Hydro will replace its Viking ship logo, which has been in use for the last 20 years, in the new year. The modernization of its prime symbol reflects the changes taking place in the company. The new logo will be launched at the same time as the conclusions of a major identity and brand project are presented.
The new logo will be presented on 11 December in connection with Hydro's annual Capital Markets Day, and will be the company's official symbol from the New Year.
Hydro's board of directors has decided to confer the rights to the Viking ship to Agri in connection with the demerger of this operation. Agri shall, according to plan, be listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange on 25 March 2004. The new company will have a new logo based on the Viking ship and will change its name prior to this date.
The decision to change Hydro's logo follows an extensive internal process aiming to clarify the company's mission, identity and value base. In this connection, employees will be invited to take part in an activity with a view to breathing life into the company's values. On 11 December, and the following days, employees will receive information on the conclusions reached during Hydro's identity project and the way ahead.
"Managers and employees all over the world have expressed the need for a shared mission and values. The conclusions drawn are largely based on interviews with people in the company from all corners of the world, in addition to interviews with customers, partners and other external connections," says President and CEO Eivind Reiten. "Hydro is in a process of change and our visual profile will represent a dynamic forward-looking company."
Following the spin-off of Agri, Hydro will continue as a more focused company with just under 40,000 employees and operations in around 40 countries. Around half the present employees have been in the company less than two years. The traditional "Hydro culture" is less palpable for new employees and has, moreover, changed as a result of major acquisitions in Aluminium and Oil and Energy in recent years.
The new Hydro logo will replace the present symbol in most places during the course of 2004. The re-branding of the company's buildings and vehicles in the middle of January. Preparations have been underway since the summer and this task shall be completed before the company celebrates its 100th anniversary in December 2005.