Tony Grist
FULDA, GERMANY (13.11.2024)
In a recent interview, Nejc Zavrl, Group Director of Marketing at Mehler Systems, shared insights into the goals, challenges, and achievements resulting from a significant strategic realignment within the company.
As 2023 came to a close, Mehler Systems underwent a pivotal restructuring and rebranding initiative aimed at streamlining the Group’s presence and enhancing its impact in global markets. This effort established Mehler Systems as the new umbrella brand, incorporating Mehler Protection—a newly integrated entity—alongside the specialised brands UF PRO and Lindnerhof.
Q: What prompted the company restructuring andrebranding?
A: The brand restructuring was driven by a strategic need to unify and strengthen our Group identity. Overtime, our individual brands—Mehler Vario System, Mehler Law Enforcement, Mehler Engineered Defence, UF PRO, and Lindnerhof—each developed strong market presences and distinct identities. However, this independence led to fragmentation, limiting our ability to present a coherent and unified image to the market.
Our main goal was to create a robust umbrella brand that embodies our ambition to become a world leader in ballistic protection, tactical clothing, and carrying systems. We aimed to bring together the strengths of each sub-brand while maintaining their unique market positions under a unified system.
This alignment fosters better internal collaboration, reduces redundancies, and helps us present a stronger, unified face to our clients and partners worldwide.
Q: How did the restructuring and rebranding process unfold?
A: The journey began with a comprehensive analysis of our Group’s brand architecture, market positioning, and the potential synergies between our brands. We examined both internal perspectives and external market data to identify gaps and opportunities. The goal was to understand how our individual brands—Mehler VarioSystem, Mehler Law Enforcement, Mehler Engineered Defence, Mehler Protective System, UF PRO, and Lindnerhof—could be better aligned under a unified strategy.
With this information, we defined clear objectives: unification of identity, structured brand hierarchy, and closer integration of acquired brands. This strategic groundwork established the foundation for the MehlerSystems umbrella brand and guided all subsequent steps in the process.
The next phase involved developing a cohesive brand identity for Mehler Systems and defining how each sub-brand would fit within the new framework. This included creating a distinctive visual identity for Mehler Systems and Mehler Protection, covering elements like the logo, colour schemes, and brand patterns that would convey innovation, quality, and precision.
We then defined the roles of Mehler Protection, UF PRO, and Lindnerhof within this new hierarchy. Mehler Protection was positioned as the unified brand for our various protection divisions, consolidating Mehler VarioSystem, Mehler Law Enforcement, Mehler Engineered Defence, and Mehler Protective System under one cohesive offering. UF PRO and Lindnerhof maintained their unique identities but were endorsed as “Part of Mehler Systems.” Additionally, we refined the visual identities of UF PRO and Lindnerhof to align more closely with the new brand identity.
Internal alignment was a critical step. We organised a series of workshops, meetings, and communications to ensure all employees understood the rationale behind the restructuring and how the new visual identity would support our strategic goals. Transparent communication was key here, as we wanted to address questions, ease any concerns, and inspire confidence in the new direction.
This included the development of resources and guidelines to help employees adapt to the new brand architecture, from updated email domains and signatures to social media strategies and customer communication protocols. The rebranding guide offered insights into the new brand structure, core values, and how each individual’s contributions aligned with our overarching goals.
We timed the rebranding rollout to coincide with one of our most important trade shows—Milipol —where we showcased the new brand visuals to the larger public for the first time. We launched new websites for Mehler Systems and Mehler Protection, integrated existing product information, and introduced our unified visual identity across digital channels. All social media channels, websites, and marketing materials were updated to reflect the new brand identities, with Mehler Protection’s digital presence replacing individual sites for Mehler Vario System, Mehler Law Enforcement, and Mehler Engineered Defence.
During this stage, we emphasised clear messaging to our customers, focusing on the benefits of the unified brand, including a more integrated product offering and a simplified customer journey.
Q: With Mehler Protection now integrating multiple divisions, how does this impact product offeringsand services?
Mehler Protection now integrates several previously independent divisions, including Mehler Vario System, Mehler Law Enforcement, Mehler Engineered Defence, and Mehler Protective System. This integration has allowed us to present a comprehensive and unified portfolio of protection solutions under one brand. Customers now have a single point of reference for all their needs in ballistic protection, whether it’s for personal body armour, carrying systems, or platform protection.
