Cobalt Success Story

Cobalt helps Solenis tell consistent stories across eight years and under three namesIn an eight-year partnership with specialty chemical supplier Solenis, Cobalt has delivered consistency across a number of projects under three distinct brands. We have worked directly with the company’s marketing team and as collaborators with other creative agencies to create a full range of materials, demonstrating flexibility and delivering high-quality, cost-effective content.

THE INITIAL NEEDOn the Thursday before a holiday weekend in 2007, a small Delaware ad agency called Cobalt for help. Hercules Paper Technologies and Ventures (HPTV), one of their biggest clients, was unhappy with an internal writer’s copy for HPTV’s new 12-page capabilities brochure. Could Cobalt step in and rewrite it all? Our introduction to the company was a wildly accelerated three-day assignment to overhaul the whole brochure.

THE SOLUTIONWe dug in and imagined “Shaping the Future of Paper” as an overarching concept. In collaboration with an art director, we found custom-made origami figures to express the idea visually. The final product was hugely well-received, and led to a series of print ads incorporating the same origami artwork. Cobalt’s approach focused on HPTV’s scientists, humanizing the company and emphasizing the importance of people in developing new solutions and successful relationships.

ONGOING CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONSIn 2008, a merger with Ashland, Inc. discontinued the Hercules name and renamed the HPTV division to Ashland Water Technologies (AWT). Cobalt developed a brochure for the merged brand’s first major public presentations and then, in 2012, worked with a partner agency to launch a major initiative called Ashland Advantage.

In 2014, Ashland Water Technologies was sold, and the industrial water and pulp and paper business units became Solenis. The new name, a portmanteau rooted in “solutions” and “genesis,” underscored the company’s mission to generate solutions for its customers. Cobalt became part of the team to organize, edit and revise content for the new Solenis website. Cobalt interacted with 12 marketing managers, collaborated effectively with teams from two other agencies, created or contributed to 130 pages, and delivered the Solenis site on time.

THE RESULTSCobalt continues to work with Solenis in completing the transition to its new brand and structure. Since 2015, we have edited articles, developed new collateral copy, and provided strategic input on a new recognition program. Our long-term relationship with Solenis is sustained by our strategic thinking, our creative talent, and our writing skills.

This collaboration expresses the best characteristics of the freelance economy. The company’s marketing members can spend more flexibly by contracting only when they need content experts, with systems in place for hassle-free invoicing and payment. The relationship allows us to contribute value by combining a deep understanding of their history and operations with an outsider’s unbiased perspective.

CLIENT

Solenis, a leading global manufacturer of specialty chemicals, began 100 years ago as a manufacturer of gunpowder, and has diversified and grown into a worldwide supplier to the paper, pulp, oil and gas and other industrial industries.

DELIVERABLES

Beginning with the overhaul of one major brochure, this eight- year collaboration has maintained a consistent, reliable voice through the growing company’s restructurings and name changes, delivering everything from concept development through production of ad copy, print collateral, video scripts, and online content.

IMPACT

“Cobalt is staffed with good listeners who can readily assimilate, grasp and understand the complex information associated with our business. We count on their team to simplify and organize our messages.”

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COBALT COMMUNICATIONS • THE ART AND SCIENCE OF UNDERSTANDING

The Art + Science of Understanding

Cobalt Success Story Solenis

THE WORK

Cobalt works at the intersection of science and strategy, helping healthcare, medical, technology and scientific companies engage their internal and external audiences more effectively.

© 2017 Cobalt Communications, Inc.

Cobalt’s work with Solenis has produced an array of materials over the years, including brochures, such as the origami brochure; print ads, for both Hercules and Ashland Water Technologies; product microsites; and technology-focused videos.

Pre- and post-Hercules, Cobalt has been able to flex its creative muscles, providing content development and design for sell sheets, infographics and more.

As the company transitioned from Ashland to Solenis in 2014, Cobalt supported a number of projects, including the launch of the company’s new website and key initiatives, such as the Solenis North American Equipment Services.

PeoPle Making great CheMistry haPPen

Tissue makers have to face consumer demands every day — demands for softer, stronger and more absorbent products at no extra cost. Whether producing premium brands or value brands for consumers and the away-from-home market, the need to improve product quality and machine productivity never ends.

Sometimes, though, these conflicting demands seem impos-sible to reconcile. You can reduce cost by increasing machine speed and substituting lower-cost fibers, but this can come at the expense of product quality. Slowing down can improve product softness, but can result in a higher cost.

As the world’s largest supplier of creping technology to the tissue industry, Hercules provides integrated solutions that are designed and formulated to help you meet your specific needs. Chemicals that improve the tissue-making operation, when combined with Hercules’ hands-on approach, can resolve your particular tissue production and quality issues.

• Creping adhesives• release agents• Cylinder protection

additives

• tissue softness and creping improvements

• Converting additives

Specialized chemical treatments that include:

Hercules Paper Technologies and Ventures is dedicated to helping pulp and paper mills operate more efficiently and profitably. Achieving this goal requires a state-of-the-art product portfolio that addresses nearly every aspect of papermaking. It also requires a cadre of field sales representatives, applications engineers, and support scientists to apply these solutions in a specific mill environment. At Hercules, you get the best of both worlds — innovative chemistries and innovative people dedicated to your success.

TiSSue TechnologyBringing the right products and people to your papermaking

creping Adhesive Technologyour technology controls adhesion between the tissue and the yankee cylinder under variable operating conditions, including the extremes of high or low moisture and high temperatures. key benefits include:• Increased production speed• Improved creping uniformity• Improved doctor blade life• Improved heat transfer to reduce

energy costs• Corrosion protection for the cylinder• Improved softness and hand-feel

New, patented, fully crosslinked creping adhesives open up the operating window on the machine, allowing improved machine efficien-cies and reduced energy consumption on any Yankee surface.

coating Modifier Technologyto control rewettability, coating development, rheology, and uni-formity, our technology modifies the adhesive coating. key benefits include:• Controlled adhesion• Bulk/caliper improvements• Increased stretch• Coating uniformity

yankee cylinder conditioning Technologyyou can extend the operational life of the yankee cylinder with our specifically developed con-ditioning products that provide exceptional protection. other key benefits are:• Longer run times and higher

production potential• Overall improvement of the coating

film formation• Prolonged doctor blade life• Easier start-up after regrinds

Release Technologythis technology provides you with a consistent and uniform coating film to aid in the release of the sheet from the yankee cylinder. Benefits include:• Increased doctor blade life• Control of coating buildup• Improved ply bonding in converting• Yankee cylinder edge control

new multifunctional release agents change the technology curve with the release agent to add additional sheet properties, such as improved softness or increased absorbency.

ouR TiSSue poRTfolio:

“ Our commitment

to innovation

leads to superior

results for our

customers, for

consumers, and for

the environment.”