Vinyl Pros Issue 3

SDUK & The Sign Awards: UNMISSABLE EVENTS

Kitchen Wrapping:

THE MIDLANDS DREAM TEAM AIM NATIONWIDE

Interior Design Ideas for Architectural Film

IMPROVE YOUR CASHFLOW

GENERATION GRAPHICS SHARE THEIR SUPERYACHT STORIES

WRAPFEST FIRST LOOK

26-27 April 2023 | Silverstone, UK

Dedicated event for the vehicle wrapping, vinyl installation and car detailing community

Wrap specialists can immerse themselves in a unique event to explore the latest product innovations from leading industry brands, connect and exchange ideas with industry peers, plus access a host of valuable content from our Pit-Garage Demos and Wrap Talks sessions.

FIND OUT MORE AND BOOK YOUR TICKET AT WWW.WRAP-FEST.COM FOR ENTRY DISCOUNT, USE PROMO CODE WPFA305

Organised by

Letter from the Editor

Spring is in, and two highly anticipated events are featured in this month’s edition. We have the show preview of Wrap Fest which is ticking all the boxes for a phenomenal event line-up. For those visiting Sign & Digital UK later this month, you can find more information on who’s exhibiting and what to expect (hint: don’t miss the Hexis Wrap Battle).

A huge thank you to Generation Graphics who showed me a glimpse of the lifestyle I can only dream of living as I boarded one of their recently wrapped yachts. Owner Tom Lovesey filled me in on why boat wrapping is the new and improved way of refurbishing boats over traditional painting. North-East-based Dave Todd from EPF Graphics spoke to us about his travelling lifestyle with motorsport teams and how getting into vehicle wraps and graphics can lead you to some of the farflung corners of the world. As glamorous as it sounds, he did assure us there wasn’t much sunbathing with a beer in hand.

We travelled to Litchfield for our Domestic Profile this month, Spires Kitchen Wraps. A three-man team of kitchen wrappers that are delighting customers all over the Midlands. If you’re a kitchen wrapper struggling to give design advice to your customers, we’ve drafted in the help of interior designer, Louise Wynn, to help you out. Elsewhere, in Lancashire, we visited Soyang Europe’s HQ and talked with their director, Mark Mashiter about their sustainability drive.

Julie Wilkinson shares her valuable knowledge with us on all things cash flow (because who doesn’t need to improve this?), and if you enjoyed reading about Brent Williams last month, the good news is...he’s back! With a history of architectural film for you to brush up your knowledge on the subject.

- Rosie Christie

ONES TO WATCH

@lemonsigns

You aren’t collecting 68 amazing Google reviews unless you’re delivering the goods, and Lemon Signs certainly are. Since thexir birth in 2015, Martin Lemiesz and his team have large scale projects under their belt and specialise in 3D signs (although they love an LED neon effect too).

Delux Auto Group are wrapping the vehicles we all dream of owning, and they’re producing some spectacular reels to showcase their work. Their young and dynamic team have brightened up our feed this month.

@deluxeautogroup_customise

Whether a full wrap, tints or a dechrome, AB Graphx seem to have it covered. No stranger to chrome (yikes!) they’ve also wrapped a few supercars in their time. Check out their car walk arounds and you’ll even see a pink Ferrari.

We all love car wrapping. We (mostly) all love dogs. But seeing a dog helping to wrap a car? It’s next Inmarketinglevelgenius. Beanparticular, showingVinyled oflaborioustheprocess the prep work involved stood out to us. Behind the scenes reels never get old.

@hypersigns_limited

65 5* Google reviews just can’t be ignored. Offering a diverse range of external and internal signage solutions, Hypersigns have treated us to timelapses, wall vinyls, vehicle branding, window frosting and digitally printed Correx signs so far.

@beanvinyled

Slug Vehicle Graphics have got their high-quality images and reels spot on. Paint protection looks to be popular amongst their customers and it’s great to put a face to the company behind the Instagram account.

@slugvehiclegraphics

Kent-based Vanity Wraps are certainly living up to their name. Nothing will make you stand out quite like a two-tone metallic wrap, and Niki has it down to a tee. We’re loving the personalised touch on the petrol cap.

