Autoblog

S&S Cycle acquires majority of Crane Cams assets

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Motorcycle

S&S Cycle, a well-known manufacturer of American-made V-twin engines often used to power Harley-based custom motorcycles, has reportedly acquired a large portion of assets from the now-defunct Crane Cams organization. S&S says it plans to maintain the Crane Cams dealer and distribution chain intact while it moves the manufacturing services to its home factoryin Viola, Wisconsin.

According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, a team made up of S&S Cycle representatives and former Crane Cams CEO Lance Harris put in a bid of $1.2 million for the Crane Cams name, 16 patents and 3 trademarks, plus an additional $215,000 for the company's leftover inventory.

This deal will likely keep Crane's old and reportedly very outdated manufacturing facility in Florida shuttered, so we're not yet sure what this news will mean for the 280 employees left jobless after the parts company went bankrupt.

[Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal via Dealernews]

S&S Cycle acquires majority of Crane Cams assets originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Don't Call it a Comeback: Crane Cams says it plans to reopen after restructuring

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

To borrow a line from the classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Crane Cams isn't quite dead yet. The storied aftermarket auto parts company was founded back in 1953 and has since grown into a well-known brand name specializing in camshafts and valvetrain components. While the company did, in fact, recently close its doors and tell all 280 of its employees not to come back the next day, vice president Steve Leva says that Crane plans to reopen after restructuring takes place, which could take as little as a week or as long as a month. Considering the sorry state of affairs that currently plagues the American economy, we'll keep tabs on this story with guarded optimism.

[Source: AutoWeek]

Don't Call it a Comeback: Crane Cams says it plans to reopen after restructuring originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

REPORT: Legendary speed parts merchant Crane Cams shuttered

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

The automotive aftermarket has been hit hard in recent years, and the latest casualty of the economic downturn is Crane Cams. According to a report by the Florida News Journal, the 56-year-old manufacturer closed its doors yesterday and laid off the majority of its employees. Any calls to Crane to follow-up on the story have been shuttled off to the company's voice-mail service, although the Florida e-paper did talk to Dennis Burgess, who declined to comment.

Ronald Dorn, a former employee, said that workers were told to expect lay-offs in the coming weeks, but there was no talk of a full-scale closure.

Crane Cams and Crane Technology Group - purveyors of some of the finest valvetrain components in the U.S. - were founded by Harvey J. Crane in 1953, became an employee-owned entity in 1979 and was sold to Mikronite Technologies in 1985. The company has endured a series of small layoffs in recent years, cutting its workforce down from 220 employees since 2006. Rick Michael, Volusia County economic development director, said that the city was working to keep Crane in the community and was shocked by the company's closing. Thanks to all who tipped in.

[Source: News-JournalOnline via FordMuscle]

REPORT: Legendary speed parts merchant Crane Cams shuttered originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments