Crown Worldwide Group
Encyclopedia
The Crown Worldwide Group, headquartered in Hong Kong
, provides transportation, relocation services
, logistics
and storage
services from offices in 55 countries. Services include international and domestic household good shipments, global mobility, departure and destination services, fine arts transportation, wine storage, records management, freight forwarding, third-party distribution and specialized logistics
services. It is the world's largest privately-held group of international moving companies.
The Crown Worldwide Group provides services to over 10,000 corporations, private customers and diplomats worldwide. The Crown Records Management division is the largest private company in the field. In 2009, the Crown Worldwide Group generated approximately US $570 million dollars of revenue and owned assets of US $550 million in value.
Crown operates more than 6500000 square feet (603,869.8 m²) of warehouse space. One of Crown’s principle strategies is to continuously invest in new facilities.
Crown Worldwide was established in 1965. American James E. Thompson
(then residing in Yokohama, Japan
), recognized the need for an international moving service. With US $1,000 he established Transport Services International (as it was then known) in Yokohama with one office.
1970 saw its expansion into Hong Kong and thereafter into Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and other Asia Pacific locations. In 1975, Transport Services International became Crown Pacific, and by the early 1980s was established in Asia. The increase in mobility of the global population provided further growth and offices were established across America and Australasia, as well as Europe. The expansion was accompanied by a new name, the Crown Worldwide Group.
Thompson is the founder, chairman and chief executive. He graduated from San Jose State University
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He came to Asia shortly after graduation and has lived in Japan and Hong Kong ever since. Thompson is a U.S. citizen and a permanent resident of Hong Kong.
. The museum curator sought professional help removing the painting to change the frame and re-hang it. Crown Fine Arts had already provided transportation of two expositions for the Louvre Museum, “Le Christ mort” and “Le sacre de Napoleon.” The Crown team reported that although the Mona Lisa
is a fairly small painting, it is so well-secured that with security wires it is actually heavy.
In April, 2007, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR Government, China
presented two young pandas to Hong Kong
. Crown was involved in transporting the pandas to their new home in Ocean Park Hong Kong
, a marine-based theme park located on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. The giant pandas arrived on April 26, and were unveiled to the public on July 1, the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong SAR government.
Crown Wine Cellars is a division offering wine storage and handling. The facility, located in a park-like setting in Shouson Hill, a suburb on Hong Kong Island, consists of two underground bunkers built by the British during World War II
. Crown converted the bunkers and opened a private members' club house featuring six underground wine cellars.
The original colors of Crown Pacific were red and black. This was because the commercial trucks in Hong Kong in 1970 were generally red and black. As a result, the original business cards were red and black. Crown has kept these colors but, over time, placed more emphasis on the red. The logo always features the crown symbol with twenty dots. Today, the company uses the Crown name and logo with the tag of its various services such as:
Crown Relocations
Crown Records Management
Crown Logistics
Crown Fine Arts
Crown Wine Cellars
Crown Relocations UK Division.
The wine cellars occupy 4 of 12 original pairs of bunkers. The clubhouse which has three reception areas, two of which are located approximately twenty metres underground, can accommodate more than 100 people for sit-down dinner events and more than 200 people for private cocktails functions. The inner wall that separate two different bunkers, separating the present Library from the main reception, is composed of a brick wall of an inch, a one-inch hollow space and one-metre solid concrete wall, the inner wall serves as a blast wall in case an explosion occurs. The club has approximately 700 members as at October 2009. The UNESCO
presented an Award of Merit to Little Hong Kong in the year 2007.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, provides transportation, relocation services
Relocation services
Relocation services or employee relocation include a range of internal business processes to transfer employees, their families, and/or entire departments of a business to a new location. Like other types of employee benefits, these processes are usually administered by human resources specialists...
, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
and storage
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
services from offices in 55 countries. Services include international and domestic household good shipments, global mobility, departure and destination services, fine arts transportation, wine storage, records management, freight forwarding, third-party distribution and specialized logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
services. It is the world's largest privately-held group of international moving companies.
Company overview
Crown operates more than 6500000 square feet (603,869.8 m²) of warehouse space. One of Crown’s principle strategies is to continuously invest in new facilities.
History
James E. Thompson
James E. "Jim" Thompson, GBS is the founder, chairman and chief executive of The Crown Worldwide Group. Thompson was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and raised in Bayonne. His father was in the United States Navy and Thompson visited and lived in many places during his childhood, including Guam...
(then residing in Yokohama, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), recognized the need for an international moving service. With US $1,000 he established Transport Services International (as it was then known) in Yokohama with one office.
1970 saw its expansion into Hong Kong and thereafter into Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and other Asia Pacific locations. In 1975, Transport Services International became Crown Pacific, and by the early 1980s was established in Asia. The increase in mobility of the global population provided further growth and offices were established across America and Australasia, as well as Europe. The expansion was accompanied by a new name, the Crown Worldwide Group.
Thompson is the founder, chairman and chief executive. He graduated from San Jose State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He came to Asia shortly after graduation and has lived in Japan and Hong Kong ever since. Thompson is a U.S. citizen and a permanent resident of Hong Kong.
"Crowning moments"
In March, 2005 Crown's Fine Arts division handled the relocation of the Mona LisaMona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
. The museum curator sought professional help removing the painting to change the frame and re-hang it. Crown Fine Arts had already provided transportation of two expositions for the Louvre Museum, “Le Christ mort” and “Le sacre de Napoleon.” The Crown team reported that although the Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa
Mona Lisa is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519...
is a fairly small painting, it is so well-secured that with security wires it is actually heavy.
In April, 2007, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR Government, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
presented two young pandas to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Crown was involved in transporting the pandas to their new home in Ocean Park Hong Kong
Ocean Park Hong Kong
Ocean Park Hong Kong , commonly known as Ocean Park, is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has...
, a marine-based theme park located on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. The giant pandas arrived on April 26, and were unveiled to the public on July 1, the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong SAR government.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Crown converted the bunkers and opened a private members' club house featuring six underground wine cellars.
Brands and marques
Crown Relocations
Crown Records Management
Crown Logistics
Crown Fine Arts
Crown Wine Cellars
Crown Relocations UK Division.
Crown Wine Cellars
In 2002, Jim Thompson, realised that there were no wine cellars in Asia, and proposed to the Hong Kong Government to convert the Central Ordnance Munitions Depot into a commercial wine cellar, with a private members clubhouse and conservatory. After negotiating with 22 government departments and signing a seven-year lease, Crown invested 30 million Hong Kong dollars (US$3.8 million), the Crown Wine Cellars opened in 2003.The wine cellars occupy 4 of 12 original pairs of bunkers. The clubhouse which has three reception areas, two of which are located approximately twenty metres underground, can accommodate more than 100 people for sit-down dinner events and more than 200 people for private cocktails functions. The inner wall that separate two different bunkers, separating the present Library from the main reception, is composed of a brick wall of an inch, a one-inch hollow space and one-metre solid concrete wall, the inner wall serves as a blast wall in case an explosion occurs. The club has approximately 700 members as at October 2009. The UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
presented an Award of Merit to Little Hong Kong in the year 2007.