@vanity_wraps

If you need a splash of colour in your feed, check out Wraps and Tints. themselvesPriding on their meticulous high standards, they have a growing team all trained to their standards.exacting Certified XPEL PPF installers, this is an offering with a high uptake at Wraps and Tints.

@wrapsandtints

THE ULTIMATE CUTTING TOOLS

New Year, New Market:

Mimaki launches first Direct to Film printer

Mimaki has announced its first ‘direct to film’ (DTF) inkjet printer, the TxF150-75, at its Global Innovation Days event.

Utilising a heat-based transfer method, the printer is ideal for creating premium, customised merchandising, sportswear and various other promotional textile applications. This is the latest entry from Mimaki for the decorated apparel segment and will be making its EMEA show debut at Printwear & Promotion Live! in the UK (26th-28th February 2023).

DTF printing provides an easy and affordable process for decorating apparel, and is commonly used for decorating T-shirts. The design is printed directly onto a special transfer film, which is then sprinkled with hot-melt powder, and once heated and dried, the transfer sheet is ready to be applied to the fabric using a heat press.

Based on Mimaki’s best-selling 150 Series, the new TxF150-75 responds to the market need for a reliable, stable DTF technology. A built-in ink circulation system and degassed ink pack design help prevent common DTF issues, and by utilising proprietary Core Technologies, which include a nozzle check unit and nozzle recovery system, the printing process is carried out efficiently with minimal user intervention.

Mark Sollman, Sr. Product Manager EMEA, Mimaki Europe comments, "Apparel decoration is a hugely popular and dynamic sector, one which we are already operating in with our other textile technologies. However, we could see the impact DTF technology has had on the industry in recent years, with its significant advantages over existing technologies. Namely, DTF avoids the time intensive process of plate creation in screen printing and the required weeding in traditional vinyl heat transfer. The technology can also create vibrant designs with its full colour printing capabilities. We’re excited to bring a solution to the market

that is designed for those already active in the decorated apparel sector and those looking to enter it, which excels in usability, reliability and quality."

As the company’s first entry into a new segment, Mimaki has created its own range of water-based pigment inks (PHT50) especially for this solution. As of March 2023, these inks are OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certified, guaranteeing that safety and environmental standards are met in line with Mimaki’s sustainability pledges. Unlike sublimation heat transfer printing, DTF is much more versatile when it comes to materials, able to work with more than just polyester and polyester blended materials, and on light or dark coloured fabrics.

The printer is supplied with Mimaki’s RasterLink7 RIP software, allowing users to have full oversight and the ability to streamline the process from the design to the final product. Distributed in the UK and Ireland by Hybrid Services, the TxF150-75 will be commercially available via its network of specialist resellers from April 2023.

For more information about this and the entire Mimaki product range, visit www.hybridservices.co.uk

ISA-UK LAUNCH BEST PRACTICE GUIDES FOR SIGN & GRAPHICS INDUSTRY

ISA-UK powered by BSGA, the leading independent trade association for the UK sign, graphics and visual communications industry, is delighted to announce the availability of two Best Practice Guides to help companies in the sign and display industry to reach and maintain high standards.

Available to purchase and download from the ISA-UK website, the two guides (the ISA-UK Best Practice Guide and the ISA-UK Best Practice Guide – Inspection & Maintenance) reflect the ISA-UK’s commitment to developing and promoting clear, robust and implementable best practice and guidance within the UK sign and graphics industry.

The primary aim of the guides is to demonstrate to customers, as well as staff, suppliers and contractors, that a business is acting in good faith and in a manner that is professional and competent.

Industry professionals have the choice of accessing the full guide for best practice or the specialist publication for those companies working across the inspection and maintenance of signage.

The guidance has been built to run alongside and support the values in the current British Standard and Specification for the design and construction of signs for publicity, decorative and general purposes (BS559).

"Best practices are important for processes that you need to work correctly," ISA-UK’s CEO Craig Brown says. "They are simply the best way to do things and are found to be the most sensible way to proceed to help you avoid falling foul of regulations and legislation."

"We will be looking to review and revise these guides on a regular basis and welcome constructive feedback from our members and non-members alike."

"With regards to the Inspection & Maintenance version, for a variety of reasons, maintenance is one of those topics that is often overlooked or not addressed with potential clients at time of quote or purchase of signage," adds Craig Brown.

