Fortera
A climate tech startup focused on developing and manufacturing low-carbon cement to drastically reduce the environmental impact of traditional cement production. As their first designer I created their logo and helped shape Fortera’s identity. In addition, my responsibilities also included producing motion, film, and photography for marketing and events.
My Role
Logo, Branding, Video, Animation, Web, Presentations, Events
My Team
Sherry Chapman - VP of Marketing
Jon Wilcox - Marketing Manager
Courtney Fone - Design Lead
Michael Chen - Graphic Designer
Renee Edelman - Graphic Designer
I designed Fortera’s logo with the understanding that the wave was a legacy mark to be kept.
Fortera is a company with over 20 years of research and history. Founded by former team members of Calera, the iconic wave symbol carried over and became a legacy. Through establishing strong partnerships within the cement industry, Fortera’s messaging became clear to others. With the plus was added as a nod to our willingness to partner with other cement companies, this allowed us to position the brand as a startup capable of transforming an industry responsible for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions.
What does the wave represent?
We've invented a way to manufacture low-carbon cement that is commercialization-ready and able to economically scale globally.
Focusing on partnerships, I introduced a plus symbol in the logo. This eventually became a core part of Fortera’s key messaging and visual.
Why did partnerships become the core brand strategy?
The economics of sustainable cement depended on integrating new technology into existing cement infrastructure. Learning to coexist with current cement plants enabled a smoother transition from lab-scale research to commercial-scale manufacturing.
My team planned and crafted moments for events to support the partnership journey which became critical to Fortera’s success with their Series D. I was responsible for not only filming, photographing, and traveling to events, but also assisting in designing and editing content for socials.
These partnerships help bring climate-focused solutions to market, support commercialization, and align with broader decarbonization efforts in the cement and construction sectors.
With the responsibility of the main logo, the product logo was also designed by me. The goal was to create something that could work as a label and be seen a sustainable product.
Fortera’s ReAct cement is a lower-carbon alternative to traditional cement. It works by using carbon dioxide as part of the manufacturing process, turning CO2 into a useful ingredient instead of releasing it into the air. The result is a cement that performs like conventional cement but with a much smaller environmental footprint.
We ordered branded supersacks that came directly from the plant and also had the opportunity to wrap both the cement truck and company truck. Packaging and shipping needs created an opportunity for strong brand visibility throughout distribution and transit.
What was their product?
Fortera’s ReAct Cement Becomes First Low-Carbon Cement to Meet All Six ASTM C1157 Categories.
I attended industry events and designed the bulk of the deliverables. Ranging from photos and videos to booths and banners.
How did the Fortera brand develop and establish itself?
The brand was actively engaging the market and proofing their technology through companies by partnering with larger cement manufacturers. This led to a number of case studies and other events such as sponsorships and charities. Deliverables were created for events which included banners, displays, brochure, and videos of our product. I was also in charge of ordering and shipping items prepared for tradeshows and events.
