Alleima

Forged from the past.
Engineered for the future.

Sandvik Materials Technology (SMT) was once part of the parent company and brand Sandvik. When the decision was made to establish it as a separate entity, it sparked a three-year-long strategic and creative partnership with Kurppa Hosk to devise, design and deliver an entirely new global brand. A brand fit to carry the organisation firmly into the future, and a new platform to advance employees, clients, partners and investors, together.

Brand strategy

Naming
Brand platform
Design strategy
Communication strategy
Tone of voice
Employer branding

Brand design

Brand identity
Brand implementation
Art direction
Brand film production
Brand imagery production
Bespoke typography

Brand experience

Digital design
Brand portal
Vehicle liveries
Environmental design
Uniforms
Packaging
Signage & wayfinding

In arguably the most closely watched rebrand in Swedish industrial history, SMT is now officially Alleima. 

A new, clear strategic direction positions the brand as a technology leader, progressive customer partner and sustainability driver. 

A new name is inspired by the brand’s metallurgy core. And the new identity looks simultaneously to the past with respect, and the future with ambition. “Creating a brand of this scale is an epic undertaking, made possible and truly enjoyable by collaborating with Kurppa Hosk” says Elja Nordlöf, Executive Vice President & Head of Communications at Alleima.

The new brand completely captures our unique competences, our rich history and our bold ambitions as the market leader in advanced materials.
— Göran Björkman, Alleima President & CEO

Synonymous with the region and completely integral to the Sandviken community, the original SMT was an organisation entirely shaped by its 160-year heritage. And from that rich history, we created the new brand, Alleima. A brand forged from the past yet engineered for the future. At Alleima, past fuses with present. Epic scale operations sit alongside precise engineering. Raging furnaces fiercely smelt the metal for exquisitely intricate appliances. These dualities play a powerful role in defining the new brand. 

A brand for the next 160 years

Such a powerful and emotive history deserves a fitting brand expression. The new Alleima identity builds on the best of the company’s past while reflecting who they truly are today – and the organisation they are yet to become.

Same focus, new name
A bold brand promise to advance material technology called for a new name. The distinctive coined name Alleima makes a respectful nod to the brand’s metallurgy roots and an unfailing passion for elevating materials. And as China is a key market for Alleima, a Chinese adaptation of the name and logo was a crucial consideration.

Modern-day storytelling
From the third-generation employees (sometimes even fourth) to the local lake water cooling the smelting furnaces, Alleima is alive with captivating stories of our people, products and a deep sense of place. A new authentic visual expression, working with both micro and macro scale, is captured in an extensive brand imagery library.

And with emotional attachment to the old brand running extraordinarily high, creating internal excitement, understanding and pride towards Alleima was both a sensitive and vital part of the rebrand’s success.

Engineering a design system

With multiple touchpoints and locations worldwide, the task extended far beyond creating a visual identity. A complete design system was necessary. As attention to detail and impeccable execution are non-negotiables for Alleima, such a solution needed to allow for precise and exact implementation.

The resulting graphic expression nods to the modernist design of history’s industrial giants with cues of a more considered, Scandinavian design sensibility. Materiality, imagery and tone of voice combine with powerful graphics and intricate visual detail to create an expression fit not just for today, but the future that lies ahead.

A symbol acting as the seal of approval for a world-leading materials technology company. A refined linear language speaking to the precision of their everyday operations. A color palette inspired by the elemental heat of molten metal and the calm of the surrounding nature. An engineered, versatile modernist sans-serif typeface that affords a powerful industrial aesthetic, engrossing storytelling and scientific precision.

These components form the foundation of a versatile visual toolbox for the brand. And by creating assets that can combine in many different ways to create unique yet recognisable expressions, the brand is able to speak consistently in its multiple voices.

Duality of Scale
A fundamental part of the visual expression is rooted in dualities. This brings a reflection of the business directly into the design language. As Alleima operations stretch from epic scale production to precision engineering on a molecular level, extreme contrasts also inform the treatment of imagery, typography and layouts.

Devising a new brand fit for global purpose with thousands of physical and digital touchpoints means designing for every element; from naming to signage, from clothing to containers.

Use of materials in their rawest forms plays homage to the field in which Alleima operates. This not only reduces the complexity of large-scale packaging production, reducing costs and environmental impact, but also ensures ease of roll-out and implementation.

This economical approach stretches to our application of color too. By limiting ourselves to a singular expression, we establish a consistent brand across a wide range of different touchpoints.

Manufacturing a digital experience

As a brand engineered for the future, each aspect of the new identity is digitally optimised. An extensive global brand portal was created to ensure simple access to and consistent use of the new identity.

Likewise, the new identity allows for a seamless expression from physical to digital, paving the way for Alleima to evolve their future online experiences.

Creating Alleima has been a masterclass in striking balance. Balance between the deep emotional attachment, and a future-focused vision. Between deep-set tradition, and bold innovation. Long-standing heritage, and stories yet to be told. Big ideas, and intricate application. And with the hearts and minds of thousands of employees behind the new brand even before it was officially launched, we think we might just have found it.

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