Cream of the crop

Vinyl signage materials have been a significant part of the sign-maker’s product portfolio for around 50 years now. Over the past decades there have been many new developments and innovations, and new products have been launched with increasing regularity, reflecting both new manufacturing technologies and customer demand.

However, whilst embracing new options, some of which become firm favourites, most sign-makers also have a range of tried and tested established products that are their first port of call for a wide range of applications. So I decided to conduct a small straw poll to find out which products are pushing all the right buttons.

Making its mark

The product that hits the mark for Caerphilly-based Print Sauce is Metamark’s MD5, a high-performance grade polymeric calendered print film that is suitable for application to flat or slightly curved surfaces, making it ideal for vehicle graphics, retail signage, and window graphics.



 
Print Sauce director, Gary Bagstaff, explains how MD5 has become the company’s top choice: “Print Sauce has been established for six years now and for the last three years Metamark MD5 has been our ‘go to’ vinyl. However, for the first three years of business we chopped and changed a lot, looking for the cheapest options and trying all the well-known brands.

“We tried Metamark MD5 early on but continued to shop around but, after issues with several other materials, we went back to Metamark as we found MD5 to be a good all round vinyl that we could trust.”

Print Sauce now uses MD5 for a variety of applications including external signage and flat sided vehicle graphics, including full trailer sides, exhibition stands, and retail displays.

MD5 also comes in a high tack version, which Print Sauce has used on difficult surfaces such as plastisteel (plastic coated steel), painted walls, and wood panels.

Bagstaff comments: “If we were to use a different high tack product we would also need to buy the matching laminate but MD5 high tack works with standard Metamark MD5 laminates, and so saves us money. We keep MD5 grey back and MD5 high tack in stock, as well as MD5 Gloss and MD5 matte laminates as this mixture enables us to tackle most jobs we come across.

“Another important reason why we now use MD5 as our main vinyl is the service we get from Metamark. Our rep is a fount of knowledge; we always pester him for advice and he is always willing to help. Also, the products are always in stock and delivered next day, meaning that we only ever need to keep one roll of each.”

A project currently being undertaken by Print Sauce for Tiny Rebel Brewery involved the application of graphic wraps to two large silos. This was a challenging job as the silos are made from plastisteel, which has a textured finish, and the sections are fastened together by means of a large number of rivets, to which basic vinyls will not adhere.

Bagstaff says: “We conducted tests with standard vinyls, including standard MD5, but they were not up to the job. We then carried out a test with MD5 high tack, which was very successful. The material really took well and heated up well around the rivets.”

O Factoid: While vinyl signage had been around prior to the 1960s, this is the decade when vinyl became a popular option for signage material. O

The graphics, which were up to 3.5m wide, were printed and laminated, using standard gloss MD5 laminate, then profile cut to shape and application tape was applied for fitting. Due to the size and position of the silos, a cherry picker was used for installation.

“The client was highly delighted and the photographs had a great response on social media,” Bagstaff concludes.

Metamark vinyls are also strongly advocated by Venture Signs, which uses a range of products including MD7, Etch Glass Effect, Meta Wrap MD-X, and Optically Clear MD-CR. Founded by directors Keith Archer and Pete Harrison in 2004, the Lincoln company uses Metamark vinyls almost exclusively.

“We use the standard MD 7 vinyl for vehicle graphics, general cut and apply jobs and digital print. It is a reliable, good quality product and weeds absolutely fantastically. It also comes in a good choice of colours,” comments Archer.

Metamark 7 Series is a premium grade polymeric calendered sign-making vinyl featuring a soft handle 70-micron face film, high grade permanent solvent-based adhesive, and a performance-tuned lay-flat liner, and is suitable for vehicle applications and window and outdoor graphics onto flat or curved surfaces.

Etch Glass Effect frosted vinyl is also used by Venture Signs. For retail signage applications, corporate identity, and privacy screening, Metamark Etch Glass Effect Vinyl and Frosted vinyl offer a cost-effective alternative to traditional window manifestation such as etching or sandblasting.




