.jpg "Article picture")
(L to R) Vehicle wrp trainer at William Smith, Mike Szwacki, trains on attendee at one of the company's training courses
Driving to success
Vehicle wrapping has become a pivotal part of the sign and wide-format industries thanks to its ability to further advertise brands and their services. But while wrapping can complement promotional prints and services, it can also allow sign makers to tap into a completely separate set of industries.
The global automotive manufacturing industry was valued at around $2.7t (£2.2t) in 2021, with that expected to grow by a further $100b (£81b) by the end of 2022.
With over 1.3m cars produced in the UK in 2019, and around 78,000 commercial vehicles, there is massive potential for companies to supply businesses, governments, and emergency services with effective livery and branding.
O Factoid: The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has reported around 1.8m 'true fleet' company cars were used in 2019 O
Just like a team of uniformed staff, a fleet of vehicles can embrace colours, logos, and iconography in order become unified, professional, and recognisable.
But as effective as uniformity can be, singular projects can excel companies into the spotlight via the likes of sports, visual media, and physical events.
With all this in mind, what does the industry have to say in regards to advice and changes to be aware of in this ever-evolving industry?
All in the design
Just like many areas of print and signage, vehicle wrapping is a skill and art-form all on its own.
One minute a company could be wrapping the likes of a helicopter for a television show like I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Or the next, it could be applying a wrap/ vinyl for a sporty racing car.
One minute a company could be wrapping the likes of a helicopter… Or next, it could be applying a wrap/ vinyl for a sporty racing car”
As décor varies, more customers look to get more individuality from their products. Vehicle wrapping can become an effective way for a car to display a dazzling gradient of colour or even a stylish variety of coloured blocks and artwork.
This market can be highly competitive, as evident in exhibitions and competitions like World Wrap Masters at the recent European Sign Expo 2022.
BBC motor programme Top Gear even showcased the craft of vehicle wrapping via is YouTube Handcrafted series. The video features Middlesbrough based wrapping trainer Mike Szwacki wrapping a white Tesla Model 3 using a heat gun, craft knife, and ‘dentists’ tools’ to get an intricate application.
In the video Szwacki says: “’I’m not selling wraps, I’m selling happiness. Seeing that joy, that smile on the customer’s face when they walk in and see a beautiful car makes my job.”
Simon James, managing director of Elite Signs and Graphics, says: “We get better at wrapping all the time and some of the materials coming through now really help put that experience to good use. We’re always pushing the envelope, but not in a way that risks the failure of a job, thanks to material improvement.”
Based in Bridgend, South Wales, Elite Signs is a family run signs and graphics business with a proven reputation in the industry. James says: “We’ve always had an interest in vehicle graphics, but it was a desire to push the boundaries of design that really cemented our role as a leading wrap producer.”
James adds: “We took the view that vehicles were potentially much more expansive in terms of being a canvas for design if we were to overwrite panel boundaries with swathes of colour and detail. Wrapping techniques and materials enabled that possibility and our customers loved the dramatic results. It’s informed our design vocabulary ever since.”
Elite Sign’s experience and dedication to stand out designs has led to it working with a wealth of local companies as well as companies like Audi, Forward Waste Management, SL Recycling, and haulage company Alan Price & Sons.
The project for SL Recycling involved over 20 lorries, cars, and vans, all of which now carry the SL Recycling wrap design that was created from just a company logo. “It has now made them a noticeable fleet on the roads, or as we like to call it, an attention grabbing fleet that is not only an advert for SL, but also an advert for us at Elite Signs,” says James.
Elite Signs celebrated its 25th anniversary with updated fleet branding, including a rally themed Audi TT
“We transformed the fleet for Alan Price Bulk Haulage taking a plain truck and turning it into one of the most talked about lorries on the roads, with the large Deer emblem adorning the sides. It’s been said that we haven’t just created a vehicle wrap, but we’ve created art in motion which gets everyone talking.”
Speaking about the importance of selling these standout designs and services, James advises: “If you read between the lines, people who come looking for a commercial wrap are not looking for the wrap per-se. What they’re really asking for is a way to promote a business or a brand.
“On that basis, we can use that initial interest to really help cross-sell the other things we can do that will favourably work for our customers. There’s a very steep learning curve in coming to wrapping from a position of not doing graphics at all. It’s probably one of the busiest parts of the market”.
The next generation
Approaching vehicle wrapping not only means understanding the materials and designs, but also having the right workforce to carry out the work correctly.
As already established, wrapping is a precise craft that comes with a high level of detail and intricacies.
James says: “Wrapping is a pretty special skill for a number of reasons. You can’t hand somebody a ‘Big Boys’ Book Of How To Wrap’ and expect the book to teach the skill. The fundamentals can be explained in a paragraph or two but it’s getting hands-on that counts.
“If someone wants to learn to wrap, it requires someone on the balancing side of the equation to teach them. That means that companies like ours who need skilled wrappers coming through the ranks need to invest time, money, and other resources into making wrappers.”