"Without trying to state the obvious, external signs in particular are subject and susceptible to the seasonal changes, which put the materials used and the structures they are mounted onto through various states of stress. As a minimum, regular visual inspections should be recommended to the client, particularly after extreme weather events. This isn’t always the easiest subject to broach with clients so in an effort to address the issue the ISA-UK have put together the ISA-UK Best Practice Guide Inspection and Maintenance, hopefully to help give some pointers."

ISA-UK MEMBERS CAN PURCHASE

THE GUIDES FOR £25, WHILE THE PRICE FOR NON-MEMBERS IS £50

the barriers down for the industry’s future"

NETWORKING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Networking: you either love it or you hate it.

"Break the barriers down for the industry’s future"

Either way, you know that it’s an essential way to grow your business and it can be a place to make invaluable connections. This means that as a Director or team leader, you’ve probably attended at least one event over the course of your career. These positions are often filled by people in the 30+ age bracket, but FESPA UK has decided to change this for the future of sign and graphics, by creating Next Generation Networking events.

Historically, there has been a divide between sign and graphics companies. But FESPA UK is determined to break these barriers down for the industry’s future, encouraging 18-30-year-olds to attend the networking event to make connections, share best practices, and be inspired by keynote speakers.

Nicole Spencer, President of FESPA UK and Jay Burfield, Creative Coordinator at FESPA UK, have had plans for networking since 2020 – just before the pandemic stopped them in their tracks. Now that events are back up and running, there is a real focus for the team to invest in the Next Generation Networking events and the benefits these offer to young employees.

Nicole, who is also the Managing Director of RMC Digital Print says, "there was a time when we avoided our competitors, but since attending networking events together, we are now in a much better position. If there is a problem with one of our printers, we can call on them for help or advice and vice versa." Using networking for continuous professional development purposes can only benefit all parties. Nicole and Jay are keen to dispel the myth that people should keep to themselves for fear of others stealing their work.

One of the challenges that has presented itself in the infancy of the networking events is that younger people tend to shy away from these situations and so may not sign up themselves. This is where employers can step in by making the suggestion and organising the first ticket on behalf of their younger employees.

Feedback from the first event has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees asking about future networking events. It is clear that Next Generation Networking can provide enough value to this age group to make it worth their while. In addition to meeting other young people from the industry, the line-up for March 15th also includes former Apprentice winner, Mark Wright and The Online Print Coach, Colin Sinclair McDermott.

In addition to the ongoing networking events, FESPA UK has formed a Next Generation Committee. This is a small group of 18–30-year-olds working in print who want to contribute and make lasting changes for like-minded people in the same age group. The group is headed up by Jay Burfield and aims to ensure that the next generation of print is represented fairly and can bring new ideas to the businesses they work in.

So, if you’re fortunately youthful enough to attend the next event on March 15th at the British Car Museum in Warwick (or even if you sadly aren’t but you employ someone who is), book on by clicking the button below!

FEATURED PROJECTS

PAMELA NIELSEN ART

PROJECT: "KALEIDOSCOPE & "REBIRTH" ELEVATOR GRAPHICS

Project Overview:

I was asked to create vinyl print art designs for 3 elevator doors as well as the elevator interior walls. This project took 3.5 months from start to install. We used 2 installers to complete the works, and they installed 30 meters for the 3 doors and 52 meters for the inside elevator walls. The material we used is a 3M lJ180 CV3 with a 3M 85020 overlam.

What was the outcome?

An incredible finished product - the college was thrilled! The installers had to work around grommets on the handle inside the elevator that couldn’t be removed. They did an outstanding job.

CLIENT: SLCC (SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE)

"All I have to say is wow! Your art is as alive and inspirational as you are. The students are loving it! I’m happy to know you and definitely want to collaborate with you again to beautify more of our spaces... we’ll be in touch!"

Ahmad Vared Director of Student Centers

CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

PROJECT: SHIVER 750 MOTORCYCLE WRAP

Project Overview:

CLIENT: PHILIP STOKES

Signs Express (Central Lancashire) where we wrapped a Shiver 750 motorcycle using Arlon DPF 6000XRP vinyl with satin over-laminate. The breif was a simple one; Phil wanted the design to look icey and very have very subtle skulls. Almost as if it was Game of Thrones, White-Walker inspired. Phil was very generous with his timeframe and allowed us to work on the bike periodically over several weeks. This relaxed approach allowed to monitor the more complex areas of the wrap and ensure they had adequate adhesion before giving the parts the seal of approval and sending them on their way to be mounted to the bike. In the end we only used around 3m2 of vinyl.

