crown Equipment Corp has won a gold 2012 International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) for its RM 6000S reach truck with a single-column MonoLift-brand mast design.

The recognition in the commercial and industrial products category reflects advances in operator visibility characteristics and lifting capabilities.

Crown says the most challenging reach truck task involves aligning the forks to a 3.5 in.-tall (0.09 m) pallet opening that is 42 ft. (13 m) above the floor. Enhanced visibility and truck stability are evident in the reach truck's design.

Crown notes the RM 6000 "runs 25% longer between recharging and lifts up to 30% higher and 1,000 lb. (453.6 kg) more than other reach trucks without growing the truck's physical size or footprint."

Crown balanced two design and engineering goals: for the operator, make the width of mast as small and unobtrusive as possible for unparalleled visibility to the warehouse environment and, for the customer's business, make the mast stronger to lift heavier loads higher than any other reach truck.

New Bremen, Ohio-based Crown reports that, in less than one year, sales of the RM 6000 have doubled original projections.

Credits go to Crown designers Mike Gallagher, Roger Quinlan, Adam Ruppert, Phil Swift, Jim Kraimer and Craig Rekow; Ben Purrenhage of Tekna Inc; Eric Hanson of Caterpillar Inc; and Robert Henshaw of Formation Design Group.

The Herndon-based Industrial Designers Society of America organises the annual IDEA competition and will present 35 gold, 71 silver and 123 bronze awards and several special recognitions at a 16 August ceremony in Boston, Massachusetts during the society's annual convention.