The tufted duck was adopted as our logo shortly after Aalmar started. We wanted an Internationally recognizable symbol. We decided that abstract designs, fouled anchors, propellers were not for us. We realised that the symbols that we find easiest to remember and identify are animals or birds, such as Mickey Mouse and Jaguar. We tried to find a marine bird, decided sea eagles were inappropriate for a small survey company, but the little tufted duck was perfect.

It is a very active bird which goes very deep when diving, (six metres). It is steadily expanding its range. You can see it mainly on fresh water such as the parks of London or, in Winter months, the moat of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo. In America it is regarded as an 'occasional' bird, not fully resident.

We have found that people clearly identify us by our logo and it is our registered trademark in UK (and Europe), the USA and in Japan.

Brokers are very fond of the bird and in a competition to name a pair which we presented to the Jerome Bird Park in Singapore, the names Ebb and Flo originated.