What was the outcome?

The whole process was challenging yet rewarding, and we’re thrilled with how the finished product turned out. It was a pleasure to work alongside Tom and the team at Signs Express, and we look forward to more interesting projects like this in the future. Phil has since asked us to design additional vinyl prints to stick over the existing wraps to help enhance the theme.

"I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for the amazing work you did on the Shiver motorcycle. Your expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to excellence were evident every step of the way. The finished product is nothing short of exceptional, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

Collaborating with both of you was an absolute pleasure. Your professionalism and dedication to the project were remarkable, and it was inspiring to see how well you worked together as a team. I feel truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with such talented individuals, and I look forward to future collaborations with you."

- Phil Stokes

WRAPTURE ARCHITECTURAL WRAPS LTD

PROJECT: 43 STUDENT KITCHEN REFURBISHMENT

CLIENT: LEEDS UNIVERSITY

Project Overview:

In partnership with A&G wainwright joinery, Wrapture completed a full sustainable kitchen refurbishment which included: Deep cleaning of all surfaces and appliances, repairs of any damage to worktops or cupboards, vinyl wrapping of worktops, cupboard bases and doors, tabletops, splash backs and doors, laying laminate flooring, painting of woodwork and walls, applying new fixtures and fittings, installing new recycling bins and a final clean.

We had 19 weeks to complete the project and could do 3 weeks at a time to minimize disturbance to students involving a month off contract while the students had exams. We used 3 vinyl fitters 3 joiners 2 floor fitters and 1 cleaner using in total 1600mtr LX Hausys vinyl. The contract was agreed on the Friday before lockdown was first applied in the UK meaning it was placed on pause for nearly 2 years.

What was the outcome?

All kitchens where completed 2 weeks ahead of time, with no student complaints or disturbance. Each kitchen took an average of 7 hours to complete.The students were given vouchers and storage boxes the day before so they could empty the cupboards ready for the deep clean and vouchers so they could get food whilst the kitchens where out of use.

The cleaner, joiner and floor layers would go in first lay the new floor, clean and repair any damages. They then removed all doors, cut the splash backs, table tops & plinths which were wrapped off site. Once wrapped, they were taken back to site and once all the repairs and the floors were finished, the sides and worktop were wrapped. The wrapped splash backs were installed and everything was sealed. All the fittings where installed including a table and chairs, hot rods and waste/recycle units, blinds etc. Kitchens were started at 8am and finished at 3pm allowing the students to have their evening meal in the new kitchen. Using sustainable products allowed us to comply with the university’s sustainability program.

The inaugural event, taking place from 26 – 27 April 2023 at the Silverstone racing circuit, Northamptonshire, will bring together wrap professionals and enthusiasts from across Europe

WrapFest heads for Silverstone amidst backdrop of booming vehicle wrapping industry

Despite being around since 1920, it is only in the last 20 years or so that the vehicle wrapping industry has exploded.

In 2021, the global automotive wrap films market size was valued at a staggering USD 4.76 billion and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.2% from 2022 to 2030.

Vehicle wrapping has cemented itself as one of the most popular digital print applications. Demand for both vehicle personalisation for decorative reasons, made popular by a number of celebritywrapped cars, and for advertising and branding purposes, has proliferated in recent years largely owing to its aesthetic appeal, simplicity, protective qualities and cost-effectiveness compared to vehicle paint. The result is the emergence of a thriving industry characterised by innovation and creativity, that, unphased by the pandemic, continues to go from strength-to-strength.

It is against this backdrop that WrapFest arrives, the brand-new event dedicated to the vehicle wrapping, vinyl installation and detailing community. The event, organised by FESPA, will run for the first time from 26 – 27 April 2023 at the Silverstone racing circuit, Northamptonshire, UK – the iconic home of the British Grand Prix. Attendees will be treated to a content-rich event experience with internationally recognised brands showcasing their market-leading products, live demonstrations from the industry’s hottest names, Wrap Talks, the launch event’s intimate speaker programme, the regional heat of the UK and Ireland World Wrap Masters, and much more.

