Crown Boiler: Staying competitive in today’s market

Begun as Crown Industries in 1949, Crown Boiler Co. got its start distributing heating product accessories such as oil burners, operating controls and cast iron radiation throughout the northeastern United States. During the 1970s, Crown began a period of rapid growth with the introduction of its residential cast iron boiler line. By the 1990s, Crown Boiler Co. had grown to be a national company, supplying high quality yet competitively priced hydronic boilers through a network of regional wholesalers.

Today, Crown has established a network of independent regional wholesalers and is also being stocked by some of the largest national HVAC wholesale chains. Our marketing strategy remains constant: Provide the finest in customer service, the highest quality products and the shortest lead times, while remaining highly competitive in today's market.

Recently, Phc News caught up with Lee Ensminger, national sales manager, Crown Boiler.

Phc: How did you get involved in the industry?

Ensminger: I worked for my parents during the summer. They owned a company that was a supplier to most of the major boiler manufacturers and that got me involved in the business.

Phc: Please describe any new products at Crown.

Ensminger: An upgraded control package will soon be offered on all Bimini wall hung models. This control system will include a touch screen display that will allow the installer to easily configure the boiler and observe its status in plain text. New features will also include a third “system pump” output, a header sensor input and “lead-lag” operation without additional staging controls.

The Bimini Buddy is a new accessory for the Bimini boiler. It is a hydraulic separator that can be installed with any of the wall-mounted Bimini models. It includes all near boiler piping needed for good hydraulic separation and air elimination. Some Bimini Buddy models include a plate heat exchanger for domestic hot water production.

Phc: What really sets you apart from your competitors?

Ensminger: What separates Crown Boiler from our competitors is the quality and commitment to customer service. It starts with our in-house technical support department that a contractor can call into if they have a question and extends to the variety of training options we offer. A well trained contractor is important in this industry, which is why we offer training at our factory in Philadelphia or can bring our training van to the contractor’s location or distributor. We now also offer online training, so contractors can train on their own time at their own pace.

Phc: Describe your new training facility.

Ensminger: Our new, state-of-the-art training room is located at our factory in Philadelphia. It features four live firing boilers and is designed to accommodate up to 12 students at a time. This allows us to offer classes on our Bimini (BWC) line of condensing boilers, along with the other boilers in our product line. We also have a van equipped with live-fired oil and gas boilers that we will bring to contractors who would like hands-on training but cannot make it to the Crown Boiler factory.

Phc: What are some unique features/benefits that the training facility will offer?

Ensminger: Since the classroom is located at the Crown Boiler factory, we can take students on a tour of our production lines and engineering department to demonstrate how the boilers are made and show what goes into assuring the quality of the product coming off of the production line. We have live-fire boilers so that contractors can apply what they learned in class immediately, which helps them become more comfortable with the products before going into the field. We can also simulate issues that technicians may experience in the field with the use of valves and dip switches, so contractors can solve problems they may encounter on a service call in a controlled environment.

Phc: How many contractors do you expect to come through per month/year on average?

Ensminger: About 15–20 contractors come to our new training facility each month, close to 240 per year.

Phc: Please describe your online university.

Ensminger: Crown Boiler University is the online learning center for Crown Boiler. Through the university, contractors can learn about and train on Crown Boiler products at their own pace, while earning CEUs towards NATE and NORA recertification. It is a great option for those who can’t get to the factory, yet still want to learn more about Crown Boiler products. Once a course has been completed, a contractor can go back to it as a refresher before going out on a job.

Phc: Describe the importance of contractor training, especially in this economy?

Ensminger: Training can help a contractor stay up to date on the latest advancements in technology and remain competitive in today’s market. The knowledge and experience gained by attending training classes helps them install equipment faster and with fewer problems, freeing up time to complete more jobs. Training will also make contractors more valuable to their customers by increasing their ability to solve problems that arise before and after an installation. When a contractor can tell a potential customer they have been factory trained on the product they are recommending, it really increases their credibility.

Phc: Does Crown offer other incentives to help out the struggling contractor? Explain.

Ensminger: Crown Boiler offers a couple of incentives to contractors. We have a Contractor Rewards program, a points-based system based on certain products installed. Contractors accumulate points through the heating season and can redeem them for gift cards or tools. For example, this year, contractors can save up their points to get manometers and combustion analyzers.

Phc: It seems that energy efficiency is the buzzword in the industry right now. How energy efficiency in Crown’s lexicon and what is the importance of Energy Star affiliation?

Ensminger: Energy efficiency has been in the Crown Boiler lexicon from the beginning, starting with the Freeport CT boiler that has been on the market for over 30 years and continues today with condensing boilers like the Bimini. Energy Star is a great program to be involved with; the name is widely recognized. Seeing the Energy Star label immediately indicates to the homeowner and contractor that the product is energy efficient. We strive to make all of our products as efficient as possible and are able to offer an energy efficient option to fit most applications.

Phc: The last time I said, “Today is a great day,” you were doing what?

Ensminger: Sitting at Citizens Bank Park watching a Philadelphia Phillies game.