Xe, a company name or an element?

I have the feeling that, in the near future, as in the next few months, we will see some large companies find their permanent demise due to this global economic pandemic. There are a myriad of companies that have gotten too big to survive on their own policies that were defined by debt acquisitions and creative financing. We have seen some huge corporations recently find themselves on the brink as they attempt to tread through this stagnant downturn only to find no more means of bridge loans or even daily commerce to begin to maintain their bottom lines.

Upon the collapse of these firms their debt is written off and they simply vanish. Or do they? Many of these same entities will re-form themselves into new corporations, perhaps with many of the same employees and executives, only find a new and fresh moniker to begin their bright, new capitalistic venture. This is part of the process of corporate America and its procedures of economic governance. There are specific and detailed rules that have helped guide capitalism. As well as, some very vague, unknown, and unaccounted policies that have helped guide that same capitalism to its breaking point.

When a company finds itself with less, like cash-less, value-less, lend-less, and profit-less it doesn't take long in order for the writing on the wall to show. These firms will simply fade into the now where corporate land of bankruptcy and dismantlement. Broken up and sold in pieces it will find new investors and venture capital with new corporate ideas and entrepreneurs.

What about when you have a profitable business, but simply a bad public perception. Much like when Tylenol was found to have poisoned pills, or OB was giving women Toxic Shock Syndrome, or the cigarette companies were found to have known they were killing millions of people, and lied about it. Due to some of the corporate actions one small company has made over the years it has ended up with a soured public face. Perhaps it was its blatant disregard for rules of law and that it was found to have killed many innocent people. Perhaps this company, with such known ties to the failed Bush Administration, have found it timely with a new name and face in the Oval Office to have a new name and face to its business.

This worldwide firm has become quite creative in its new business premise, or would that be promise, to save itself from itself. A simple name. The sound of a letter. The distinguishable rarely used letter of "Z". With only two letters in it name, that being "Xe", it is pronounced Zee.

Interestingly thought through by the face-less heads behind the corporate curtain of this new firm, Xe, as it is known in the Table of Elements, is the symbol for the gas Xenon. This Noble Gas is heavy, colorless, odorless, and only occurs in the Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Those amounts are known to be one part to 20 million. It is the first noble gas compound to be synthesized. Heavier Noble gases have more electron shells than lighter gases. Hence, the outermost electrons experience a shielding effect to the inner electrons.

Without fanfare, or commercial publicity to help this new venture move forward in this very difficult business cycle and global economic turn of events, the company decided to rebuild itself. This was all done in spite the fact that the business had made great profits and huge revenue over the past eight years. The company chose to protect its inner core by re-naming itself. The outer core's capacity to protect the entity itself, that inner core, was bold and to the point.

Why did this international security company feel the need to make such a profound business move? Perhaps because its largest client, the U.S. State Department, said it would not rehire the firm to protect its diplomats after its current contract with the company expires in May.

Perhaps it is best, since the State Department is choosing not to hire the firm in the future, the firm might solicit business from the State Department under a new name. Much like the strategy that when someone is laid of from their job they may decide to become their own boss as a consultant. Without venturing too far from their field, many people are hired by the same firm that let them go or to which they left, in order to keep that firms business moving forward without missing a beat. Only now it does so without the necessary overhead costs of paying the employee benefits and insurances, etc. that the company incurred with that previous employee.

This new company will continue to provide protective services for personnel in high-threat environments, but its primary business will be operating training facilities around the world. It has expanded into other businesses such as aviation support. It has built itself a fleet of 76 aircraft that it has deployed to such hotspots as West Africa and Afghanistan. The company got its start in training and continues to build up that business.

In 1993, the Grammy winning musician, artist, performer, producer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalis, and prolific writer, Prince, changed his name. Although, he couldn't think of a new name at the time, for a while, he was simply known as "the artist formerly known as Prince". He did this primarily as a means to bypass his stale contract with Columbia Records. It worked to some extent.

"Xe", who's CEO Erik Prince states, "comes via previous corporate name changes in its past." After changing its name only one year ago, it does so again with this new and more focused idea and business model.

Although, this Xe is not the first company to be synthesized, it will cover the parent brand for the two-dozen subsidiaries. Make not that none of those subsidiaries will retain the word "Blackwater" in their names.





This, the 253rd entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2009 Doug Boggs