"Wrapfest is dedicated to the vehicle wrapping, vinyl installation & detailing community"

The latest innovations in wrapping, all under one roof

Occupying Halls 1 and 2 of the new Silverstone Wing will be prominent global brands showcasing their products for custom vehicle wrapping and detailing, including graphic, colour-change and paint protection films, window tints, digital printing and laminating equipment, vinyl cutting and finishing, design software, cleaning products, and accessories and tools. The exhibition will be a hotbed of innovation, with wrap professionals and enthusiasts able to view, touch and try products at every stage of the wrapping process, furthering their knowledge of the market, and enhancing their own careers and ambitions in the industry.

For instance, Pole Position sponsor HEXIS will be exhibiting its SKINTAC high performance cast wrapping film and BODYFENCE paint protection film (PPF), with the two products featuring in the company’s live demonstrations from the pit garages. Attendees will also be able to view its new high performance cast wrap colours which include #HX30SS22B

Galactic Iridescent Ultra Gloss Limited Edition, #HX20NMYB Mystery Black Metallic Gloss, #HX20VNAS Naiade Green Metallic Satin, and possibly some additional surprise colours specifically for WrapFest. Additionally, there will be a range of new wrap and PPF installation tools for visitors to try, from S.H.A.G.Tools, Fusion Tools, WrapGlove, PID Pro Series (Paint is Dead), YelloTools, Lidco, Banana Buffers / Monkey Stripes, Olfa, IK Sprayers and Steinel Heat Guns.

HP will be exhibiting its highly flexible, cost-effective HP Latex water-based ink, including HP Latex White Ink: the whitest white ink on the market. This innovative ink helps to overcome the traditionally tricky problem of printing vibrant white on coloured, metallic, and transparent media, and as with all the inks in the range, eliminate the issues associated with hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds. Meanwhile, ADAPT, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of roll media, ink and wide format machinery, will partner with Profilm and Epson UK to showcase their latest products available to the market, including a selection of Epson’s large format printers such as the SureColor SC-R5000 and SureColor S80600.

When it comes to vehicle wraps and films, as expected, there is no shortage of variety, nor innovation. Surfex, the leading supplier of self-adhesive vinyl film, is planning to unveil its new product catalogue for 2023, in addition to running live demonstrations at the event. Its Surfex Interior is high quality self-adhesive wrap that looks like real wood, stone, concrete and other desirable materials and has been used by famous global brands including Chanel, Disney, and Virgin to remodel hotels and offices. The company is aiming to meet new partners and distributors who can further extend the film’s worldwide availability and usage in the fast-growing wrapping sector.

If one thing is certain, the show will be a one-stop shop for paint protection products. Johnson Window Films is a family owned and operated distributor of best in-class automotive and commercial solar control window films and paint protection, with over 40 years plus experience. It will exhibit its Johnson Paint Protection - unique paint protection film crafted with an industry leading topcoat that is more resistant to scratches and scuffs. KDX, one of the largest window film manufacturers, will present a number of products including its KDX LUMI Paint Protection Film. This self-healing, durable and transparent film effectively prevent scratches, rock chips, wear and tear traces, oxidation, aging, and yellowing of the original paint surface. Additionally, Star Vinyls, having recently become the sole distributor for Luxe Lightwrap in the UK, will be showcasing its range of headlight and tail light vinyls, which come in dozens of colours, textures and tints, are highly compatible and easy to install and remove.

And if it’s tools to help further your wrapping career and ambitions, then you’re in luck. Signgeer offers a range of high-quality performance tools and equipment for newcomers to the trade as well as the experienced professional. Those who stop by the stand will be treated to an array of tools to aid their wrapping activity, including ‘Surfacework’ – a range of industry standard cleaning and preparation fluids – and Wrap-UEzee by Yellotools, the highly popular and innovative tool for vehicle wrapping.

