Vehicle Wrapping: Fit for Purpose

Among the most eye-catching applications in the sign-making industry, vehicle wraps have rocketed in popularity in recent years. While previously much of the work in this sector was reserved for advertising, more private customers are now seeking out such services to add graphics, more colour, and special effects to their own vehicles.

With this increasing demand has come a much wider array of designs. Of course, the main work for wrappers remains commercial jobs, but private customers also bring with them all manner of ideas for new and innovative wrap applications.

Here, we pick out some of the more interesting wrap projects of recent months, learning more about the companies behind this work as well as the techniques and technologies that wrappers are using to further push the boundaries of vehicle wrapping.

Sporting Royalty

Kicking off with a larger-scale project, Grayers Graphics, a signage company based in Essex, was able to wrap the coach for Brazil’s national football team with only eight hours’ notice.

Back in March, Paul Grayer, director of Grayers Graphics, was informed of the project by one of his clients just days ahead of Brazil taking on England in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium in London. The Football Association was urgently seeking out a vehicle wrapping company to fully wrap Brazil’s team bus by the following day ahead of the weekend’s match.

“I was proud to hear that our company’s name was put forward for the challenge,” Grayer told SignLink. “It didn’t take me long to gather the team together and make the decision that we were going to see the project through to completion regardless of the timescale.”

Grayers Graphics chose to work with Arlon printed material and single-colour wrap film for the bright yellow bus, reflecting the famous colour of the Brazilian national team’s shirts.

The wrap proved to be good luck for Brazil, which went on to win the match 1-0 thanks to a goal from Endrick Felipe Moreira (Endrick). Incidentally, Endrick this summer left his native Brazil to move to Europe and sign for Spanish giants Real Madrid, joining the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham.

“It was a very worthwhile last-minute job to show that Grayers Graphics can be relied upon,” Grayer said. “By about 8pm, we were able to start the install and working through the night, we eventually completed the coach with just four installers.

“I’m so proud of my team for being so dedicated to the project. After delivering the coach to the Brazilian federation the next morning the feedback was incredible, we even got offered the job to complete any Brazil team coach across Europe.”

New Solutions

From one end of the vehicle wrapping spectrum to the other, we now turn to a motorcycle wrap, courtesy of Core Stickers in Italy. The company, part of the Big One group, has been providing motorcycle graphics since 2008 and recently developed a new film in partnership with APA SpA to provide more options to its customers.

AP/99-MBK, also known as SuperCandy Silver, features many of the same characteristics of the APAMBKPRO line, including printability with both solvent and UV inks, softness for an easier application, and an adhesive for both painted and apolar surfaces.

“We started the first ‘aesthetic’ printing tests on a material that had the same finish but with an adhesive that was not suitable for our application,” says Giorgio Fresco, owner of Core Stickers, adding: “After several print and lamination tests, we achieved the desired effect.”

Fresco continues: “Subsequently, we received a sample laminated with MBK glue (HTS Acrylic Super High Tack) that we were familiar with and produced the first kits to be applied on some motorbikes that would later be used. The aesthetic and sealing results were exceptional.”

The result, Fresco continues, was to be a film comparable to a metallic paint, achieved over almost the entire colour range. Once the new material was perfected, Core Stickers got to work on wrapping a KTM motocross bike belonging to one of its in-house staff. This was so the company could immediately subject the product to maximum stress and monitor its wear.

Motocross is the most extreme test for a graphic; if the material withstands on a motocross bike, it can withstand any other condition

“Motocross is the most extreme test for a graphic; if the material withstands on a motocross bike, it can withstand any other condition,” Fresco explains, continuing: “We were all really satisfied with the final piece and have since proposed this finish to other customers who, as soon as they saw the colour samples we produced, immediately turned to this product.”

Setting Sail

Moving on now from bikes to boats and to a hugely impressive feat by Nick Hollis, a former HP manager who took on a task of a lifetime earlier this year as part of a wider challenge.

Hollis rowed solo for over 3,000 miles from the Canary Islands to Antigua in the Caribbean to complete the Atlantic Challenge. In doing so, he completed the penultimate phase of his 721 Challenge, which also included the small task of scaling the world’s seven highest peaks and trekking to both the North and South Pole.

HP has supported Hollis throughout his challenge, which has spanned several years, with long-term customer PressOn stepping up to help with the Atlantic Challenge. PressOn used its HP Latex R2000 and HP Latex 3600 printers to produce specialist decals to cover Hollis’ boat – aptly named ‘Kraken’ – with his sponsors. Graphics were printed on Hexis THE190EUO vinyl and laminated with Hexis PCI90G2.

