PPE major player Bacou-Dalloz announced June 20 it is changing its name to Sperian Protection. At press time, the name change was subject to shareholders’ approval at a meeting on July 26.

“Following a very satisfying year in 2006, this new identity constitutes a major driver for our growth, helping us to achieve our target of becoming undisputed world number one in our sector by 2009,” Henri-Dominique Petit, Bacou-Dalloz chairman, said in a statement.

As a symbol of the company’s strategy of international expansion, Sperian will be the umbrella brand name bringing together the entire brand portfolio, according to a company statement. Sperian also reflects the company’s desire to adopt effective advertising and marketing tools in order to consolidate its market position.

Bacou-Dalloz brands familiar to safety gear buyers in the U.S. include uvex, Howard Leight, Survivair, Perfect Fit, Miller Fall Protection, Willson, Bilsom, Fendall, Titmus, and Biosystems.

New strategy
Explained Petit: “In order to inaugurate a new stage in our history, reflect our new scope and assert our ambitions as a Group, Bacou-Dalloz is changing its name to Sperian Protection. Chosen to carry our values to the highest level and illustrate the unity of all those who work for the Group, Sperian is intended to symbolize the optimum quality of our products, advice and services.”

With a balance of strong and soft sounds, the name Sperian evokes both the expertise of a Group specialized in the protection of people at work and the relationship of trust between a worker and his equipment, as well as between the Group and its customers, the company said in a statement.

Unifying symbol
As a strong identifying symbol, the new logo reflects the organization’s mission to protect people in the workplace: the “S” is formed by two protective arms in blue, symbolizing technology and the Group’s expertise, wrapped around a core in orange, symbolizing life and energy at work. Calling it “simple, modern and humanistic,” the company said its new identity reflects the trust, respect, excellence and performance that are the driving forces for the Group’s employees.

The Group’s new identity will be rolled out gradually over the summer. The shares will be listed under the name of Sperian Protection from 20 August 2007. Customer-focused events will be held during the A+A trade fair in Düsseldorf and at the NSC Congress in Chicago. This will be supported by an international advertising campaign to promote the Group’s new identity in the professional and general press and develop Sperian’s international reputation.

The company said Sperian is “short, easy to remember and easy to pronounce in all languages,” and will symbolize products and services performance all over the world.

According to the company, the name change is central to Bacou-Dalloz’s strategy and constitutes an important stage in the process of optimizing and streamlining the brand portfolio.

In addition, the Group made two major announcements this spring: the acquisition of Norwegian company Nacre AS, specializing in intelligent earplugs, and the opening of a new decontamination suit production plant in France.