Full-Time
Workshop Manager
Updated on 9/4/2026
Crown Equipment Corporation
5,001-10,000 employees
Designs and manufactures forklifts and automation
No salary listed
Smithfield, Australia
In Person
 General Maintenance & Repair |
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- Proven leadership experience in a workshop or service environment, preferably industrial, automotive, or capital equipment.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, costs, and profitability.
- Demonstrated ability to drive productivity and exceed performance targets.
- Experience managing quoting functions and interpreting financial and operational data.
- Solid understanding of workshop operations, resourcing, and job flow.
- Experience in a unionised environment and exposure to enterprise bargaining agreement frameworks.
- Strong people leadership skills with experience managing large, hands-on teams.
- Technical and mechanical knowledge within a service-based environment.
- Ability to communicate effectively and influence stakeholders.
- Lead end-to-end workshop operations, ensuring efficient workflow and resource allocation.
- Manage labour recovery, productivity, and performance against budget targets.
- Oversee workshop output quality and ensure key performance indicator achievement across all functions.
- Drive cost control across overheads and indirect expenses.
- Manage the quoting function, ensuring accuracy and strong commercial outcomes.
- Monitor actual versus quoted performance and provide recommendations.
- Oversee parts control, stock levels, and workshop processes.
- Lead performance management, training, and development of workshop staff.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives and best-practice processes.
- Partner with Engineering to resolve technical issues and improve outcomes.
- Manage industrial relations matters, including union engagement and enterprise bargaining agreement considerations.
- Deliver accurate reporting on financials, productivity, and operational performance.
- Champion a strong safety-first culture and ensure full workplace health and safety compliance.
Crown Equipment Corporation designs, engineers, and manufactures lift trucks and material-handling systems used in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers. Its products include a full line of forklifts, automation technologies, and fleet-management tools that move, stack, and manage materials, combining rugged hardware with digital features. Crown differentiates itself through a global manufacturing footprint, an integrated portfolio of hardware and software, and an engineering-focused approach that aims for reliable performance and lower operating costs. Its goal is to help businesses boost warehouse productivity, reduce costs, and move materials safely at scale.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New Bremen, Ohio
Founded
1945
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Crown launched Ai-Fork, Smart-Grab, and Entry-Bar in August 2026, deepening operator-assist automation.
- Crown’s WJ 50 Series won the iF DESIGN AWARD 2026, strengthening product credibility.
- Headcount reached about 20,050 in March 2026, and hiring stayed active across functions.
What critics are saying
- OSHA opened July 2026 inspections at Greencastle and Pompano Beach over forklift safety.
- A 2026 wage lawsuit targets Crown plants nationwide, threatening back pay and overtime liability.
- Repeated safety claims and labor disputes can erode Crown’s premium brand and factory productivity.
What makes Crown Equipment Corporation unique
- Crown runs 500+ retail locations across 80+ countries with local service support.
- Crown integrates automation, telematics, batteries, and forklifts on proven product platforms.
- Crown’s vertically integrated manufacturing and engineering culture drives award-winning, durable equipment.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Employee Discounts
Company News
Crown Equipment debuts "Ai-Fork" Vision-Guided pallet entry for RR5700 reach trucks. Aug 31, 2026. Crown Equipment Corporation has introduced the "Ai-Fork" vision guidance system for its RR5700 series reach trucks. In high-density warehouses, pallets are often stored with only 50mm of clearance between them. Operators must rely on muscle memory and small mirrors to align the forks with the pallet pockets, a process that takes several seconds of careful maneuvering. Misalignment results in the fork tips hitting the pallet stringers, splintering the wood or damaging the racking beams. The Ai-Fork system uses a "Stereo Vision Camera" mounted on the carriage, aimed directly at the fork tips. The engineering innovation is the "Pallet Pocket AI Recognition Model." The system is trained to identify the dark openings of wood and plastic pallet pockets, regardless of lighting conditions or pallet color. When the operator drives the reach truck into the aisle, the camera detects the target pallet pockets up to 2 meters away. As the operator pushes the "Enter" joystick forward, the system takes over the micro-positioning. It uses the "Proportional Side-Shift and Tilt Valves" to automatically align the fork tips perfectly with the pocket centers. If the forks are 30mm too high, the system automatically lowers the mast; if they are 15mm to the left, it side-shifts the carriage. The forks glide into the pallet smoothly without any physical contact with the wood. This automated entry system reduces pallet repair costs by 40% and decreases the time taken to pick a pallet from 8 seconds to 2.5 seconds, significantly boosting warehouse throughput. No Information
