That’s a wrap!
When talking about vinyl effects, your mind cannot help but be drawn to the many creative and eye-catching car wrap projects that are celebrated across the industry. However, as those in this market will attest, vinyl work stretches far beyond cars and can include all sorts of innovative applications.
This can still involve an element of vehicle wrapping, with many unusual modes of wheeled transport requiring specialist décor, but also includes other vinyl projects such as wrapping musical instruments, giving a new look to fishing boats, or even producing giant beer cans.
Here, we explore some of these more unusual jobs and pay tribute to the forward-thinking companies behind such projects.
Plenty of benefits
First up, many examples of non-traditional vinyl work can be found across the Signs Express franchise network. According to Signs Express, architectural finishes are something of an emerging market when it comes to vinyl wrapping, and as such, companies involved in this area can capitalise on the trend.
“Essentially, architectural finishes provide a new lease of life for outdated pieces of furniture, doors and work surfaces,” Signs Express says, adding: “There are hundreds of textures and colours to choose from that can really transform a piece of furniture and even the look and feel of an entire space".
Textures and colours can really transform a piece of furniture and also an entire space”
“Re-wrapping is more cost-effective than replacing and buying new and heavily reduces waste. Architectural films are versatile and the environmentally friendly aspect makes the solution a sustainable one, especially for a refurbishment project providing the perfect opportunity to reface rather than replace.
“There are plenty of benefits for the customer of this solution, and we are particularly passionate about the use of architectural films as it heavily reduces waste.”
Turning to some of the innovative projects taken on by Signs Express franchises in recent months, one piece of work included Signs Express Lancaster wrapping a replica of Paul Weller’s Rickenbacker WHAAM! Guitar using 3M IJ180.
When it comes to combining more traditional wrapping knowledge with unusual vehicles, there are also plenty of examples from Signs Express. Recently, Signs Express Swansea used vinyl to decorate a mobile ‘Vaccination Hub’, while Signs Express Lancaster took on the challenge of decorating a Mercedes Unimog with vinyl.
Signs Express Southampton also played its part in Pride celebrations over the summer, wrapping a JCB vehicle to help mark the occasion. The vinyl carried the iconic Pride flag design, complete with official event hashtags to help spread the Pride message.
Signs Express Southampton wrapped a JCB vehicle as part of Pride celebrations
Alternative markets
Another company that is leading the way in innovation in the wrapping sector is The Vinyl Corporation, which, as its name may suggest, specialises in vinyl work. The Vinyl Corporation has been supplying self-adhesive vinyl products into the signage, automotive, and marine markets for over 35 years, producing all sorts of weird and wonderful applications in the process.
“Many sign vinyl marketers and vehicle wrappers are used to projects involving applications on to vehicles, cars, vans, lorries, buses, planes, trains and motorcycles,” The Vinyl Corporation says, adding: “However, they are also in constant pursuit for alternative markets and new income streams, trying to apply, decorate and customise anything that is on solid ground.”
Offering up examples of its own work, The Vinyl Corporation carried out a colourful wrap of an ensemble of string instruments, creating a brand-new look that is completely different to their traditional wooden finish.
The Vinyl Corporation also used photo luminescent vinyl to wrap a bicycle, again introducing a brand-new look to the piece but with the added extra that the technology of the material meant the bike now glows in the dark.
“This product is also effective as planets and stars on children’s bedroom ceilings, opening up even more markets to sign-makers,” The Vinyl Corporation adds.
Meanwhile, the company has also wrapped arcade machines, vending machines, jet skis, snowmobiles, golf carts, fridges, surfboards, skateboards, controllers for games consoles, and wheelie bins.
Aside from wrapping, the company has used vinyl to create other effects, including one example where the usually dull floor of a lift was decorated with vinyl to give the illusion that a shark was jumping out of the floor.
The Vinyl Corporation used vinyl to transform the look of a lift floor
“Elevator walls and floors can be wrapped with great effect,” The Vinyl Corporation says, adding: “Wall and floor printable, matt white vinyl is also removable, making it ideal for short term promotional advertisements.”
Widen your horizons
Elsewhere and Hybrid Services, the exclusive distributor for Mimaki in the UK and Ireland, has seen its products used to help create all sorts of vinyl effects. Martin Southworth, reseller account manager for Hybrid Services, says looking outside of traditional markets will help sign-makers stand out from competitors.
“With many sign-makers already offering vehicle wrapping as part of their product portfolio, it makes a lot of sense to consider expanding their offering into wider wrapping markets,” Southworth explains.
“As end consumers seek to personalise more and more areas of their lives, the opportunity to employ existing, transferable skills to deliver interesting new products can provide valuable opportunities to open different markets and grow revenue in the process.
