As the Crown Worldwide Group, one of the world’s largest privately-owned logistics companies, turns 60, it is refocussing its emphasis for growth on services and divisions that are inherently local, as a changing geopolitical environment seeks to slow globalisation further.

In a press release the company said that events in the USA over the past several months have reinforced the prevalence of an anti-globalism sentiment, with new trade tensions now in the mix to give companies of the globalised world – such as Crown – further cause to rethink how they do business. 

This follows several years of global conflict, compounding the lingering economic impacts of the pandemic, both coupled with simmering anti-migration sentiment around the world which have curbed demand for international relocation. 

Group CEO Jennifer Harvey has set out how the company – which has just celebrated its 60^th anniversary - is responding to deliver continual growth and profitability.  

She said: “Crown was established 60-years-ago in the midst of rapid globalisation. Containerisation and affordable air travel created new horizons for those wanting to live in other parts of the world. But today the world is quite different. Fewer people are moving internationally, with technology that facilitates remote work reducing the need for corporate assignments, and geopolitics making moving overseas more challenging and expensive – a trend that’s likely to continue following recent political events in the USA.”

She added: “But we have a proud track record in diversification and adaptation. We have leveraged a core asset base that lends itself to world-class logistics and storage, combined with a talented, diverse team, and now find ourselves at the intersection of other pressing business challenges for which solutions are more localised.”  

Although the company is best known for international relocations, it now says it’s growth will come from its information management and workspace divisions.  It comes as organisations grapple with workplace and workforce strategy, and attempt to derive greater efficiency through digitization in a period of prolonged cost pressure. 

Jennifer added: “Our digitization business grew 30% last year as we worked with organisations to drive greater information efficiencies with management. Our workspace services are providing solutions to organisations grappling with the future of the office and seeking to become more sustainable. In this respect, we can utilise our global network and expertise to solve challenges that are local in nature.” 

“Our growth strategy over the last sixty years has been to set up local branches, empowered to serve customers on the ground. And as the brakes are applied to globalisation – though hopefully just temporarily – this strategy means we are well placed to grow in new areas that help businesses make significant financial and operational gains in each market.” 

Crown was founded by Jim Thompson as an international relocations business in Japan, with just $1,000.  Sixty years later it has seven divisions and operates in 45 countries.

As part of its continuing shift in emphasis for growth in more ‘global’ services, Crown is: 

• Rebranding its Records Management business, which currently stores more than 40 million cartons of hardcopy information, to emphasise an ongoing focus on digitalization and simplifying workflows. 

• Continuing to invest in sustainable services, including furniture and IT renewal through its Crown Workspace division, to help organisations meet changing workplace needs. 

• Leveraging the company’s $1.4bn property portfolio, to provide more storage for clients in every region.

Though demand for its heritage business has declined, in 2025 Crown will launch new technology to enhance visibility, compliance and simplicity around corporate international relocation, while introducing new services that support assignee wellbeing in a world that is becoming more challenging to navigate culturally. 

The organisation is also continuing to sharpen its focus on decarbonisation, having completed the mapping of its global carbon footprint last year. 

“We can’t shy away from the fact that moving overseas is currently more difficult than it was,” concluded Jennifer. "Our view is that this won’t last forever - but in a business that is both global and cyclical, the last 60 years have taught us to hedge by investing in different business lines.”

Photo: Jennifer Harvey.