Following its successful spin-out from the Melrose Group and the subsequent disposal of its Hydrogen division, 2024 marked a milestone year for Dowlais. This was not only the second year of independent reporting, but the first full year reflecting its refined strategic focus. As such, the Annual Report represented a critical opportunity to define the next phase of the company’s journey.
Dowlais aimed to build on the strong foundation established in the previous year’s Black Sun-supported reporting suite. With increasing expectations from stakeholders for transparency, consistency, and a clear articulation of forward strategy, Dowlais sought to elevate both its Annual Report and Sustainability Report. Key to the challenge was achieving strong alignment between the two reports—ensuring shared themes and visuals while tailoring content to specific audiences. Furthermore, select messaging was extended to GKN Automotive’s progress report, a major Dowlais business unit, ensuring brand cohesion across the group.
Working in close collaboration with Dowlais' company secretarial, communications, financial, and sustainability teams, Black Sun developed a fully integrated reporting suite that reflected the company’s evolving identity and strategic clarity. We established a unified narrative framework that would underpin both the Annual Report and the Sustainability Report, ensuring consistency in tone, purpose, and message delivery. This framework allowed for shared content where appropriate, while still giving each report its own distinctive focus.
From the outset, we coordinated stakeholder input and aligned report priorities to streamline the process across teams and jurisdictions. A carefully planned schedule allowed the simultaneous development of both reports, enabling cross-pollination of ideas while maintaining the integrity and unique purpose of each publication.
An interim gap analysis and content review conducted by the Black Sun Advisory team ensured that the reports remained ahead of regulatory trends and market expectations. This proactive approach allowed Dowlais to communicate evolving compliance requirements with confidence and clarity. It also provided a strategic platform for addressing the proposed merger with US-based automotive manufacturer AAM—an important development that emerged during the reporting process. We worked closely with Dowlais leadership to incorporate this news into the narrative, adapting and repositioning key content to reflect the merger’s significance for the company’s future trajectory.
The final 2024 reporting suite was met with strong and engaged feedback from both internal and external stakeholders. Building on the visual identity and messaging of the previous year, the reports showcased a more confident, mature Dowlais—one that is evolving while staying true to its values and long-term vision. The messaging successfully reflected Dowlais’ strategic priorities, operational resilience, and commitment to sustainability.
The reports provided a clear and balanced view of Dowlais’ 2024 performance while positioning the AAM merger as a bold and exciting step forward in the company’s global growth story.
With a high-quality printed Annual Report and a digitally-optimised Sustainability Report, Dowlais effectively reached diverse audiences while maintaining a cohesive and credible brand presence. The reports not only enhanced stakeholder understanding but reinforced Dowlais’ reputation as an innovative, agile, and forward-thinking leader in automotive engineering.
