Beck Practice:
Bilstein Group
Cold-Rolled Steel Meets Creativity
BILSTEIN and BECKDESIGN: A Rock-Solid Synergy
The Lenne Valley in Hagen-Hohenlimburg is not only home to the BILSTEIN GROUP, but also to BECKDESIGN Managing Director Guido Beck and Project Manager Jana Ludwig. From a young age, they witnessed firsthand the success story of this globally active cold-rolled steel strip manufacturer. During their school years, summer jobs at BILSTEIN were highly sought after, and for employees, it was an honor to be a “BILSTEINER.” Even back then, BILSTEIN was known as a responsible, solid, medium-sized company.
The story of the collaboration between BILSTEIN and BECKDESIGN began in 2009. One of the first projects commissioned by BILSTEIN’s management was an advertising campaign in 2010. The focus was on harmonizing and standardizing the corporate design within the group.
In the months that followed, a project-based collaboration took shape. A total of six agency employees were assigned to the various projects—ranging from designers and layout artists to programmers, photo editors, and copywriters.
CUSTOMER:
LED Linear™
TASKS:
Website
Promotional Video
Intranet
App
Brochures
Data Sheets
Flyers
Trade Show Design
Trade Show Equipment
Website Relaunch
A major milestone in our collaboration was the relaunch of the websites. In addition to the BILSTEIN GROUP, all affiliated plants and sales subsidiaries were also presented individually. The launch of the new websites coincided with the company’s 100th anniversary in 2011. The website, which we designed and programmed, features a user-friendly menu structure that ensures customers receive a comprehensive overview of this long-established company and its diverse range of services and products. BECKDESIGN implemented a complete semi-finished products database for the first time and photographed product examples made from these materials. Another relaunch focusing on “responsiveness” is planned for the near future.
The more trust there is between clients and the agency, the better the projects turn out in the end.
A Different Kind of Intranet
However, BILSTEIN does not focus solely on a perfect public image. The internationally operating company places great importance on a strong network structure within the group. For this reason, an intranet prototype was developed starting in 2014 that is not only informative but also meets the highest standards of design. Using MS SharePoint, an internal executive portal was created that meets the same standards of usability and design as the external websites.
App for Steelworkers
Another product from our development department is the COILCULATOR®—an app for steelworkers, salespeople, buyers, and dispatchers. With the COILCULATOR®, coil sizes and weights can be calculated quickly and easily. The app also includes current steel prices and handy features such as a currency converter and a calculator. That’s why the COILCULATOR® is often called the “Swiss Army knife of the steel industry.” In addition to the design and programming, the trademarked name was also created by BECKDESIGN.
To develop the right marketing strategies, it is helpful to have an open dialogue between the agency and all of the client's relevant departments.
Flyers and Brochures
The importance of an agency identifying with its client’s products and services is also evident in the design of various print materials. This was the case with the information folder containing data sheets on the ZE series in 2011, the BILSTEIN trade show brochure in 2012—which was published in four languages—and the industry brochure for the sawmill industry in 2015.
Trade Shows and Design
One of our ongoing projects is BILSTEIN’s trade show materials. We regularly create invitation designs and brochures in German and English. This includes “BILSTEIN Talents,” a term we coined to describe the innovations regularly developed at BILSTEIN. Furthermore, we played a key role in the graphic design of the trade show booths for Euroblech 2012/2014 and Blechexpo 2013/2015—including trade show documentation with photos and video footage.