James even refers to wrapping as the ‘sign maker’s Everest’ adding: “We’ve helped a few to the summit, others turn back at base camp. Those who make it never regret the decision to learn and grow with us.”
Speaking about the importance of an evolving wrapping sector, Nick Broom, chief executive officer at PVL, says: “The key to successful vehicle wrapping is in the training. It is not a simple transfer of skills from a flat vinyl sign application onto a vehicle.”
Based in West Sussex, PVL has supplied specialist reflective livery to the majority of the UK emergency services since 1999. The company has been wrapping vehicles for over 15 years, producing livery to vehicle fleets of anywhere between one and 1000.
PVL provides a variety of materials and services for the likes of emergency vehicles, branded vans, and uniformed fleets
Broom states: “PVL invest in the training of our application team and are passionate about apprenticeships as we hire several new apprentices each year to learn the high standard of skills required. After they have completed their training, some stay on to work for us and others will work for themselves, using their skills that they have learned to drive up standards in the market.”
The advancement of new tools and materials have been huge advantages to the wrapping sector, making the craft more appealing, and realistic to new starters.
Speaking about the changes than can help trainees and the viability of the sector, Broom says: “Over recent years, wrapping film quality with air release technology has helped to speed up the application time.
“We have found that the demand for wrapped vehicles has increased significantly and it’s becoming a more talked about service from our clients. It’s a very viable alternative to paint and enables clients to use more of their vehicle space for brand awareness and advertising.”
Advertising the skill of wrapping to the younger generation is vital to attracting new talent, but also making the public aware of the service. Gill Harrison, training, and application manager at William Smith, says: “Companies such as Yiannimize have made our industry ‘trendy’ and desirable, but the challenge is educating the next generation of wrappers.”
Speaking about William Smith’s efforts to educate a new generation, Harrison says: “Recently we spoke to local comprehensive school to introduce our industry to the students. It’s important to remember not everyone is academic and it’s all too easy to think that without a degree you won’t ‘get on’ in the world, but the industry needs the next generation of sign makers and wrappers.
“It’s a shame that there seems to be an expectation that it’s something that can command a high skilled wage overnight when the reality is that in order to be skilled it takes years. The top wrappers are commanding big money because we pay for their years of knowledge and skill.”
History in the making
As a company William Smith has a wealth of experience in signage and vehicle wrapping. Its many years of experience are testament to the long history of vehicle wrapping, and how companies can evolve into the medium.
Harrison explains: “We were asked by 3M UK if we’d exclusively test their new Scotchprint electrostatic printer. This was the first wide-format digital printer to hit the UK & up until then, our production methods were via flatbed plotters and screen printing. Within weeks someone suggested applying the print to vehicles, and so my 30 plus year connection with vehicle wrapping began.”
William Smith has seen the developments and innovations within the wrapping sector thanks to its long history with manufacturers like 3M
Harrison adds: “Back then we didn’t print the heavily pixelated images directly onto the vinyl, it was printed onto paper. We would then heat transfer the images onto the vinyl, and then apply the overlaminate by hand using masses of water. All very labour intensive. The actual process of wrapping was, in many cases also performed wet, because the repositionable and bubble free adhesives that today’s wrappers take for granted, just hadn’t been invented.”
Harrison’s work, and William Smith’s innovations in the industry show how businesses can ebb and flow with the changes the signage industry throw at them.
“3M could see the problems fitters were experiencing and so they set about inventing the first digital material which was specifically for vehicle wrapping,” says Harrison.
“When that product was launched, we partnered with 3M and began our first ever vehicle wrap training workshops which were free, three hour sessions, held all over the country in order to demonstrate the correct way of using 3M’s new ij380. Those workshops resulted in William Smith and 3M jointly launching our first two day vehicle wrap training courses. Education and techniques have evolved massively from those early days.”
For many vehicle wrapping may still seem like a new service, but understand the history and developments the sector has gone through can help signage companies all the more in tackling the craft themselves.
“It’s now common place that most sign companies will offer vehicle wrapping but those who don’t will be surprised at how much bolt on work they lose to their competition by simply not offering wrapping,” says Harrison, adding:
“The good contract wrappers do get booked up but if you do know one then look to have some type of retainer arrangement sorted, especially if they are local to you. A suggestion might be to possibly book them for the first Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday in the month with a cancellation agreement, that way they’ll be happy to work closer to home?”
With several experts in the field, and a whole host of factors to consider, vehicle wrapping can be a big rabbit hole to delve into. But the history of the sector, and the many examples of successful wraps give signage companies a treasure trove or knowledge to search through.
Vehicle wrapping can cover vehicles in entertainment, sports, business, and emergency services. The scope of work can be expansive and varied, allowing for businesses to specialise in certain areas, or create an impressive portfolio of varied work.
Your text here...
