For over 25 years I have watched my dad, Tim Sharp the Operation Manager for Tri-State Electric, build his career. During the years I was growing up, I too was building my own career by developing into an artist and graphic designer. Luckily for Back40 Design Group and Tri-State Industrial Group, these worlds crossed paths when I was given the honor of redesigning Tri-State’s web site.
Gary E. Allison, CEO and President of Tri-State, contacted Back40 for the company’s website redesign. Gary, whose daughter was once my babysitter, came into his design meetings with an open mind and a willingness to explore the options Back40 was presenting for his company.
Tri-State recognized their need for a new website, but they were initially unsure of redesigning their company logo. Gary told me all about Tri-State so their logo design would communicate who they truly are and strive to be as a company. It was interesting to me how close I felt to Tri-State through my dad. When I was given the opportunity to discuss their company in our design meetings, I found that there was much more to learn.
It became very evident to me that Gary’s company was impressive in their professionalism, knowledge, expertise, and creative thinking. Through our design meetings, we concluded Back40 would address the foundation of his brand image, which at the time did not reflect all of the things which make Tri-State the total industrial solution. We first redesigned his existing logo and then created logos for their sub-companies, which further helped their business functionality.
The design process began and Back40 developed a completely new look and feel for Tri-State. The first step was choosing a font that would have a strong impact and a modern edge. The font then went through design changes and slight form adjustments. Creating a unique and custom shape from the blue icon to the first letter.
The icon was created to represent the energy and movement in the various forms which Tri-State constructs, forms, controls, and automates to deliver results for their clients. The projects and contracts they work on push their clients to the next level and create a positive flow, which is represented by the flows in the icon. We went from transparent, to 100% color, then straight into their name.
The color blue was chosen which relates to the state of mind that “the sky is the limit.” It’s a good representation of their company because they’re the experts for so many cross over industrial challenges. The blue color also gives their new image a solid, stable, timeless industrial feel which reflects the longevity of Tri-State.
This new identity was then carried over into their web design. The new look portrays Tri-State’s open mindedness in terms of business solutions and reflects their innovative thinking. The website is very simple, clean, and easy to navigate. I also had the privilege of creating Tri-State’s business cards, letterhead, and brochure designs. They all work together, as a unit, with the logo and website design look and feel through print.
“We were looking for a web presence to help take our business to the next level. The team at Back40 designed a site that gave us the professional image and presence we were striving for. Thanks Back40.”
–Gary E Allison
I am thankful to design for Back40 Design Group which values relationships and connections, as well as effective design. We look forward to future projects with Tri-State Industrial Group.