Metallus Safety Logo Design
Client: Metallus (via Engaging Perspectives)
When Metallus (https://metallus.com/) needed a full overhaul of its internal safety initiative following a historically poor safety rating, I was contracted through Engaging Perspectives to develop a logo that would help reposition the program as a serious and integrated part of their company culture. The challenge was to create a mark that felt authentic to Metallus’ steelmaking roots while symbolizing a new commitment to employee wellbeing, family, and community.
Client feedback guided the final direction toward a more seal- or badge-like approach that could serve as a recognizable "safety bug," signaling participation in the program. Typography-driven options were also created to ensure the flexibility of the safety brand across print, digital, and onsite signage.
This project highlights the power of strategic visual storytelling to shift culture, rally teams, and reinforce new standards through design.
My design exploration centered around key themes pulled from leadership messaging — particularly the phrase “Safety is in our DNA.” Many of the logo studies used the letter "S" for Safety and Steel, integrated with structures resembling a DNA strand to convey that safety must be embedded at the core of the company. I incorporated the number three throughout: three rows suggesting DNA base pairs and heat bars; three pillars of the safety philosophy (Think Safe, Act Safe, Be Safe); and the three groups Metallus most wanted to impact — employees, their families, and investors.
Other studies evolved from the original Metallus logo elements, like the heat bars, reimagined to represent connection, collaboration, and care. One concept used the bars twisted into supportive hands holding a heart — symbolizing the Metallus community — while another reinterpreted the "S" as a flame, paying homage to the electric arc furnace process Metallus uses to build its steel, with a safety-focused "+" icon woven in.
Logo studies and client drafts.