Operationally, this integration has streamlined ourproduct offerings and marketing efforts. Instead of presenting products through fragmented channels, we now offer a more holistic range under the Mehler Protection brand, which simplifies the customer journey and increases efficiency in how we deliver solutions. By consolidating our divisions, we also create opportunities for cross-innovation between units, further improving thequality and variety of our products.
Q: How did you develop the new visual identity for Mehler Systems?
When defining our visual identity, we focused on two key concepts: “precision“ and “systems“. All companies within our Group design and manufacture products that protect the lives of service members, and “precision“ is crucial in our design and manufacturing processes. Moreover, our companies don’t just create individual products; they develop complete systems that works seamlessly together to provide maximum protection and functionality.
Our design agency proposed an innovative concept: starting the visual presentation with a grid, symbolizing the essence of precision. From this grid, we developed a pattern representing separate elements that coalesce into a “system.” These elements form an “M” for”Mehler,” which, combined with the wordmark, creates the complete Mehler Systems logo.
The visual identity also incorporates various patterns that evolve from the original grid. These patterns not only serve as a distinctive visual identifier for Mehler Systems but also act as visual connectors between the umbrella brand and its sub-brands.
The pattern system can be applied to all our communication touch points, including products. On products, it doesn’t only serve as visual recognition for the Group but can also provide added functionality. For instance, we can incorporate no-slip or anti-abrasion features in the shape of the pattern on the products.
The rationale behind our visual identity development also guided us in crafting our slogan: “When Precision Matters.” We aim for our Group to be recognised for creating precision-engineered systems that servicemen and women can depend on in critical situations. We believe this slogan aptly captures our commitment to excellence.
In essence, we’ve created more than just a new logo, typography, and color scheme. We’ve developed a comprehensive brand system that enables us to communicate our Group and sub-brands effectively and distinctively.
Q: Did you anticipate the multiple awards our newvisual identity received this year?
A: Our objective with the new visual identity was never about winning design awards—it was to accomplish our core business goals by creating a cohesive and impactful brand system. However, it is certainly flattering to see industry professionals recognise the hard work and dedication behind this project. Winning prestigious awards like the Red Dot Design Award and recognition from the Art Directors Club is a testament to the strategic choices we made. These acknowledgments reinforce that we’re not only meeting our internal goals but also setting new standards in design and branding within our industry.
It’s also a testament to how fortunate I am to work with such a talented and dedicated internal team, as well as competent external partners, who made this all possible.
Q: How has the market responded to the rebrandingafter one year?
A: Establishing Mehler Systems as a unified brand has significantly increased recognition, building trust and reinforcing our credibility as a comprehensive provider in protective systems and tactical equipment.
This unification has brought our sub-brands closer together while preserving their individual identities. It enables us to leverage each sub-brand’s strengths and communicate our shared values of quality, innovation, and reliability to our customers. They now better understand that we’re all part of the same Group and can expect consistent dedication to excellence across our brands.
About Mehler Systems:
Mehler Systems Group is an international and global leader dedicated to exceptional ballistic protection and tactical-gear solutions for law enforcement, the military, and special forces.
The Mehler Systems Group is home to the brands of Mehler Protection, Lindnerhof, and UF PRO. Mehler Protection is known for its body and platform armour solutions, UF PRO is an expert in top-tier tactical garment systems, while Lindnerhof stands out for its innovative carrying solutions and tactical equipment.With a presence in over 40 countries, Mehler Systems has established itself as a leader, known for its innovation and dedication to raising the bar in the industry over the past four decades. For more information about Mehler Systems, please visit mehler-systems.com
About Nejc Zavrl:
Nejc Zavrl serves as the Group Marketing Director at Mehler Systems, overseeing the marketing and brandstrategies across the organization. He began his careeras Head of Marketing at UF PRO, where he establisheda strong brand presence in tactical clothing. Following UF PRO’s acquisition by Mehler Systems, Zavrl moved into a group-level role, focusing on the alignment and coordination of brand activities across the entire Mehler Systems portfolio. His work ensures consistency and strategic focus within the group’s diverse marketing initiatives.
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