Crown Equipment unveils "Smart-Grab" Fork auto-alignment for FC 4500 series. Aug 19, 2026. Crown Equipment Corporation has introduced the "Smart-Grab" automated fork alignment system for its FC 4500 series heavy-duty electric forklifts. In distribution centers, drivers often misalign forks when entering pallets, causing pallet damage or unstable loads. Traditional side-shift requires the operator to manually "feel" the alignment. The Smart-Grab system mounts a "3D Depth Camera" on the fork carriage. As the operator approaches a pallet, the camera scans the pallet stringer gaps. The engineering innovation is the "Active Side-Shift Logic." The system calculates the exact lateral offset between the forks and the pallet pockets. It then automatically commands the proportional side-shift solenoid to move the forks into perfect alignment, within a 5mm tolerance. Crucially, the system features a "Load Center Optimization" module. As the forks enter the pallet, load cells on the fork heels measure the weight distribution. If the load is heavier on one side (asymmetric load), the system automatically adjusts the mast tilt to ensure the center of gravity is directly over the drive axle before lifting. This prevents the forklift from becoming dynamically unstable when the load is raised. This automation reduces pallet damage by 40% and increases picking/put-away cycle speed by 15%. No Information
Crown Equipment unveils "Entry-Bar" Assist for narrow-aisle reach trucks. Aug 01, 2026. Crown Equipment has introduced the "Entry-Bar" Assist system for its RM 6000 series reach trucks. In narrow-aisle warehouses (aisles less than 10 feet wide), forklift operators must navigate the truck into the rack bay with millimeter precision. A slight steering error can cause the fork tips to scrape against the rack uprights, damaging the structural integrity of the racking and destroying the pallet. The Entry-Bar system uses two ultrasonic sensors mounted on the fork carriage. These sensors measure the distance to the rack uprights on both the left and right sides. When the truck enters the rack aisle, the system creates a "Virtual Rail." If the sensors detect that the truck is drifting closer than 15 cm to a rack upright, the system triggers a "Auto-Straightening" command on the rear steer axle motor, gently nudging the truck back to center. Crucially, the system features "End-of-Aisle Speed Limiting." When the truck is deep inside the racking system (where clearances are tightest), the system automatically limits the maximum travel speed to 2 km/h. This gives the operator more reaction time. If the operator attempts to turn the forks while the truck is still inside the rack slot (which would cause the pallet to crush the rack), the system detects the proximity of the rack beam and temporarily disables the sideshift function. This active safety layer prevents expensive structural accidents and allows new operators to work confidently in complex, high-bay environments immediately. No Information
Crown Equipment launches "InfoLink" Fleet management for mixed fleets. Jul 06, 2026. Crown Equipment has launched a new generation of its InfoLink fleet management system designed to operate on a "mixed-fleet" basis. In large distribution centers, it is common to have multiple brands of forklifts-Diesel for the yard, Electric for the warehouse, and Reach Trucks for racking. Historically, each manufacturer required its own proprietary telematics box, creating data silos. Crown's new universal hardware unit can be installed on any forklift brand, regardless of age or power source. The system utilizes a G-force sensor and a built-in camera to monitor impacts. When a significant impact is detected, the system captures video footage 10 seconds before and after the event. This allows managers to determine if the impact was caused by operator error or a facility issue (like a pothole). A key innovation is the "Compliance Interlock" feature. The system integrates with the forklift's ignition circuit. Before the shift starts, the operator must complete a digital checklist on the touchscreen. If a critical fault is logged (e.g., "Forks cracked"), the machine will not start until a supervisor overrides the lockout with a digital key. This ensures that safety checks are not just paperwork, but enforced operational steps, reducing accident liability across the entire fleet. No Information
Crown Equipment debuts "Laser-Line" Fork positioning system for open trailers. Jun 24, 2026. Crown Equipment has launched a new operator-assist technology for its FC 5000 series cushion tire forklifts aimed at reducing product damage during trailer unloading. In busy distribution centers, operators often drive into dark, partially empty semi-trailers where visibility is poor. Without clear sightlines, they frequently misjudge the fork spread, accidentally puncturing the sides of palletized goods or scraping the trailer walls. Crown's new Laser-Line system projects a bright, horizontal laser guide onto the floor of the trailer to solve this issue. The system consists of two high-intensity laser diodes mounted on the underside of the fork carriage. When the operator enters a trailer, a proximity sensor triggers the lasers to project a distinct red line across the floor, exactly matching the current width of the forks. This allows the operator to instantly see if their forks are aligned with the pallet entry points before they even reach the load. To adjust the spread, the operator uses a joystick to hydraulically move the forks apart or together. As the forks move, the laser lines move in sync, providing continuous real-time feedback. This visual cue drastically reduces the cognitive load on the operator, who no longer has to crane their neck to estimate fork width in the dark. Crown's engineering team overcame significant challenges in heat dissipation and vibration isolation to ensure the lasers remained focused in the harsh environment of a loading dock. During beta testing, the Laser-Line system reduced puncture damage claims by 60% and increased unloading speeds by allowing operators to confidently enter trailers at higher travel speeds. This represents a low-cost, high-impact solution to a persistent logistics bottleneck. No Information