NEW BREMEN, OH-Crown Equipment, a lift truck manufacturer, has announced the winners of its annual Summit Awards recognition program that honors the company’s top manufacturer-owned branches and independent dealers for excellence in sales and customer satisfaction. This year, 12 winners were chosen from Crown’s nationwide network of more than 100 branches and dealers.

Crown Lift Trucks of Dayton, Ohio, and NorthWest Handling Systems of Portland, OR, were named the top Crown branch and dealer, respectively, for 2008. Both earned the prestigious James F. Dicke Pioneer Award.

Crown Dayton opened in 1975 and has won seven previous Pioneer Awards. This is the first time NorthWest Handling Systems of Portland has won the Pioneer Award after earning a Summit Award four previous times in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

“This year’s winners excelled in a variety of categories, including overall sales growth, operational efficiency and, most importantly, outstanding customer service,” says Crown Senior Vice President Jim Moran. “The theme that unifies these winners is their ability to deliver value to customers above and beyond the value of our products.”

Summit Award Winners

The Summit Award recognizes top-performing branches and dealers.

NorthWest Handling Systems Inc.
Portland, OR

Crown Lift Trucks
Dayton, OH

Gregory Poole Equipment
Raleigh, NC

Crown Lift Trucks
Grand Rapids, MI

NorthWest Handling Systems Inc.
Portland, OR

Action Lift, Inc.
Pittston, PA

Crown also recognized branches and dealers that performed well and continue to move toward the summit. These branches received an Ascent Award:

Naumann/Hobbs Material Handling II Inc.
Phoenix, AZ.

Crown Lift Trucks
Salt Lake City, UT

Material Handling Supply
Brooklawn, NJ

Crown Lift Trucks
Fort Wayne, IN

A.J. Jersey
Edison, NJ

Crown Lift Trucks
Pittsburgh, PA

For more information, visit www.crown.com