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PRESS RELEASE Crownline Boats Proudly Displays Its First 2010 Model  

October 14, 2009:  The first Crownline boat built since the company shut down production in December of 2008 rolled off the manufacturing line as the company began production of its new 2010 models.  The company re-opened its doors under new ownership with a celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony on 8/26/09.   This event signifies the rebirth of one of the top boat manufacturers in the industry.   

 More than 550 boats have been sold since the company’s reopening, a testament to the confidence its dealer associates have in the Crownline name and the company.  Crownline’s Australian distributor, David Fraser of Melbourne, Australia was on site for the event.  “Crownline gives you exceptional quality and they are serious about developing a world class product,” he said.  Crownline has not only been a major source of income for southern Illinois, but has also been instrumental in creating jobs throughout Australia, Germany and Spain in a related manner. Innovative boat designs focusing on sophistication and exclusivity have always been the basis of the Research and Development division at Crownline.  The new owners and the management team have made a commitment to customers, dealers, employees and vendors to maintain, if not surpass, Crownline’s world class status.  And with the launching of their impressive 2010 model series, they are well on their way to achieving this goal.   For more details, please visit Crownline’s website at www.crownline.com and click on the Company News icon.

FRANKLIN COUNTY– The assembly line started again three weeks ago at Crownline. A new owner bought the boat builder in August and hired a hundred people. Wednesday morning the company and those workers showed off what they’ve accomplished so far.

Workers, owners and local officials stood in applause… But, the clapping isn’t only about boats. It’s about a future that might never have been- for Crownline owners and for workers who thought they wouldn’t be called back…

“There’s a lot of us that are very glad to be here,” explains rehire DJ Pedigo. “We really didn’t know what we were gonna do cause this is all we’ve known for 10 to 15 years. So we are very happy to be back.”

Most workers say it’s reassuring to see the first boat come off the assembly line.

“Its nice to know that I’ve played a part in that boat- helped roll it from top to bottom.”

Kathy Hilliard recently rejoined Crownline in the lamination department. She worked there for 11 years before the plant laid off all its employees nine months ago.

“My grandkids always ask me about that, ‘What did you do on that MawMaw?’” Hilliard chuckles. “I said, I put that stuff right there on it.”

The workers are encouraged to know many more boats will follow, and they’re not the only ones.

“Just last Sunday I spoke with a customer that’s buying this boat,” explains international Crownline distributor, David Fraser. “And they’re really excited about it. And it’s great to see it here and finished and looking as good as ever.”

Vice President Kevin Riem says, this is the beginning of a beautiful future with domestic and international support for the boat producer.

“What this is is really one of the first be steps with reestablishing our company on a global basis.”

And that attitude seems to have re-energized everyone at Crownline…

“Its basically undescribable,” says a tearful Pedigo, “there’s nothing like working here.”

Riem says, workers will be busy for a while. More than 550-units are sold. Riem says production is at 25 boats a week right now and expects that to jump to more than 30 within months.

By: Rachel Gartner
rgartner@wsiltv.com

Tony Zielinski, owner of Leisure Properties, and Dave Wilson, owner of Misty Harbor and Ultracraft, have joined together to purchase Crownline Boats.

Details of the deal were not released.

Zielinski has extensive experience working for Ford Motor Company within their dealer development department and also owns a marine retail establishment in Wisconsin.  Wilson started Misty Harbor in 1990 and has managed and grown the business to be a leading pontoon manufacturer.

The company also announced that the original leadership team will be rejoining the company. Kevin Riem will be vice president and general manager, Guy Coons will be CFO, Tami Murphy will be director of manufacturing operations and Nathan Heisner will be manager of inside sales.

“Crownline is very excited about our team’s future and all the possibilities this exciting new opportunity brings with it,” the company said in a statement. “We look forward to the opportunity to reconnect with all of our valued Crownline dealer partners and our employees as we move forward into the future.”

In June, Nautic Global Group, the manufacturer of Rinker Boats and Godfrey Marine brands, announced it had entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire the assets of Crownline Boats.

An auction that had been scheduled for earlier this month in Chicago for the assets of Crownline Boats was “postponed indefinitely” at the last minute, without any further explanation.

The auction was to include all of Crownline’s machinery, equipment, tooling, fixtures, molds, furniture, intellectual property, computer equipment, operating systems, accounts receivable, raw and finished goods inventory and customer information.

Crownline shut down production late last year and was not able to resume production at its West Frankfort, Ill. facility in June, as it had previously announced.