About Crownline |
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Company History
The first Crownlines were built in a very small manufacturing facility located in Whittington, Illinois. The upholstery shop was situated separately in a vacant grade school gymnasium. The first boat produced, a 182BR, rolled off the line on March 25, 1991. At that time Crownline employed less than 25 people and had yet to sign a definitive dealer.
By July 1991, Crownline had grown out of its Whittington location and was forced to find a larger facility. The building used by the Mark Twain Boat Company in West Frankfort, Illinois had recently been vacated and Crownline chose this location for its next temporary home. Three and a half years later, in December of 1994, Crownline’s new, state-of-the-art boat manufacturing plant was completed. This permanent facility was designed for better production efficiency and additional capacity for increased production requirements, allowing Crownline to continue its phenomenal growth.
Since its beginning, Crownline has successfully introduced models ranging from a 17′6″ open bow to a 34′ cabin cruiser. At present, Crownline has produced and shipped boats to dealers world-wide. Crownline’s professional dealer network consists of 150 marine establishments in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, Russia and Australia.
In addition to making an impact in the marine industry, Crownline has also positively affected the local economy, and with over 500 full-time personnel, is one of the largest employers in Southern Illinois.
The boating business is no stranger to the Claxton family who has logged over 40 years of successful boat manufacturing experience. Fred Claxton began his boat manufacturing career over 25 years ago as an executive
Original Company Philosophy
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The Claxton reputation immediately attracted several key production managers who were instrumental in recruiting the “cream of the crop” of Southern Illinois boat builders. These select individuals have used their skills and dedication to produce boats of the highest quality which has been a major factor in Crownline’s success.
