Peel Ports Group - The Heart of Britain
Repositioning a Northern Powerhouse in the UK Steel Supply Chain
Campaign Strategy / Campaign Identity / Messaging Architecture / Visual Language Creation / Animation / Merchandise / Print
The Challenge
In a fast-evolving UK steel market, change is the only constant. With shifts in global supply chains, new trade routes emerging from India, Turkey and the Middle East, and major UK producers like Tata Steel reconfiguring operations, demand for flexible, well-connected import terminals is on the rise.
Peel Ports Group, one of the UK’s largest port operators, identified a clear opportunity: to position its Liverpool Steel & Metals Terminal as the prime gateway for steel imports serving the industrial heart of Britain.
With enhanced storage capacity, new discharge capabilities and a multimodal network linking directly to the Midlands and North West, the terminal was operationally ready. What it needed was a clear identity, bold messaging, and a campaign that would give it a powerful voice in the global steel market.
The Strategy
Our first task was to help Peel Ports articulate what made this terminal different and why now was the perfect time to tell its story.
We led a full brand and messaging strategy process, beginning with competitor and market analysis to understand where the greatest growth potential lay. The insight was clear:
Liverpool’s location placed it literally and strategically at the heart of Britain’s steel industry, offering faster, cheaper, and more sustainable access to the country’s major stockholders, processors, and fabricators - all without the congestion and delays of southern ports.
This became the foundation of our creative direction and to elevate the perception of the terminal, we proposed a complete renaming and rebranding, shifting from a purely functional identity to one with presence, confidence, and national relevance.
The Solution
The Liverpool Steel & Metals Terminal was reborn as The Heart of Britain Steel & Metals Network - a name that proudly asserts both geographic advantage and emotional connection to the UK’s industrial core.
The visual identity was designed to be bold, confident, and unmistakably northern, with clean typography, a strong geometric icon, and a refined colour palette combined to create a look that reflects both industrial strength and modern precision.
We developed a new suite of messaging to support Peel Ports’ sales, PR and marketing teams, built around the terminal’s key strengths. These headlines and supporting copy were crafted to speak directly to decision-makers in steel trading, logistics, and manufacturing - reinforcing operational credibility while highlighting commercial advantage.
The visual campaign was designed for impact and clarity across digital and print channels. Striking imagery, campaign messaging and crafted typography were paired with data-led design elements such as:
Strategic location maps, showing Liverpool’s proximity to key UK manufacturing regions
Detailed site maps and infographics, highlighting enhanced capacity and facilities
Hero photography of terminal operations, workers, and vessels, reinforcing the human and industrial scale of the offer
Campaign materials spanned digital assets, print brochures, on-site signage, trade press advertising, and social media visuals - all under a unified “Heart of Britain” narrative.
The Rollout
The campaign launched alongside Peel Ports’ operational expansion announcements, including the acquisition of Shed 7 (S7), which extended storage capacity and enabled simultaneous discharge of three vessels.
These tangible improvements gave credibility to the messaging and ensured the campaign was firmly grounded in reality, not rhetoric.
The rollout was supported by:
Sales materials for commercial teams targeting importers and steel traders
Press and PR communications positioning Peel Ports as a major player in the steel supply chain
Digital and social content to reach international audiences across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.