Monday marked the beginning of a new era at Kentucky Trailer as manufacturing staff began applying the company's new logo to finished trailers. The transition of logos is the final phase of a rebranding campaign launched in January 2004.
"Some of our associates have been branding our trailers for 40 years with the traditional Kentucky blue nameplate," said Kentucky Trailer president Larry Hartog. "Changing letterhead is one thing, but this switch to our new wings on trailers is that ultimate sign of change in vision to staff, to vendors and to the entire trailer manufacturing industry."
The logo change is an outward symbol of Kentucky Trailer's growth beyond its traditional focus on the moving and storage industry. The new brand reflects the strategic path the company now follows, to include other industries with auto transporters, race transporters, mobile command centers, expandable trailers, electronics van, horse vans, pallet vans, mobile marketing and MRI laboratory trailers.
After decades of establishing its quality brand with the widely recognizable blue Kentucky nameplate, Kentucky Trailer management was spurred to analyze its brand as the company grew in turn of the millennium. At one time a single-site custom van manufacturer, Kentucky Trailer now includes an off-site trailer service facility in Louisville and a newly acquired specialty trailer manufacturer near Detroit, Kentucky Trailer Technologies.
The first trailer to be tagged with the new logo was a custom moving van. This is no surprise given Kentucky Trailer's longtime lead in manufacturing trailer's used in the residential and commercial moving industries.
"Adding that first set of blue wings created a bit of excitement on a Monday morning," said Wally Wallace, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Suddenly, adding the Kentucky logo wasn't a routine activity. I guess the thought is that in 30 years, it will be as commonplace as the old nameplate is today."
The new logo will retain the standard placement on the trailer - on the left rear door and on the driver and passenger side at the front of the trailer. Kentucky Trailer estimates that 100 trailers on the road will include the new logo by the end of 2004, based on production estimates through December.
"With demand for our custom vans increasing every month, another 1000 trailers will have the new logo applied by mid 2005," said Hartog, the company's president. He also noted the need to add 120 positions to the manufacturing staff to meet the increasing demand.