Crown adds IC forklift to product line

News Story
- 17 Jan 2008 ( #343 ) - COVINGTON, GA, United States
1 min read
Crown Equipment will distribute Komatsu-built internal combustion forklifts through its 40 dealers in the US and Canada.

The forklifts will be marketed under the new Hamech brand and are based on Komatsu's current model range. Crown's 62 independent dealers in North America can choose to offer Hamech in their product lines.

Crown says in a statement that the branding agreement with Komatsu Forklift USA allows its dealers to offer internal combustion forklifts and a consistent level of aftermarket support. The distribution network will manage Hamech part orders, service support and warranty.

Jim Moran, Crown's senior vice president, says adding Hamech forklifts means the Ohio-based forklift manufacturer can meet a wide range of customer needs.

Eric Kobori, Komatsu Forklift's vice president, sales & marketing, says the Japanese manufacturer is pleased to be chosen as Crown's OEM partner.

"Komatsu Forklift USA is very pleased that, in such a competitive marketplace, Crown valued the quality and reliability of the Komatsu product."

Crown, of New Bremen, Ohio, has been manufacturing electric forklifts since the mid-1950s. It is the leading electric forklift brand in the US. According to dhf-intralogistik's latest world ranking, Crown is the world's sixth largest forklift manufacturer.

In a November 2007 article, titled 'The BMW of Forklifts', Forbes writer Emily Schmall reports that Crown, the "last privately owned forklift manufacturer in US", has seen sales double in the past five years. Its sales totalled USD1.7 billion in 2006.

Komatsu Forklift USA, of Covington, Georgia, will only distribute its own brands through its dealer network in North America. Its product range includes internal combustion engine and electric forklifts with capacities from 3,000lbs to 35,000lbs (1,361kg to 1,5876kg).
Clark Equipment Vietnam officially opens
Clark Equipment Vietnam officially opens 10 Jul 2025 - Hai Phong, Viet Nam - 1 min read
Briefs
Briefs 10 Jul 2025 - 1 min read
Hangcha names key Thai partner
Hangcha names key Thai partner 10 Jul 2025 - Hangzhou, China - 1 min read
Previously about:
Crown launches LiDAR-based safety system News Story - 22 May 2025 - New Bremen, OH, United States - 1 min read
Crown back in production after cyberattack News Story - 4 Jul 2024 - New Bremen, OH, United States - 1 min read
DHL debuts AGVs in US News Story - 18 Nov 2021 - Westerville, OH, United States - 2 min read
Do you have materials handling news? Submit your news here
Inside The News
This week Forkliftaction News is celebrating its 25th anniversary! A wonderful achievement given we launched at a time when just 6% of the world’s population were internet users, according to Internet World Stats . Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories about our history and rolling out more celebrations, so keep an eye out... Continue reading

Showcased in the Virtual Expo

It’s the year 2000. You’re in front of a boxy beige desktop waiting for the screeching ramblings of your dial-up to reach its finale. You go to Yahoo!, MSN, or maybe AOL, and start the mind-numbing process of finding your very specific needle in the digital haystack. And with web pages loading one image at a time, patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s a requirement!

As clumsy as this early iteration seems now, this technology was the great enabler that allowed Forkliftaction to connect to the industry across the globe.  

To everyone who has connected with Forkliftaction in the past 25 years, thank you for your contribution to our success! We feel deeply touched by your words of encouragement.

What has Forkliftaction meant to you? Drop us a line.

Words of support …

I know I can count on them. They give valuable suggestions on the campaign planning, and to publish content is as easy as abc, as they take care of the material layout and check links. This is a great support.

Annalisa Castellini, Marketing Manager

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Since July 2000, Forkliftaction News has been your guide to the developments that are shaping your industry.

Starting today we are also looking back on some of the key news stories from our extensive news archive.

In the news email and on the website, you'll see links to stories that were 'leading our news' multiple years ago, with topics spanning world-first products, big acquisitions, and major industry shifts.
We hope you enjoy this unique insight into the materials handling industry!

Inside The News
This week Forkliftaction News is celebrating its 25th anniversary! A wonderful achievement given we launched at a time when just 6% of the world’s population were internet users, according to Internet World Stats . Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories about our history and rolling out more celebrations, so keep an eye out... Continue reading

PREMIUM business

F. Uchiyama
Global exporter of used forklift and construction machinery, servicing over 80 countries.

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Inside The News
This week Forkliftaction News is celebrating its 25th anniversary! A wonderful achievement given we launched at a time when just 6% of the world’s population were internet users, according to Internet World Stats . Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories about our history and rolling out more celebrations, so keep an eye out... Continue reading

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Since July 2000, Forkliftaction News has been your guide to the developments that are shaping your industry.

Starting today we are also looking back on some of the key news stories from our extensive news archive.

In the news email and on the website, you'll see links to stories that were 'leading our news' multiple years ago, with topics spanning world-first products, big acquisitions, and major industry shifts.
We hope you enjoy this unique insight into the materials handling industry!