hansen-mueller environmental design
An innovative leader in the grain industry since 1979, Hansen-Mueller, Co. is a valued agricultural partner that provides a customized approach to commodities merchandising through price discovery, marketing, transportation and logistics. The team at Hansen-Mueller is driven to continuously improve and consistently meet the needs of its customers.
challenge
We built a powerful new brand core and brandscape around the organization’s central positioning statement, “Ahead of the Game,” and we needed to boldly express the true heart of the brand throughout the physical environment. The client felt that it was important for their office to have a different feel than most trading floors, which are usually messy and boisterous. While that may be the norm, that type of environment is not fertile for Hansen-Mueller’s forward-thinking approach to its business strategies.
solution
On the heels of the rebrand was an expansion and remodel of the client’s current office space. This was the perfect opportunity to freshly articulate the new brand in an environment that was being renovated from the ground up. Working in close collaboration with the general contractor, we were tasked with everything from space planning and carpet, paint and furniture selections, to lighting and consultation on architectural specifications. We conceived design elements that confidently express the values and personality of the brand, which are prominently displayed on the environment walls. The brand position and brand promise are featured on large, sound dampening mobile dividers to flexibly demise the environment as needed. Custom furniture pieces are used throughout, which are designed to break apart into multiple components to accommodate growth and flexibility.
impact
Upon entering the office, visitors are greeted by a large reception desk behind which stands a custom LED-backlit wall illuminating the Hansen-Mueller arrow. An echo of the new trademark, the arrow itself represents the anticipatory thinking that stands at the heart of the organization’s brand. Employees are thrilled with the features of the new space and feel invigorated by the setting, which powerfully inspires them to be “Ahead of the Game.”