Crown Equipment Corporation's impressive list of design awards continues to grow. This time the Crown FC 4000 Series Sit-down Counterbalanced Lift Truck is the latest of the company's electric lift trucks to earn design accolades.

The FC 4000 Series was recognized with a coveted Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). The FC 4000 Series was one of only 38 products selected for the award from among more than 1100 entries in 2002.

The announcement was made by IDSA and the winners' list was published in the July 7 issue of BusinessWeek magazine. For Crown, the award marks their seventh Gold IDEA award and 13th IDSA award overall.

Michael Gallagher, Vice President — Design Center, said Crown wanted to set a new standard in ergonomics, and offer lift truck operators a spacious and comfortable work environment via a methodical ergonomic approach to design. "Many of the FC 4000 Series design features are visibly obvious, but the real beauty of this truck shines even brighter after it has been driven awhile. Only through driving the FC can one start to realize the benefits of all the operator research that went into this design," Gallagher says.

The counterbalanced sit-down lift truck incorporates great visibility and some thoughtful engineering to make loading and unloading of palletized goods easy, adds Gallagher. The new FC 4000 Series features major components arranged for easy access and protective steel covers that can be rapidly removed with minimal tools, a real benefit in the rugged environment the product works in.

Tom Matano, IDSA, and director, Industrial Design Department, Academy of Art College, offered the following observation after viewing the award-winning Crown product: "Simple, clean, well-executed details, totally designed... this truck can stand alone in front of the building, rather than in back of the warehouse. The designers brokered a high-level marriage between aesthetics, functions and beyond. Choice of materials and forms are highly tuned to communicate usability and quality. This sets a new standard for this category. "Prior to his position at the Academy of Art College, Matano served as head of Mazda Design where he was the designer of the original Mazda Miata®.

The award marks the third major recognition for the FC 4000 Series this year. The truck has also received the Good Design® Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture & Design and a Design Distinction award from ID Magazine. Since the 1960s, Crown has received more than 45 design awards for its products.

With corporate headquarters in New Bremen, Ohio, Crown stands as the fifth largest manufacturer of lift trucks in the world. A family-owned, privately held company, Crown Equipment Corporation manufactures electric lift trucks used in transporting materials and goods in warehouses and distribution centers throughout the world.

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Dave Helmstetter, Publicity Coordinator