I heard almost a month ago that they'd all but shuttered their Daytona Beach facility, with just a couple guys pushing boxes around, doing inventory, etc.
I found out from Lamar Walden, who found out from the guys at Comp--Lamar buys his 409 cams from Comp, who gets the blanks from Crane.
might be do'n like alot of other companies.after buy'n them.. shut it down.. move it all overseas..
and relaunch..
with china crap..
sad.. but..
who was running crane, anyways..
don't hear many. running them..
ud harold, was starting up a small operation again..
don't know if it's up and running..
Weren't they just bought out by another company last year, and it was supposed to be "business as usual"? ???
cheers
Ed N.
That would be Mikronite.
I hadn't heard anything about them going out of business before. Without more information on where this rumor came from, I'd still consider it just a rumor until more information surfaces.
They've been in talks over the last week, Mikronite to sell Crane to an investment group. The deal was supposed to be finalized this week according to my sources, they may have gone ahead and shut everything down for now until that all sorts itself out. I've got feelers out with my sources to try and find out what's going on for sure.
They haven't really done anything for a year or so now. They were unable to buy raw materials to make product, so you can figure what impact that'll have on a business. I grew up around that company, and 99% of its troubles can be traced back to one man who ran the company into the ground.
My guess is someone will find a way to buy the name and use it though.
For those who don't know, Harvey Crane, who founded Crane Cams in the 50s, has NOT been involved with the company in any capacity since the late 80s. He was forced out by a guy named Gene Ezzell, who is the one person responsible for running Crane into the ground with his poor leadership. He led the company down a disastrous path starting in the mid 90s when he got Crane involved with the OE side of the cam business, instead of spending money to modernizing Crane's aging equipment, some of which dated back to WWII (Some of the screw machines still in use till the plant closed had war surplus tags on them!)
So, that one man responsible I mentioned earlier, his name is Gene Ezzell.
might be do'n like alot of other companies.after buy'n them.. shut it down.. move it all overseas..
and relaunch..
with china crap..
sad.. but..
who was running crane, anyways..
don't hear many. running them..
ud harold, was starting up a small operation again..
don't know if it's up and running..
I believe your're right about UDHarold. He mentioned his new deal over at speedtalk. I just can't find the thread.
DAYTONA BEACH ? Crane Cams, a 56-year-old auto parts manufacturer, closed its doors this week and laid off its employees, a worker said today.
The news took Volusia County?s top economic development officer by surprise. City, county and state officials were working with Crane Cams and officials from its New Jersey parent, Mikronite Technologies, to keep the company open and in the community.
?We were trying to help them through this transition,? said Rick Michael, Volusia County economic development director. ?They were considering a transfer of ownership. We were not expecting any closure.?
An automated voice mail system at Crane?s plant on Fentress Boulevard announced at midday today the company was closed and suggested calling back during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A call to Mikronite?s New Jersey offices produced similar results. Six cars sat in the parking lot early this afternoon at the local plant, which employed 220 just three years ago.
Inside the lobby, a reception desk sat empty. A call from the lobby phone got an answer from Dennis Burgess, who declined to comment and said no one at the plant could provide information.
In the parking lot, 14-year employee Ronald Dorn was leaving the plant for what he believed was the last time
He said workers were told during the past week that layoffs were likely, but he didn?t expect the plant to close.
Mikronite received approval in 2006 to receive tax rebates from the state and the county amid discussion about moving its New Jersey operations here. But the company ended its contract with the state in 2008 due to nonperformance, Michael said.
?Crane has gone through a series of small layoffs recently,? he said.
Crane Cams and Crane Technologies Group were founded by Harvey J. Crane Jr. in 1953 as Crane Engineering Inc. in Hallandale. The company is well known in high-performance and racing circles for its line of camshafts and engine valve train components.
In 1979, Crane Cams became an employee-owned company. Some operations moved to Daytona Beach in 1981, with the remainder of the operation and employees relocating here in 1985.
Mikronite, an industrial technology firm, bought Crane in 2006.
In March 2007, Mikronite sold its property on Fentress to STAG Capital Partners of Boston, then signed a 10-year lease.
Ed Nicholson - Caledon Ontario - a bit NW of Toronto
07 Mustang GT with some stuff
88 T-Bird Turbo Coupe 5-speed
thats really sad...but they have been real slow in the R&D for years now....UD Harold has a new deal...but i could really see him being the 'man' behind a new Crane...though i doubt it...too bad
i will keep my ears to the ground and report back...hopefully somebody from the aftermarket will buy.....this sucks large >
al
"IGNORANCE SHOULD BE EFFIN PAINFUL"
522 cubes on One Gun,doin' it on W's at full weight baby!
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