Tech M3, Inc. (PureForge)

 SITUATION 

Tech M3, Inc. (d.b.a. RayGun Technology) engaged The Townsend Advisers team at a turning point in the company’s development. The company was sitting on a truly revolutionary metal surfacing technology, which they had used to create innovative brake products for consumer motorcycles.  However, the company viewed the consumer motorcycle market as a “stepping stone”  and “real world” testing experience before pursuing fleet markets.  When Townsend Advisers began working with Tech M3, Inc., management was ready to make the leap.

SERVICES

Tech M3, Inc. requested Townsend Adviser’s assistance in the service areas of market research, branding, and public relations. Townsend Advisers began a strategic relationship with Tech M3, Inc. through a market research project where we interviewed RayGun customers via telephone to gauge perceptions of the brand and products. With this information, Townsend facilitated a BrandTrack workshop with the entire Tech M3, Inc. management team. The BrandTrack workshop is a great tool to not only solidify a company’s brand promise, but also evaluate major strategic considerations.  During the BrandTrack the executive team made two major decisions: it was time to shift the target market to police and commercial fleet vehicles, and the RayGun brand needed to be shelved. Townsend helped outline the promise, attributes, and personality of the new brand, but it took a few weeks to come up with the company’s new brand name – PureForge.  PureForge is an ideal brand combining the word “Pure” which communicates clean technology long with “Forge” which communicates advanced metallurgy and surface science. With the PureForge brand and new target market, Tech M3, Inc. needed to publicize their new story. To help them tell their story, we worked with management to develop a PR strategy and release schedule, and we are currently writing, releasing and managing the PureForge PR campaign.

OUTCOME

While working with Tech M3, Inc. the company has transitioned markets from consumer to commercial and changed brands from RayGun to PureForge.  Tech M3, Inc. was able to secure $5 million in Series A financing and is in the process of closing on their Series B financing at a significantly higher valuation.  The reception of the brakes in police department pilot testing has been phenomenal, and the demand among police departments continues to grow. The company is working to expand their product line to Crown Victoria police cars, as well as trucks and vans in the near future. The market’s reaction to the new brand and company direction has reinvigorated Tech M3, Inc. and the company’s prospects are very bright.

WORDS FROM CEO DOUG WALL

“We engaged Townsend Advisers to lead our re-branding, public relations, and other key marketing projects, and we consider Townsend Advisers a key member of our team and a strategic partner. We have been extremely pleased with Townsend Advisers’ re-branding strategy from RayGun to PureForge as well as the tagline ‘We Make Metal Tougher’. Townsend Advisers has done a phenomenal job helping to position PureForge as a safer, high performance brake manufacturer and market leader focused on law enforcement and commercial fleets. We are excited to partner with Townsend Advisers as they have assisted with strategic direction, counsel and connections for our business plan, fund raising, media plan, public relations, market research, trade shows, sales support, and marketing. We highly recommend Townsend Advisers to any high growth or technology driven company. We could not be happier with all the tremendous value Townsend Advisers has created for PureForge.”