NPE2018 Unveiling: A Newly Branded and Focused Davis-Standard

A year in the making, Davis-Standard is using NPE2018 to reintroduce itself to the global extrusion processing market, taking the wraps off a new brand that’s intended to reflect what worldwide customers want: More. And “more” is precisely what explains the machine builder’s exhibit (Booth W5947) is trying to convey to show attendees, with a display that includes five extruders, new screw design technology, new die designs for blown film and tubing and a running medical-tubing line with predictive-maintenance capabilities and a new control platform.

“A brand is not just a logo,” explains Jim Murphy, Davis-Standard’s CEO. “It is the set of expectations, experiences, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a customer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. We have spent the last year working on a brand refresh, and by this we don’t mean only a logo change, but a reflection of how we conduct ourselves and how we do business.”

The previous Davis-Standard logo goes back to the 1950s, when Ben Davis joined Standard Machinery Co. to create the Davis-Standard name. The original company, Reliance Machinery Co., was founded in 1848 and manufactured things like cotton gins and paper binding machines. Extrusion was developed in the 1950s. 

Says Murphy, “We previously branded ourselves as ‘The Global Advantage,’ and we’ve executed that by expanding our global facilities and capabilities over the years. But now the focus is on helping our customers execute, to better understand their requirements, to build stronger relationships and trust and to provide the best total solutions.”

As Murphy sees it, extrusion processors today want, well, more…more rapid response, more technical support and an orientation aimed more precisely at problem solving. “We’ve put more resources in all of those areas,” he says. “The world is a busier place, and our research reveals extrusion processors want to align with a supplier with solutions that are right for them and will help them expand their business.” 

This new brand is based on research, Murphy states. “We’ve looked at our company from our own perspective, asked our customers’ their perspective and preformed a market audit—trends and competition.”

The triangles in the new logo are each intended to represent a key element of the Davis-Standard brand: Customers, technology, support and people, Murphy explains. The triangles combine into the forward-moving arrow reflecting the firm’s focus on the future—helping customer’s grow, developing new technology and providing new opportunities for our employees.

“To us, customers always come first,” says Murphy. “Our aim is to work with them in partnership, helping them achieve a unique competitive advantage. We offer the latest technology, tailored to customer needs. But we also think innovatively to offer better ideas and holistic solutions. Our support services are central to our offering. We believe they are the key to earning customer loyalty. And our people are our most valuable asset. They are the heartbeat of the company, central to our approach and success.

The new tag line—Where Your Ideas Take Shape—is what Murphy describes as the brand’s “exclamation point”. He states, “It reflects our intent to help customers create a better future, doing it with collaboration and teamwork. We need to do this with each other within Davis-Standard and in partnership with our customers.”