Accuride Launches New Corporate Branding, Goes Live With Completely Upgraded Websites

EVANSVILLE, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Accuride Corporation (NYSE: ACW) – a leading supplier of components to the North American commercial vehicle industry – today introduced new corporate branding and unveiled a suite of new websites for the company and its business units. The brand launch features completely refreshed visual identity for Accuride Corporation and new brand positioning for its wheel and wheel-end components businesses in North America. The branding communicates Accuride’s commitment to delivering dependable performance for customers and reinforces Accuride’s proud heritage as a supplier of industry-leading commercial vehicle products for over a century. This brand promise and look and feel of the refreshed identity are reflected in each of Accuride’s upgraded corporate and business unit websites that went live today.

“It carries our message that everyone at Accuride has committed to deliver quality products on time, where and when customers need them. This means an experience with Accuride they can count on, from people they can trust. That’s the new Accuride.”

Branding Reflects Revitalized Accuride, Commitment to Dependable Performance

“Our new branding is all about our customers,” said Rick Dauch, Accuride President & CEO. “It carries our message that everyone at Accuride has committed to deliver quality products on time, where and when customers need them. This means an experience with Accuride they can count on, from people they can trust. That’s the new Accuride.”

Dauch said this commitment to achieving more reliable performance has been a driving force behind Accuride’s unprecedented investment of more than $130 million during 2011-2012 to:

• Upgrade its manufacturing operations,
• Install new production capacity at its wheel and wheel-end plants,
• Enhance the capabilities of its R&D and test facilities,
• Augment its engineering, quality and technical talent, and
• Convert to a common ERP system by 2014.

Contemporary New Identity

Accuride is launching a bold new look for the company’s identity that is both more reflective of the industry it serves and contemporary in appearance, starting with a new corporate logo. It features a reflective treatment of the company name, combined with a stylized letter ‘A’ enclosed within in a bold shield that is metallic in appearance. Supporting the branding’s look and feel is an “in-your-face” asphalt graphic that connects Accuride to its industry like nothing before.

Accuride Wheel End Solutions^TM

Accuride is uniquely positioned to meet customer needs for wheel and wheel-end components. Today, it is the only supplier to the commercial vehicle industry in North America capable of serving as a single source for its customers’ requirements for steel and aluminum wheels and wheel end components, such as its Gunite-brand brake drums, rotors, hubs and slack adjusters.

That is why Accuride is taking its Accuride Wheels and Gunite products to market jointly under the Accuride Wheel End Solutions™ brand being introduced today, which it positions as “Your Only Single Source for Industry-Leading Wheel End Solutions.” As part of the positioning, Accuride will continue to promote its wheel-end products under the Gunite brand name and identity.

“Our OEM, fleet and aftermarket customers have told us they value Accuride’s ability to offer them both our Accuride Wheels and Gunite products,” said Dauch. “Not only can we support customers’ total wheel and wheel end component needs, but we’re the sole North American supplier capable of doing so.”

Newly Upgraded Websites Go Live

Taking its new brand positioning to market are completely redesigned and updated corporate and business unit websites that feature improved navigation and updated content and graphics. The new websites also are easier to access than ever before, because their responsive design makes them scalable to a variety of smartphone and tablet computer applications. Accuride will continue to add content and functionality in the months ahead, incorporating the up-to-date online product and service information that its customers demand.

The revamped corporate website – www.AccurideCorp.com – provides visitors comprehensive information about the company’s capabilities, locations, leadership, sales teams, and career opportunities. There are separate sections with detailed information for Accuride’s investors, suppliers, prospective associates and news media. The next phase of development will include an all-new Investor section, event calendar, videos, and more.

The corporate site also provides a single-point-of-access for the company’s revamped business unit websites, including Brillion Iron Works (BrillionIronWorks.com) and Imperial Group (ImperialGroup.com). The Accuride Wheels and Gunite businesses are combined in an all-new site, AccurideWheelEndSolutions.com. Not only does it feature Accuride Wheels and Gunite product information, it also shares the benefits to customers of jointly marketing Accuride’s range of steel and aluminum wheel and wheel-end components. Additional functionality planned for this site includes an updated product search and cross-reference, a customer portal, instructional videos, and more.

Accuride developed the company’s new branding in partnership with Fire & Rain marketing communications, and its new websites with Gray Loon Marketing Group, both of Evansville, Ind.

About Accuride Corporation

With headquarters in Evansville, Ind., USA, Accuride Corporation is a leading supplier of components to the North American commercial vehicle industry. The company’s products include commercial vehicle wheels, wheel-end components and assemblies, truck body and chassis parts, and other commercial vehicle components. The company’s products are marketed under its brand names, which include Accuride^®, Accuride Wheel End Solutions^TM, Gunite^®, Imperial^TM and Brillion^TM. Accuride’s common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ACW. For more information, visit the Company’s website at http://www.accuridecorp.com.