Katt Worldwide Logistics Rebrands to Become Versant Supply Chain
October 25, 2011
Katt Worldwide Logistics has embraced a new vision, a new mission and a new name: Versant Supply Chain.
CEO Jeff Bullard explains, “During the past year, our entire company has been engaged in a process of redefining how we drive value for our customers. This has led us not only to a transformed brand, but to a more highly evolved way of doing business.”
According to Bullard, the most significant aspect of the change is uniting under a single brand what were once multiple company divisions within the Katt Worldwide Logistics enterprise, which included: ASAP Staffing Services, Katt Air & Ocean Freight, Katt Co-Pak, Katt Ground Services and Katt Warehousing. Bullard states, “the new logo represents the unification of both the company’s three core service areas (distribution, transportation and staffing) and our three core values (versatility, expertise and momentum).”
“Versant means versatile solutions for transportation, distribution and staffing. Whatever it takes to bring momentum to our customer’s supply chain.” Says Bullard.
The company’s rebranding initiative was led by Senior Vice President Bob Phillips. “We listened to our customers,” states Phillips, “but we listened to our employees, too. Each staff member had the opportunity to contribute to every stage of the process – from setting our mission and values to choosing our new name.”
Phillips takes pride in the outcome of a process that engaged the company’s staff and senior management team – plus the services of brand identity specialist firm, Tactical Magic. “Tactical Magic respected who we are. They helped us crystallize our strategy and to ultimately express it in a genuinely first class way. I feel like the quality of our branding now matches the quality of our product,” he says.
Internal reaction has been positive. “I think it’s a great move for the company,” claims Kim Verna, Senior Vice President and twelve-year veteran of the firm. She adds, “this process has helped to bring the management team closer together – all of us together, really. We truly are one company now.”
Jerry Autry, also a Senior Vice President, points to both continuity and clarity as reasons for his enthusiasm about the rebranding. “On one hand,” says Autrey, “what will never change is our whatever-it-takes attitude for solving our customers’ supply chain challenges. On the other hand, we now have stronger and clearer message to talk about the three pillars of service we bring to the market – I don’t think anyone else out there has the complete package of distribution, transportation and staffing services that we offer.”
Versant Supply Chain’s brand identity is just the tip of the organizational iceberg, however. CEO Jeff Bullard’s team surveyed customers and found that what their customers valued most was “the flexibility and skills to bring integrated services to bear in order to solve complex supply chain problems,” summarizes Bullard. He continues, “Building on that core value, which has beena passion inherent in our culture from the very start, we have re-aligned our structure, systems and resources to better serve our markets.”
The outcome is a transformed company. Bullard credits his staff and senior management team, saying, “thanks to them, we have succeeded in unifying our divisions of service, launching new technologies (including a new transportation management system), and adding key players to round out our depth of expertise – all without missing an operational beat.”
Bullard anticipates a bright future. “With our expert team and a strategy that makes sense for our business, we’re poised for aggressive growth. There is no limit to what we can achieve,” he says.