27 July 2020

Transformation of leading UK and European rail leasing company continues

Beacon, the company offering the broadest UK and European rolling stock solution, launches its new brand identity and website today, Monday 27 July.

From its offices in Luxembourg and London, Beacon leases nearly 2,000 locomotives, freight wagons and passenger vehicles to train and freight operators across 17 countries¹, offering a unique variety of services.

Since 2017 Beacon has been owned by institutional investors advised by JP Morgan Asset Management. In this time Beacon has:

• invested substantially in expanding and updating its fleet²
• secured a€1.45bn equivalent re-financing package
• revamped its senior management team³
• centralised its operational base in Luxembourg and London

The new brand identity simplifies the company's trading name from Beacon Rail Leasing to Beacon⁴. It features a distinctive, modern wordmark with an illuminated yellow ‘O'. This is made of three concentric circles to illustrate the word ‘beacon' and suggest parallel railway tracks. The new website at www.beaconrail.com is built on a customised Wordpress platform. It showcases Beacon and its services to train and freight operators, industry stakeholders, the media and investors.

Beacon CEO, Adam Cunliffe, said: "We're delighted with our new brand identity and website. These are the latest steps in the transformation of Beacon. They reflect the agile and entrepreneurial nature of the services we provide, as we strengthen our position as Europe's leading lessor of rolling stock to passenger and freight train operators."

Paul Lewis, Head of Brand Strategy at Fellowship⁵, said: "It's been a pleasure to work with Beacon to help them refine and communicate their purpose, values and proposition. They now have a distinctive brand identity and contemporary website of a quality to match their ambitions. These new brand assets provide a robust platform for Beacon's sustained growth and success."

Ends

For further information contact:

Adam Cunliffe, CEO of Beacon Rail - T: +44 (0) 7967 595335

Elizabeth Mircica, General Counsel, Beacon Rail - T: +44 (0) 7769 71 1940
Paul Lewis, Head of Brand Strategy, Fellowship - T: +44 (0) 7803 705382

DOWNLOADABLE IMAGES to accompany this story are here   Password: B3aC0n-PR3sS#sn3V7y1jd

For a CASE STUDY of the Beacon brand transformation see here

Additional notes:

1. Beacon clients include Arriva, Avanti, Crossrail, Rheincargo, Europorte France, Lineas, Leo Express, Abellio, Go-Ahead, First Transpennine Express, First East Coast, VFLI, Takargo, Captrain Spain, Cargo Net, Hector Rail.
2. Recent fleet investments include 15 low emission Hybrid CBD90 shunting locomotives from Clayton Equipment, five Class 803 all electric units from Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe factory and a fleet of locomotives used by Colas Rail.
3. CEO Adam Cunliffe was previously CCO (UK & Europe) for Genessee & Wyoming Inc. CFO Clara Gómez-Ferrer Navarra was CFO at Noatum Ports in Spain.
4. The company will continue to be known as Beacon Rail Leasing in formal documents.
5. Fellowship is a strategic design and marketing agency based near Bury St Edmunds in eastern England - see www.fellowship.agency for more branding case studies.