ROLLING STOCK AND TRACTION
What’s in a name? S
ometimes you shouldn’t change your name, sometimes you should and
sometimes you need to. James Bond, a name famous the world over, is one that could never be changed, let alone should or needs to be. On the fl ip side, East Coast locomotive 91107 recently had its number changed to 91007 and was renamed Skyfall, in one of the biggest PR stunts ever.
Re-named and wrapped in a stunning 007 livery for the release of the latest Bond fi lm to DVD and Blu-ray, the Skyfall train caused a media frenzy on its launch day. Now the people behind the wrapping of the Skyfall train are about to rename too, but for a different reason.
SSDM has become a name synonymous with the provision of graphics and livery programmes to the rail industry over the past 10 years. During this time it has delivered many large-scale and high-profi le projects across the sector, including those for many of the FirstGroup franchises, Heathrow Express, Arriva Trains, London Underground, Eurotunnel and East Coast.
Due to the development and expansion of its parent group, the company changed its name to Aura Graphics Limited in January last year, whilst maintaining the SSDM brand and trading style. Now approaching 18 months since, the organisation is in the fi nal stages of its
full rebrand, where it will operate solely under the Aura Graphics identity.
The rebrand to Aura Graphics marks an important milestone for the company, which has invested signifi cantly in its infrastructure since its parent company’s acquisition of competitor fi rm, Fenn Graphics. Now operating from two production and service centres, in
Suffolk & Staffordshire, Aura
Graphics continues to upgrade and expand its manufacturing technology, resources, IT systems, and product portfolio.
The company has been working hard behind the scenes on the integration of the SSDM and Fenn Graphics businesses.
This process of implementing best practice from each operation and streamlining systems has yielded excellent benefi ts. Of course it’s all ongoing, but a point has been reached where unifying the organisation’s identity is now possible and critical for the future.
Above: London Underground’s 150th Anniversary Tube wraps
44 | rail technology magazine Apr/May 13
Initially, maintaining the existing brands was the right decision to ensure continuity with existing customers, and so after gradually communicating the changes within the
Aura Graphics expects to complete the rebrand in the coming weeks. In the meantime it’s business as usual for the rail graphics experts, who besides branding trains for secret agents have completed many other notable projects in the past 18 months. Projects have included GE’s London 2012 branding on the DLR, the London Underground 150th Anniversary Tube wraps and the external refurbishment of the Central Line tube stock in time for the Olympics, to name just a few.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Andrew Pritchett (Key account manager – rail) T: +44 (0)7979 708 411 E:
apritchett@auragraphics.com Tim Locke (general manager, rail applications & refurbishment) T: +44 (0)7774 473 707 E:
tlocke@auragraphics.com
Names are important to everybody and everything. They help us quickly identify and qualify one thing from another through recognition and recall. Luke Causton, marketing manager at rail livery specialists Aura Graphics, talks about two recent name changes in the world of train branding.
Above: The East Coast locomotive with the 007 livery.
company, the time has come to complete the change to Aura Graphics.
Everybody is really excited about the new name and identity. It’s given the organisation new impetus in challenging market conditions, and allows it to further develop and enhance its services, maintaining its position as Europe’s leading transportation graphics supplier.
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