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“The program Tech Image put together has more than exceeded our expectations. It has given us a lift in virtually every aspect of our business, and has generated real excitement within the organization while helping customers and prospects view us differently. It has been an outstanding partnership with quality people.”

— Brigitte Janos Brozenec, Executive VP of Marketing, Wynright Corporation

Pervasive PR Program Ultimately Results in Acquisition

Challenge

Roll-up of separate companies that had no corporate identity

Known as a manufacturer rather than engineering company/solution provider

Great ambitions but limited budget

In January 2012, Wynright Corporation was the newly-minted name for a rollup of several supply chain-oriented companies. Although the organization as a whole had a 40-year history, it had little visibility in the media and was viewed as a minor player. More importantly, the general perception of the company was that it was an equipment manufacturer. While it did manufacture equipment, Wynright wanted to be known for its superior engineering capabilities and be thought of as a premier solution provider. The company had never used a public relations agency before, but aggressive sales and growth goals looming, it decided to see what effect PR could have on the business.

To help the company move from “best-kept secret” to “household name” within the supply chain industry, and change the perception of the company within that industry, Wynright turned to Tech Image to develop a program that would provide high visibility among organizations with large warehouse or distribution center (DC) operations to help drive sales. Among the requirements were:

  • Generate greater awareness of Wynright Corporation as a single entity versus being known for its former components
  • Position Wynright as a thought leader by developing and placing visionary digital content under the bylines of company executives
  • Enhance the company’s standing among decision-makers by having its subject matter experts quoted in industry articles
  • Change the perception of the company from product manufacturer to being engineering/solution-oriented in order to secure more large projects
  • Cost-efficiently augment Wynright’s internal marketing capabilities

Solutions

Within the first year of the program, Tech Image helped Wynright move from being barely visible in the media to nearly ubiquitous through a combination of high-quality content development and aggressive media relations. To tap into the collective expertise of Wynright’s executive team and more than 200 engineers, Tech Image would interview one or more subject matter experts on hot topics affecting the supply chain industry. This 30-minute interview would result in an 800-1,200 word contributed article that could be pitched to relevant supply chain publications. In some cases, articles might be repurposed two or three times, providing added value to the materials.

In addition to the articles, Tech Image also developed case studies and press releases that further demonstrated the thought leadership. In addition, Tech Image used the information gleaned from these interviews to develop pitches, and used its long-standing relationships with editors in the supply chain media to seek out opportunities for Wynright executives to be quoted in stories those outlets were developing, whether through editorial calendar research or regular calls/emails with editors and reporters.

Results

250000
Impressions
338
News Stories
426000000
Acquisition Price

Since its launch in January, 2012 the PR program has more than achieved its goals. Wynright has gone from getting the occasional product briefing in a handful of publications to multiple placements (including single-focus features) in industry media outlets such as DC Velocity, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, Modern Materials Handling, SupplyChainBrain and Materials Handling & Logistics. In fact, supply chain publications now regularly seek out comments from Wynright’s experts on various technologies and industry issues. These efforts also led to a live appearance on Fox Business News by CEO Kevin Ambrose.

The public relations effort has had additional effects as well. The sales force was energized by the fact that they no longer had to explain who the company is and what it does on sales calls. Instead, they can get right into talking about solutions, and more calls are coming in for solution-based projects. Internally, employees are excited and proud to be part of such a well-known team.

The effort has also had an effect on recruiting. Thanks to the high profile Wynright has gained, it is now able to attract more higher-level talent than it did previously, drawing key executives from Fortune 1000 companies (among others). Locally, articles appearing in Crain’s Chicago Business, The Daily Herald and the Southtown Star have helped draw a steady stream of quality candidates as well.

The ultimate testament to the power of the program was that it helped attract the attention of material handling powerhouse Daifuku Webb, which acquired Wynright Corporation in October, 2013. The combined entity is now the largest material handling company in the world.

www.wynright.com

Wynright Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Daifuku North America, is a leading provider of intelligent material handling systems. With more than 200 engineers in-house, we design, manufacture, integrate and install a full spectrum of intralogistics solutions, offering both Wynright-branded and third-party equipment to meet client needs. These include leading-edge conveyor and sortation systems, voice- and light-directed order fulfillment equipment, PLC controls and robotics, and mezzanines and structures, backed by critical round-the-clock service and support.

Looking for a Digital PR Company?

  • Ask to see social media “accelerators” in news coverage

  • Ask to see the list of “Digital Influencers” for your industry

  • Ask to see how video assets are used in media coverage

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