Work GSE
Through aggressive M&A, this provider of environmental containment lining systems had built a global presence but, amidst all the growth, had slipped from its top position. We worked with the new executive team to align corporate and brand strategies and retake the lead.
Global Growing Pains
For years GSE had pursued a vigorous expansion plan and had grown itself to be a fully global operation. But along the way it had lost its edge as an industry leader. A new CEO and executive team were brought in to turn the company around. Motivated by our experience in building brand strategies of global scope, they hired BrandExtract. We helped GSE rally under a focused, integrated brand and launch it worldwide on route to an eventual IPO.
- Location
- HQ in Varennes, Quebec, Canada, with a global network
- Industry
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- Energy
- Services Offered
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- Strategy
- Marketing
- Branding
- Digital
A New Strategic Foundation
When GSE came to us, the company was looking back on a long legacy of leadership in lining systems for material and liquid containment. The reputation was strong, but rapid global expansion through acquisitions had caused the company to lose its cultural and strategic center. GSE needed to move forward with a clear product and service strategy that would unify and integrate operations around the world. To do this successfully, the company would also need to move forward with a new brand to unify all employees. We built a brand strategy that would align with and support GSE’s corporate strategy. Then we got busy bringing that strategy to life.
GSE Environmental's durability runs deep. A video showing the depths of what GSE offers, culminating in a their logo.
A Position of Strength
GSE’s mission was to lead the way in solving the world’s most complex environmental containment challenges. The company’s solutions were integrated and global, but the brand was not. Not yet anyway. To uncover the insights we’d need to set the right course for GSE, we conducted a full brand assessment, which resulted in a new positioning, Durability Runs Deep.
A Company Without Boundaries
Our team set out on a global mission to validate the positioning across a kaleidoscope of languages and cultures, capturing images and stories from far and wide about GSE’s innovations, environmental commitment and industry leadership.
Introducing the Real GSE
Our extensive research allowed BrandExtract to illuminate GSE’s true brand value, both from a global perspective and at the local level in every country and area of operation. From these fresh insights we built and launched a new brand for GSE worldwide that showcased the company’s environmental leadership. We helped our client conduct an internal conference to align the global workforce, and we got the word out to GSE’s key audiences via digital, marketing and sales campaigns.
A rotating video of different pages of the GSE brand standards guide that BrandExtract created.
Leaping to the Lead
Over the two years following the brand launch, GSE increased sales about 20%. Integrating the company under a clear and singular brand made it easier to sell products across regions and provided inroads to new global markets. Buoyed by its new brand, GSE had reclaimed its leadership position, which boosted the company’s value when it was bought in 2017 by its largest competitor, Solmax.
Results and Outcomes
20%
boost in global
sales over two years
32%
increase in leads from digital campaigns
5 global offices around the world
integrated to 1
