It's a single drop of water, but one that has a familiar look to it and that contains a flood of significance.
The logo – which pays homage to Liberty’s radiant heart design and colors – was recently unveiled along with a new brand for the Chilean water utility formerly known as Empresa de Sericios Sanitarios de Los Lagos (ESSAL): Suralis. The new name means “belonging to the south” and holds special meaning as it connects the company with the region it serves, known as “the south of the country.”
The utility company was founded in 1990, providing water supply and sanitation in the Los Rios and Los Lagos regions of Chile; it currently has nearly 250,000 connections, serving approximately 750,000 people.
“Leading up to purchasing ESSAL in October 2020, our utility acquisitions were solely in the U.S. and Canada. ESSAL was our first venture into international utilities. We closed on our second – the Bermuda Electric Light Company – in November of the same year.”
Soon after the close of the acquisition, the ESSAL and Liberty teams began the rebranding process with the aim of visually aligning the new company with Liberty’s purpose of sustaining energy and water for life, while recognizing the company’s roots and the customers served in the region. The team tested various names and logos, working in conjunction with employees, customers and key stakeholders before deciding on an identity that connects with the people and culture of southern Chile.
“It’s one of the milestones in our company’s transformation process,” says Sebastian Febres, General Manager of Suralis. “The design came after a complete review that prioritized listening to the expectations of our customers and putting the environment and operation excellence at the center of what we do.”
The change from ESSAL to Suralis incorporated Liberty’s emphasis on the essential value of water for life and places the needs of its customers and care for the environment at the center of day-to-day operations.
As work began on the rebranding of the company, so did efforts to improve infrastructure, modernize equipment, and improve reliability. Since the acquisition, Suralis has worked to strengthen the water system in Osorno, expanded the sewage treatment plant in Purranque, and expanded the plant in Futrono.
But that’s only the beginning, says Febres.
“For the next five years, we will implement the largest investment plan that the company has developed,” he says. “It’s an investment of 100 billion pesos to continue advancing and reinforcing our operations in the communities we serve.”