Mannok discusses its rebranding

Following news first announced in September, the renaming of Quinn to Mannok was officially completed on 16 November and the business continues to roll out new packaging and marketing support materials across its full suite of products. PBM discusses the background to the rebrand and outlines the latest steps.

The ongoing challenge of coronavirus and the transition to a post-Brexit future ensures that many things in the market can be considered rather less than normal at present, yet undertaking a full scale rebrand — including a change from a well-established company name — has to be considered a bold move in any context. Yet in the weeks following Quinn’s transition to Mannok, the company has already scooped a host of industry awards and received positive feedback from customers about the new moniker and distinctive branding.

Indeed, the company asserts that continuing with its rebrand plans even in such a challenging landscape “gives a very strong signal of our intention to our customers, to our 800 strong workforce, and to the wider construction industry, and that is a very firm commitment — a message that we are here for the long term and we are going to continue to advance, invest and innovate in the same progressive manner they have come to expect from us”.

Placing the decision into context, the firm has been operating for almost 50 years, having been founded in 1973, and has expanded from the original quarry aggregates business to become what is described as one of the most diverse producers of building materials in the UK and Ireland (production sites actually straddle the border on the outskirts of Derrylin, near Enniskillen, in County Feramanagh). The product portfolio now includes a full PIR and EPS insulation range, bulk and bagged cement products, aircrete blocks, concrete roof tiles, and a range of precast concrete elements.

The decisive move to rename the company as Mannok — a name which derives from Fear Manach, the origin of its Fermanagh home — is the next step in a “five-year transformation and investment programme” following its acquisition in 2014 by the current owners. Since then, around €60m has been invested to expand the product ranges, enhance the service offerings alongside improvements in infrastructure, process efficiencies and its sustainability credentials.

The development period has also seen employment increase by almost 200 people and has been designed to position the company for further growth, particularly in the GB market.

Now, the company states it is in its strongest position since acquisition, with a strong financial footing, and has “earned a solid reputation as a trusted supplier of quality building materials. The rebranding from Quinn to Mannok is a major milestone for us, but very much part of the strategic development plan to build a robust brand name which appeals to the wider industry and fits with the expansion plans for the long term”.

The company’s CEO, Liam McCaffrey, continued: “For our customers, they can expect more of the same, so they’ll have access to the same products and be dealing with the same people, and I think it’s very important to reassure our customers that they can still rely on that. There will be administrative changes associated with the name change, but the processes around ordering stock, deliveries and customer support are not affected by the name change.

“As we move forward under the Mannok name, we will continue to enhance our processes to ensure the best customer experience. A key objective for us is to expand our product range, and this is a message which will appeal to our merchant customer base and in turn, their customers.”

With the name change hitting the market in November, merchant customers will already be familiar with the new brand — incorporating distinctive colours and the standout M logo — however the full rebrand will take up to 12 months to complete. The company notes that its product packaging and promotional materials for merchant customers are a “high priority” and further rollouts are happening at pace — for example, the new look cement bags are in production along with new brochures, POS, signage and more rebranded products and packaging to follow.

An early endorsement for Mannok came at the 2020 NBG Supplier Awards, held in a ‘virtual ceremony’ in late November, which saw the firm collect four awards under its new identity. Voted for by the buying group’s merchant Partners in each of NBG’s eight Category Management Teams (CMTs) as well as accolades for the overall Product and both heavyside and lightside Brands of the Year, Mannok secured the General Building CMT title in addition to winning Product of the Year for its NBG-exclusive Master Grade Cement. The firm also secured the Heavyside Brand of the Year title as well as taking a special ‘Lockdown Hero of the Year’ award.

Lee Gillman, Mannok’s GB Sales Director, said: “Each one of these awards means a great deal to us, and reassures us that we are doing right by our customers, both in terms of the products we’re producing and the service we’re providing.

“Given the unprecedented challenges 2020 has presented, to receive the newest award at this year’s event, Lockdown Hero, is a very special achievement for us. Like every other business, we’ve had to adapt in any way we could to service our customers safely, and the whole team have worked incredibly hard to ensure we support our customers throughout.”

For more information on Mannok’s product range and support services for merchants, go to: https://www.mannokbuild.com/