The graphics were subject to extreme conditions in the rough Atlantic Ocean, in addition to lengthy exposure to the hot sun of the Caribbean. However, as Hollis explains, the graphics remained intact and showed no sign of wear or tear when Nick arrived in Antigua after 50 days at sea.

“Upon arrival at the race start in La Gomera, all 39 boats competing in the 2023 World’s Toughest Row had been placed in a cordoned-off race area,” Hollis says, adding: “Kraken, wearing her HP Latex decal, looked stunning. Several of my fellow competitors remarked on how amazing Kraken looked.

“When I arrived in Antigua, Kraken, having endured 50 days of rough seas and intense UV exposure, still looked great. The exposed ropes and plastics had faded in the sun, but the HP Latex graphics looked brand new!”

As visitors to The Print Show this year will have heard from Hollis’ session on the Knowledge Zone, he has just one last task to go to complete the 721 Challenge - trekking to the North Pole. HP is set to provide decals for the specialist sledge that will accompany him on his solo ski.

“I’m delighted that HP will provide the decals for my expedition sledge,” he says, adding: “The conditions in the Arctic will be the complete opposite to the Atlantic Ocean, with temperatures dropping below 30°C. Regardless, I have no doubt the HP Latex technology will stand up to the challenge.”

Horsing Around

As an example of something completely different, The Vinyl Guys used Drytac Polar Premium Air printable self-adhesive vinyl to transform a horsebox. Having been approached by a client over the project, the team at The Vinyl Guys was keen to take on what was a tricky job that had already been turned down by several other print businesses in the local area.

“I went to look at the horsebox in question; the paint wasn’t the greatest and the finish to the edges of the panels and windows was not suitable for the wrap finish that we would normally deliver with wrapped and tucked corners,” explains Alex Liggett, owner of The Vinyl Guys.

“The customer wanted to give the vehicle a new lease on life within a specific budget, so I explained the issues with the vehicle and how they related to the process of wrapping; trying to manage her expectations of what a wrap could do to her vehicle.”

The team elected to print the base colour of the graphics, close to the actual paint colour of the van, on separate panels and applied these to the van a few millimetres away from the edges of the vehicle. These areas were not suitable for wrapping due to silicone sealants, minor damage, and partially poor paintwork.

The Vinyl Guys then applied the Union Jack inspired design, using its Roland VG2-640 eco-solvent printer/cutter to print all graphics in-house onto Drytac Polar Premium Air, which was combined with Weathershield Matte polymeric PVC overlaminating film.

“I knew that while Polar Premium Air wasn’t a high tack material, it was quite ‘grabby’ compared to some others, and would be a suitable material for the project,” Liggett explains, adding: “I carried out some patch testing on the worst of the areas of the van, did a visual proof of the customer’s design along with a small test print to colour match, and the customer was over the moon with the plan!

“The customer was initially amazed at the fact we would take the project on. When it came to the final product, she was even more amazed. We were delighted that we could produce the piece for her.”

Amphibious Talent

On the subject of unusual vehicles, Scottish vinyl graphic design business Art & Sea has seen its clientele change dramatically over the years after switching its focus. The company began life in 2011 in a spare room at the house of owner Leonie Woolf, initially running as a marine specialised business producing graphics for boats and kayaks.

Over the years, the company has evolved to become a more diversified business, providing everything from vehicle graphics, wraps, and rally car livery to signage and shop front graphics – all from two dedicated office units. As part of this expansion, Art & Sea took printing in-house last year by investing in a Roland VG3-540 printer and recently built on this by taking on a new Mimaki CJV330-160 solvent printer/cutter from Soyang Hardware.

“The 60% speed increase with matched quality to the VG3 was just what we needed,” Woolf explains, continuing: “At the same time, we were gaining a wider printing width with the 1,610mm. It seemed the perfect solution to our backlog while at the same time offering further benefits with a wider print such as vehicle wraps.

“It’s been a game changer. It’s already saving us time and we’ve been super impressed with its speed and colour quality. It was definitely the right decision for us.

“Given the additional speed, it will certainly increase our productivity, offering a quicker turnaround for our customers and allowing us to look at opportunities for new markets and take on additional staff.”
While car, van, and even lorry wraps will continue to be the bread and butter of the vehicle graphics market, from some of those companies showcased here, it is clear there is demand for more varied projects, opening up even more routes to additional revenue for the many talented wrappers working in the industry.