SW Water renamed as Pennon

South West Water is rebranding its operation to more accurately reflect the company’s evolved business portfolio.

The company will be renamed Pennon Group and its business activities will be separated into two subsidiary operations.

Naming has been carried out in-house, with Exeter consultancy AB Graphics working on identities.

The announcement comes shortly after French holding company Compagnié Générale des Eaux rebranded as Vivendi, reflecting the water company’s broadened portfolio (DW 22 May).

The original water and sewage businesses will continue to operate as South West Water. Waste management and environmental instruments businesses are to operate as Viridor.

The company hopes to launch Viridor, concerned principally with waste management and environmental instruments, within the next fortnight.

“Viridor is Latin for ‘to make greener’ and was chosen to reflect the environmental bent of the company. The identity will reflect that,” says a South West Water spokesman.

The new holding company’s name, Pennon Group, is pending shareholder approval at its annual general meeting in July.

The name denotes a tapering flag, which resembles the appearance of the south-west peninsula. The identities will appear on stationery, literature and liveries.