Rpower: VSG to phase out Butler workshop equipment brand

Vehicle Service Group (VSG) describes its business in Europe, Middle East and Africa as the “successful result of the merger of several companies with different traditions and cultures.” These include “an Italian soul” driven by the Ravaglioli, Butler, Space, and Sirio brands and a German counterpart centred around Rotary, Blitz, and Elektron. Currently two hands are needed when counting members of the VSG EMEA brand portfolio – but soon just two fingers will be necessary.

The company has shared its new brand strategy for VSG EMEA, and central to this strategy is ‘Rpower’ – a combination of the power and strengths of Ravaglioli and Rotary. The other brands, including Butler, will be phased out.

The decision to focus on Ravaglioli and Rotary was taken against a backdrop of digital transformation and vehicle electrification. VSG EMEA believes it will be able to offer a “comprehensively strong product range” with these two brands and gain additional market share both in the EMEA region and globally.

VSG Group considers Ravaglioli “by far the main brand today in Europe” as it accounts for around 60 per cent of VSG EMEA revenues and is represented by a complete product portfolio in most European countries. Rotary is VSG Group’s “most important brand worldwide,” only ranking second to Ravaglioli due to its current sole focus on the lifting sector.

Applying Rpower brand strategy

Beyond further developing the brand with additional innovation and technology, VSG says the implementation of Rpower won’t lead to any significant changes for Ravaglioli. Rotary, on the other hand, will evolve in two phases.

Phase one will last until the end of 2022 and see Rotary placed alongside the Butler and Blitz brands. Wolf-Erik Schmitt, director of marketing and communication at VSG EMEA, says that this arrangement will be evident at this year’s Automechanika show. VSG EMEA will then complete a final integration next year, with current and future Butler and Blitz products sold under the Rotary brand name. Ravaglioli and Rotary will thus become the brands that VSG EMEA uses on all its products, with each providing its own complete product range.

VSG EMEA has already planned “significant investments” in developing new products, digital solutions and marketing activities for the two brands. The main aim of these investments is to offer end users the “best solution on the market.” It adds that no ”critical changes” await VSG EMEA operations. The company states that “manufacturing competence and technology centres will remain unchanged” and will “support the growth of the two brands.”

“We are convinced that the new Rpower brand strategy is an element essential for winning today’s market challenges together with our customers,” says Simone Ferrari, vice-president and general manager of VSG EMEA. “Concentrating our resources on these two brands will allow us to increase their value while at the same time serve the end users of our products in the best possible way.”