MetaWrap MD-X is a 50-micron cylinder cast digital wrapping media, supplied with the Meta Scape air release adhesive system to allow quick and easy application on compound curves as well as moderate recesses. The soft film has been developed to flow and conform over the difficult surfaces and the grey block-out adhesive ensures vibrant graphics and minimal substrate show through.

“We find Meta Wrap MD-X great for wrapping projects as it prints very well and the Meta Scape air release technology makes it very easy to apply,” Archer continues.

MD-CR is a 50-micron crystal-clear polyester window film that is suitable for permanent graphics such as architectural window manifestation, and can be removed cleanly in the short-term for promotional applications. It can be printed in reverse and applied to the inside of the glass.




“Metamark’s optically clear products print well with great results, and the media itself disappears almost entirely once applied to glass, just leaving the printed image on view,” observes Archer.

Archer is also enthusiastic about Metamark’s Meta Scape air release technology, which is available across a variety of product ranges: “It’s absolutely fantastic; everything about it helps to make application that much easier. Metamark products are always available and delivered on time, and we have never had a faulty batch of any product. In addition, Metamark will also supply materials cut to specific width requirements.”

Select choices
 
As a 3M Select Gold Partner, vehicle branding specialist RGVA exclusively uses 3M products, which it considers to be the Rolls-Royce of vinyls. With headquarters in Maidstone, Kent, RGVA specialises in supplying decals, cut graphics, wraps, and livery solutions to companies across the UK, working on vehicles ranging from cars and vans, to trucks, buses and coaches, from single vehicles to entire commercial fleets.




Managing director of RGVA, Kieran McCab, affirms: “As a vehicle graphics specialist our standard choice is 3M IJ180, but for any deep recesses we will opt for IJ380 or the new PVC free LX480Cv3 vinyl, due to its stronger adhesive qualities. 3M’s fantastic range of material is always fit for purpose.”

IJ180Cv3 is a short- to long-term removable film for inkjet and screen printing. It offers great conformability and can be applied in extreme hot and cold temperatures, so that workshop temperature is less critical. It is suitable for vehicle wraps, vehicle livery, and advertising wraps and is suitable for curved surfaces but not deep recesses.

IJ380 is specifically designed for applications such as vehicle graphics, with deep recessed and corrugated surfaces.

It has been developed for perfect 3D conformity, and stays in position even in the most difficult application areas with no need for cutting to relieve stress.

LX480Cv3 is a non-PVC white film, with a combination of sustainability and high-performance technology that offers an ideal solution for sign-makers who are looking for a greener option. It is suitable for a wide range of applications and can be used to wrap everything from vehicles, trailers, boats, buses, and motorcycles, to textured walls, as well as for indoor and outdoor signage. LX480Cv3 offers enhanced conformability, easier and faster installation and removal, and greater tensile strength, making it tear resistant. In addition, it can be fitted in a broader range of ambient temperatures.

“What makes 3M materials stand out from the rest is that 3M never rushes its products to market, and they are always rigorously tested before release so you know they work—which isn’t always the case elsewhere,” notes McCabe, adding: “They also stand behind that quality, which means we can do the same. The 3M warranty provides complete peace of mind regarding durability, fading, adhesion issues, blistering, and safe removal.”


Ease of use is a big factor for RGVA, as McCabe explains: “3M’s pressure-activated Comply Adhesive contains microscopic glass beads on the surface that allows the film to be re-positioned before securing. This can really speed up the process, which is important when you’ve got a contract to wrap 500 vans for a single fleet!

“One of the major benefits is that 3M is a globally recognised brand—which is obviously beneficial to us when we’re promoting our services. But it’s a brand built on quality products, not just marketing. People wrongly believe this makes it vastly expensive, but we’re happy to prove that it’s the most competitively priced on the market, especially when considering product quality and value for money.”