“Shared techniques, materials and production processes can be as readily applied to other surfaces and products that require refreshing, rebranding or decorating, so we’d actively encourage sign-makers to look beyond cars and trucks to expand their wrapping horizons.”
Over the years, Southworth says customers have used Mimaki printers and cutters to apply their wrapping skills to many interesting and exciting products, including pianos, fridges, kitchen cupboards, laptop skins and gaming controllers.
However, one recent project stands out in particular for Southworth when Nettl Crewe and Nantwich used a Mimaki UCJV300 LED UV printer to print a design onto a special wrapping material to create a unique wrap for up-and-coming race car driver Max Dodds.
Toast to success
Delving further into this market, but keeping with a vehicle theme, drinks giant Diageo came up with a unique vehicle décor design to help promote the new non-alcoholic version of its world-famous Guinness.
Rather than wrap a traditional lorry with vinyl, as is the norm with these sorts of projects, the company took an innovative step forward and redesigned the rear end of the lorry to replicate a giant drink can.
Each of these “cans” were decorated with the design of the new drink, giving the impression that rather than towing around a tanker full of beer, the lorry was in fact transporting huge cans of drink for thirsty customers all across the UK and Ireland.
As a nod towards the more traditional vehicle wrapping market, the cab of the lorry was also decorated with the logo of the new drink to ensure the brand attracted maximum interest when the vehicle was out and about on the roads.
From one form of large vehicle wrapping to another, Staffordshire-based wrapping company Creative Vehicle Wrapping (CVW) recently used vinyl to bring a new lease of life to a refuse truck in Newark and Sherwood.
The council truck was decorated with a new anti-fly-tipping message as a part of its new campaign to help fight the ongoing problem of litter, as well as raise awareness of the issue within the local community and encourage residents to help tackle the problem.
Jonathan Thomas, director of Creative Vehicle Wrapping, says: “We wrapped the entire body, cab and hopper of the truck to convey the council’s message, so it has maximum impact. Refuse vehicles are very slow-moving billboards and great for raising awareness. Wrapping also protects the vehicle by preventing stone chips and other damage to the paintwork.”
On the right track
Switching vehicles altogether now and last year UK train operator Avanti West Coast, fully wrapped one of its Pendolino trains as part of the celebrations for Pride 2020. Billed as the biggest Pride flag the UK had ever seen, the design covered the entire 11-carriage, 265m-long train.
This train wrap by Avanti West Coast is the biggest Pride the UK has ever seen
The train operator adopted a newer version of the Pride flag which saw the addition of the colours black, brown, light blue, pink, and white to bring people of colour, transgender people, and those living with or who have been lost to HIV/AIDS to the forefront.
In addition, the train was the first in the UK to be fully staffed by an-all LGBTQ+ crew.
“The train is a symbol of our commitment to diversity and inclusion as it travels up and down the West Coast Main Line,” Avanti West Coast executive director of commercial, Sarah Copley, says, adding: “We Live Proud 365 days a year, not just today.
“I am so proud to be a part of a business where our people represent the communities we serve. We are always listening to them and customers to ensure our diversity and inclusion strategy is relevant. Our new train livery is a powerful example of keeping the conversation going.”
Rounding off our examples of non-traditional vehicle projects is Fish Wreck, a company in Australia run by former sign-writer Paul Shaw, which produces striking boat wraps designed by marine artists.
Fish Wreck, run by former signwriter Paul Shaw, uses films from Avery Dennison to wrap fishing boats
Supported by a network of installers across Australia, Shaw uses Avery Dennison films to transform the fishing boats. These include Avery Dennison MPI 1105 Easy Apply RS cast print film, and Avery Dennison DoL 6460 Premium High Gloss overlaminate with edge sealant to protect the wrap.
Shaw processes the artwork for the wraps himself using hand drawn art rather than computer-generated graphics. Once the artwork has been chosen, Shaw then uses computer software and graphic skills to adapt it to the customer’s needs.
For Shaw, using boat wraps produces more durable and eye-catching designs than traditional paint jobs. He says: “The wrapping procedure is simple and easy, but the results completely transform the appearance of a boat. It can be quite breathtaking.
O Factoid: According to 3M, vehicle graphics in a busy area can be seen by over 3000 people per hour O
“Traditional paint jobs come nowhere near the effects these boat wraps can create, while overlaminate provides great protection against any bumps or scrapes that may occur. The whole process is quick, efficient, stunningly effective and long-lasting.”
While traditional vehicle graphics and décor jobs offer a reliable source of income for sign-makers, this market is becoming increasingly crowded. However, setting your sights on more unusual work in this sector, as well as related projects elsewhere, could help open up valuable new sources of revenue for your business.
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