What's in a name?

August 8, 2013 | Leadership, Workplace Culture + Practices

This past week, we rolled out the rebranding of NRG Systems to “Renewable NRG Systems.” Along with a company name change, we also have a new vision and mission, logo, and corporate colors. It’s a lot of change all at one time. Everyone is asking why and what does it all mean?

Why would a 31-year-old company with a leadership position in the design and manufacture of wind measurement equipment want to change and do something different? The answer is simple: because we already are. We expanded our niche a few years ago, offering Lidar remote sensing, a new condition monitoring system for installed turbines, and a resource assessment system for solar projects. The trouble is—we didn’t tell the world what we did. Until last week, that is.

Every company needs to keep itself refreshed, new, and forward thinking. Vibrant companies recognize that markets, customer needs, and technology all change over time, and these companies respond proactively to these changes. It is now our turn to step up to the plate. Our new name and vision do several things:

1. They reflect our dedication to what we know—renewable energy, particularly wind energy;
2. They provide a focus for our ongoing product development; and at the same time,
3. They allow for a broadening of our scope into other areas of renewable energy.

Renewable energy is our expertise; it’s what we know. And we’ve broadened out from our tight niche in wind resource assessment equipment to offer a wide selection of decision support tools for renewable energy projects. Our new tagline— "See the Potential"—is a call to action, an opportunity for thought, a product promise from us to our customers, a vision of what a renewable energy future might look like.

We have also changed our corporate color to green. For years, our bright red logo has been a distinguishing feature. Why change to green? Change is difficult, and the decision was made with a lot of thought and consideration. In looking at the symbolism of the color green, several words pop out—renewal, reliable, safe, honest, fresh, strength, growth, balance, nature. These are nice words, and they reflect who we are—a company that cares about the planet, a company with a set of core values that drives our business decisions.

What does this all mean for me as the owner of Renewable NRG Systems? I’ve been through a lot of change myself recently. I’ve learned to embrace change through some turbulent personal times. I’ve even experienced my own name change. As a result, I can personally identify with the company rebranding. I’ve had to learn how to reintroduce myself to those I already know, and as a company, we will do the same thing. We will let the world know that there’s a renewal going on at Renewable NRG Systems, Inc. We’re still the same company we’ve been for 31 years, with a fresh outlook and a new set of challenges and opportunities to serve our customers better. We will build on our strengths and grow and mature with the times. And we will conduct business with a heart, with an eye to the “how” as well as the “what.”

It’s not unlike the new growth that appears in the underbrush after a forest fire. It takes a while to get started, to find the right nourishment for growth to begin. Once started, though, growth comes in lush and green and ready to thrive in its newly enriched environment. Challenge, change, and growth—whether it’s nature, our personal lives, or business life cycles, we’re all part of the same continuum.