A recent project has seen a fleet of ten Freshlinc trailers displaying bespoke works of art after RGVA applied high definition vinyl wraps to them as part of a campaign to encourage people to engage in the arts. RGVA’s applications team worked with the Lincolnshire-based fresh, chilled and horticultural haulage business to apply the striking liveries to the ten refrigerated trailers that will travel an average of 2,500 miles each week across the UK and Europe for the next three to six years.

Each 13m Schmitz Cargobull trailer features a different famous resident from the Boston and South Holland region, who has made a significant impact on the world, including the founder of the Royal College of Nursing, Dame Sarah Swift.

Transported, the community arts organisation that commissioned the project, asked Freshlinc employees to nominate subjects for the project, and the staff who made the winning suggestions are featured on the respective trailer’s rear door graphics, alongside an explanation of their choice.

Freshlinc’s commercial director, Ashley Holland, says: “Transported aims to bring art into the community, so this is a perfect collaboration as thousands of people see our trailers every single day. We have effectively put an art gallery on wheels. It’s creative campaigns like this that underline just how powerful truck-side promotions can be in reaching vast audiences.”




The self-adhesive vinyl designs, produced by local design agency Electric Egg, were latex printed on 3M IJ40 laminated vinyl, and are among the most detailed the team at RGVA has fitted to trailers of this size.

“These trailers are literally works of art and we needed to be confident they will look their best for their entire working life. RGVA has a proven track record in the industry, and their work means these spectacular liveries will be seen far and wide for years to come,” Holland adds.

3M IJ40 is a polymeric calendered digital printing film with a permanent, pressure sensitive adhesive, and features Controltac repositionable pressure activated adhesive and Comply air release for easy bubble free application.

A clear winner

For any projects which require see-through graphics, Contra Vision products are the number one choice for Allsigns, Bristol. 

“Typically, we use Contra Vision on buildings to add both visual interest, promotional messages and also provide privacy,” states business development manager, Kevin Willis, adding: “With the materials being so easy to apply and remove cleanly, that cuts down on installation and removal time, which can be a large percentage of the cost of a project, so we are able to offer our clients a range of materials, which we know will do the job well.

“Specific benefits include options for 24-hour visibility, differing levels of transparency, durability, ease-of-use and the Contra Vision team’s ability to come up with creative material solutions,” Willis adds.

All Contra Vision Performance perforated window films feature Contra Vision’s Grayliner technology. The Grayliner colour, which is visible through the perforation holes, enables printers and end-users to see a close approximation to the effect of the applied graphics, thereby preventing the use of excessive amounts of ink that often occurs in order to compensate for the washed-out appearance of print on the standard white liner.

One recent project for Allsigns was to wrap office space adjacent to the Severn Bridge M48 toll booths and promote the benefits of the TAG vehicle system, which allows drivers to pre-pay bridge tolls, saving time and money.




The front and sides of the offices, which are visible to motorway users queuing to cross the bridge, were wrapped with 20 percent Contra Vision Performance perforated window film, applied externally with overlaminate.




“This was a project we needed to get right,” emphasises Willis, adding: “Our client was keen to have both strength of image and good see-through vision for the staff inside the offices. We sampled several Contra Vision materials and chose Contra Vision Performance 20 percent transparency to meet client needs. Due to the location of the offices, close to a busy motorway and the River Severn, we overlaminated the material to protect it from traffic grime and weather conditions.

“The material printed and installed well and we were particularly delighted that the joins in the material do not show up. This will be a medium to long term application and we are confident that the material chosen works well to promote the TAG system and will also stand up to difficult environmental conditions. I would say that all of this clearly demonstrates what makes Contra Vision stand out. We have one chance to get things right for our customers and we have confidence that Contra Vision materials will perform,” maintains Willis.


Whether new or established materials, it is clear that the top choice vinyls for sign-makers are those which can demonstrate fitness for purpose, quality, reliability, and excellent manufacturer back-up and service.


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