The company, which supplies standard and custom lifters, has been working on the relaunch for almost a year, having set out last spring to position the business closer to end users, distributors and potential partners.
At the heart of the site, powered by web developer WeCreate, is Caldwell’s full catalog of below-the-hook and other lifting equipment, and SmartSpec, a digital tool that allows distributors to configure products. SmartSpec resembles other advanced product configurators but includes customization options to dealers specifically looking for non-standard equipment.
“As an organization, we have been putting a lot of emphasis on evolution, whether it be through our products or our internal culture. The website needed to better reflect that same mindset. Also, we keep talking about improving the customer experience—how can we make our partners’ lives easier? The website was a big part of that. The pricing and quoting aspect built into the site will ultimately help customers become more efficient, whether it’s dealers logging in to view standard catalog pricing or source custom solutions,” said Darrin Noe, director of sales, Caldwell.
“If you want a catalog product, it’s right there in front of you. If you want something a little more customizable, you can click a button to take you to SmartSpec. And if you’re hunting for a full blown, one-off system, you can contact our sales staff from that same window.”
Noe explained the new logo’s color theme represents continuity of the brand’s identity, while also indicating towards a new era and direction for the company. He credits Jose Pelaez, a Minnesota-based designer with the ‘slung C’ concept, versus the more tightly cradled look of the old logo. Pelaez provided a rendition of the logo that was slightly edited into what it is today. The modernized sling look originated from his work, however.
Caldwell has blended the products of J.C. Renfroe (JCR) and RUD with the site’s comprehensive product offering. JCR is a subsidiary of The Caldwell Group, which is proud to announce it meets ASME BTH (below-the-hook) Design Category C; Caldwell and the RUD Group, meanwhile, have united their sales and marketing activities in North America for material handling and lifting devices within a common organization.
It has been a long-term strategy to maintain these brand identities, while continuing to synthesize them into the Caldwell family. The Renfroe section currently links to the existing JCR website, but the plan is to begin overhauling that particular site in the coming months. A new landing page was developed by RUD partners in Germany that is specific to the US and Canadian audiences.
By Jenny Eagle
