The colour design of lifting and lashing equipment used to be very conservative and based on standard specifications. This made RUD’s decision in 1994 to apply a pink coating to its products all the more spectacular. But the courage paid off: the colour scheme has become a trademark of the company and has created a real recognition value. Hermann Kolb, who is the current Head of the RUD Group’s Lifting and Lashing Equipment Division, was there when the decision was made and has followed 30 years in pink throughout. A talk about industry design and the question of what it triggers in customers, owners and employees.
Mr Kolb, you were involved when it was decided in 1994 that RUD’s lifting and lashing equipment should be pink in future. How did you and your colleagues come up with the design idea and what was the motivation behind it? From the perspective of your rather conservative industry, that was really spectacular at the time.
The starting point at the time was our pioneering development of a quality class 10 (grade 100) chain system. Something like this had never been technically possible before – and so the question cropped up as to how we could make this completely new product visually distinctive. Changes to the component geometry or component physics were out of the question, so it quickly became clear that if we wanted to stand out, the only way to do so was through colour. This is how the spectacular colour scheme came about, together with the corresponding product designation for chains, shackles, hooks and so on: VIP 100 = 100 naturally stands for the grade – and the VIP for ‘Verwechslungsfrei in Pink (non-mix-up in pink)’.
But why pink of all colours? – There would certainly have been other eye-catching colours possible.
That’s right, of course. But at the time, the colour pink was a symbol of progressiveness in many areas of everyday life – and had a correspondingly positive connotation. It still stands for progressiveness today.
What was your initial personal reaction to the idea?
I myself found the idea charming – not to say sexy – from the very first moment.
And how was the new design received within the company?
As you can probably imagine, there was a lot of banter. There was some discussion among the staff about the pros and cons, but in the end the vast majority quickly became very positive about the new design. The RUD owner family also clearly saw an opportunity in this unusual, modern colour scheme.
Let’s face it: pink lifting means for male dominated industries – wasn’t anyone worried that this might backfire?
Of course, the initial jibes did cause a few sleepless nights. But we didn’t let that put us off.
When was the decision made to actually go through with the new design concept and who made the final decision?
The decision to actually take the step towards pink was made just before a type test was announced in March 1994, and the final decision was made by a very small management and competence team of perhaps three or four people.
In your opinion, how long did it take for the company to identify with this colour and for it to be accepted internally? When the product design extends so far into the corporate design, it has a huge impact.
The identification with the new colour design came very quickly within the company. It did take some time until the Corporate Design was changed. But the first product catalogue on market launch was rather pink. So, the catalogue alone was already a revolution.
With regard to market launch: when was the new colour profile revealed for the first time? And what were the customer reactions?
We made our first public appearance with the pink-coloured lifting chains in April 1994, on the occasion of the Hanover Fair. The customer reactions ranged from incredulous shaking of heads to spontaneous applause for our courage. We experienced it all. There were also mixed reactions in the period that followed – especially in some foreign markets where the colour pink evokes certain prejudices. There was some amount of rejection. Occasionally we still experience that today.
Have you thought about a different design for those markets?
Our principle is that we stand by our decisions and do not give in to prejudice. In this respect, even in the face of such negative feedback, we said quite clearly: No, we won’t make any concessions – a RUD chain is a RUD chain, with everything that goes with it, including the colour. No one decides against a RUD product because they don’t like the colour. In professional circles, this is not reason for exclusion.
At what point did customers start to get used to the idea, in the sense of: “RUD, they’re the ones with the pink lifting and lashing equipment?”
Right from the start, we endeavoured to quickly convert our core range to the new quality class and therefore also to the new colour, starting with the lifting chains and components in nominal sizes 6 to 13 millimetres. So people got used to it pretty quickly.
Does the colour actually help with small talk? Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl was known to have had an aquarium in his office in Bonn. It was often a way to start the conversation and made the atmosphere more relaxed. Have you experienced something similar with the pink lifting and lashing equipment, such as a trade fairs?
At trade fair stands in particular, the design is still a typical introduction to many conversations. When visitors ask us why our products are pink, we’ve almost won – because that’s the perfect opportunity for our sales team.
Did the new design also have any effect that you hadn’t originally anticipated, but which worked in RUD’s favour?
There was indeed such an effect. When we tested the temperature resistance of the new components, we found that when the lifting and lashing means were exposed to very high temperatures in excess of 200°C, the pink coating changed significantly and permanently. They then gradually darken – the extent depends on the specific temperature load. We were able to create a real colour chart, in which the colour serves as a heat indicator. This allows the user to identify the degree of heat to which the component has been exposed based on the colour change of the coating. If the maximum allowable temperature of 380°C is exceeded, the components will turn a deep black – at which point the user of a chain, for example, will know that it needs to be replaced as a safety precaution, as it is very likely that excessive ambient temperatures have reduced its strength.
Anyone who takes a closer look will notice a lighter and darker pink version at RUD. What’s the reason and when is which version used?
These different shades of pink reflect two different stages of evolution. The original, lighter pink represents quality class 10 (grade 100), which was our highest quality class from 1994 to 2007. The darker pink has represented quality class 12 (grade 120) since 2007.
How is the colour even applied?
By using powder coating. The components are sprayed with the pink-coloured powder material in an advanced coating system, and this powder layer is then annealed and cured in a furnace.
And how long does the pink coating last in practice? After all, lifting and lashing equipment is exposed to heavy mechanical loads and often also to the weather.
It is natural that such a coating is not made to last forever. Especially when the products are used in harsh environments, the colour layer suffers. Although this does not have a negative impact on operational safety, it does reduce the recognisability as a RUD product. This is why we take great care to ensure that our products are not only colour coded, but also permanently embossed with the manufacturer, quality class and batch number.
Will customers accept the colour for weldable lifting points, which are usually a permanent part of a machine or plant design? Or does the pink colour have to make way for the user’s Corporate Design?
The majority of weldable lifting points are also supplied with a pink suspension ring, which is often covered during the painting process of the entire structure to preserve the colour. After all, the pink has an immediate signal effect. It indicates that this is where I need to hang or fix my chain and nowhere else. Lots of users see that as a big advantage.
If the pink colour has to go anyway: do you deliver such parts in a different colour or without paint from the outset?
Of course, we also respect customer requests for a colour-neutral surface or an individual colour scheme. This makes permanently embossed manufacturer, WLL and batch labelling all the more important. Ultimately, it is the crucial factor when it comes to safety.
Some lifting points from RUD are generally supplied with a yellow coating. Where does this difference come from?
These are lifting points that are intended as lifting points for securing persons. A yellow paint finish has become established on the market as a recognisable feature of such lifting points. This is not based on a standard; it has simply become common practice. However, in terms of product characteristics, these lifting points are no different from those intended for lifting or lashing. The only differences are the colour and the PPE certification that qualifies a lifting point as a person-securing lifting point.
Let’s go back to the colour pink to finish – looking back, how do you rate the decision to choose this colour? Did it meet with your expectations, and would you make the same decision again?
Yes, even looking back, we would always make the same decision. Our expectations were definitely more than fulfilled. Any remaining doubts from the early days quickly disappeared anyway and gave way to genuine enthusiasm for the new colour scheme. The decision was perfect, there’s no other way to put it. And it also has a future: in professional circles, the association ‘RUD = pink’ has achieved an extremely high level of acceptance, and I believe this will remain the case for a long time to come.