Live demonstrations from globally recognised brands

Following an overwhelmingly positive response from the industry, 11 globally recognised brands have signed up to sponsor the event. HEXIS, 3M, ADAPT, Avery Dennison, APA, Grafityp, Spandex, William Smith, Surfex with FlexiShield and Teckwrap, HP and Metamark will each deliver exclusive, bespoke wrapping demonstrations to attendees. Over the course of the two days, the companies will present 60-plus live demonstrations, providing audiences with a unique opportunity to watch the world’s most advanced wrapping professionals execute their skills, pick up new techniques and learn about the latest materials that are driving the industry.

Pole Position Sponsor HEXIS will deliver live car wrapping demonstrations involving its aforementioned market-leading products HEXIS SKINTAC WRAPand BODYFENCE PPF.. The HEXIS HEX’Pert training team, comprising James Steane, Stewart Cochran and Luke Brotherton, will deliver many wrapping and PPF installation demonstrations. Visitors to the demonstration will be able to gain exclusive insights and the possibility of also participating in a quick teaser lesson on one of HEXIS’ demonstration vehicles.

Representing 3M will be experienced trainers Russell Urmston, Gavin Swallow and Ryan Travis. Urmston will discuss and demonstrate the nuances of how to wrap 3M™ Paint Protection Film, Swallow will demonstrate wrapping with 3M™ Print Wrap Film IJ280 and show the benefits of this film, including repositionability and flexibility for deep recesses, while Travis will talk through preparation and application of colour change 3M™ Wrap Film Series 2080, using 3M™ Knifeless Tape.

Meanwhile, ADAPT, in partnership with Profilm, the cutting-edge Window Film and Paint Protection (PPF) company, will run live demonstrations by its Head of Technical Services, Eugene Voigt. Attendees will be able to see up close the exceptional finish of the freshly laid products, including the Gloss, Matte and ProColor series, and gain valuable insights harnessed through his 20 years of experience and installation knowledge.

APA, the self-adhesive film manufacturer, is expected to dazzle attendees with its brand-new limited edition colour at WrapFest, the latest of 20 wrap colours from its UltraJet Line, developed over the last year, and facilitated by its market-leading "Ultra-Jet System" technology. Finally, representing Metamark will be Paige Walton, a vinyl installer of 11 years, who will provide a wrap demonstration using Metamark’s innovative range of products, including MetaCast® MCX, a new product offering wrap professionals the ultimate performance for full vehicle wraps. Combining MetaGlide® airrelease technology and backed by our MetaSure™ warranty, it offers up to 12-years durability. MetaCast® MCX has a contemporary colour range which includes Metamark Inspire Colours™, developed to reproduce some of the most desirable OEM paint colours in a wrap film.

Meanwhile, partnering with Surfex is Flexishield and Teckwrap, who, led by James Clarke, Head Trainer, Flexishield, will demonstrate the preparation process of wrapping and the limitations and techniques of wrap application and heating.

Additionally, The Wrap Institute, the event’s official Training Partner, will organise sessions on behalf of FESPA in its own pit garage. The organisation, an online learning community with 2,000+ instructional videos for vinyl wrap installation, production, design and business, was founded by legendary wrapping trainer and installer Justin Pate, who alongside fellow Avery Dennison wrapping trainer Rainer Lorz, are sure to offer attendees new perspectives and insights on wrapping simply not possible elsewhere.

Exclusive insights from big industry names

Hall 1’s show floor will play host to Wrap Talks, the event’s speaker programme. Free for all visitors, the programme’s interactive format, ranging from energised fireside chats to influencer interviews, will invite some of wrapping industry’s most recognisable names to share their unique perspectives and insights on the industry, while also giving visitors the opportunity to ask questions in an intimate setting.

So far, confirmed speakers include celebrity wrapper Yianni Charalambous (Yiannimize), automotives influencer and wrapping enthusiast Archie Hamilton, livery design specialist Joshua Stedford (Livery Magic), wrap entrepreneur Corey England (WrapCapital), and a series of Wrap Institute trainers – including Justin Pate and Rainer Loz - two of the most technically gifted wrapping specialists around.

Stedford, in a talk titled ‘The Art and Science behind Livery Design’, will discuss the creative process of developing a livery, including tips on logo and decal placement, how to create a stand-out colour scheme, and how to use a car’s body shape to your advantage.

Pate will deliver a series of talks, touching on a variety of wrapping topics. These include deceptively simple selling tips for sign shops and installers, the art of upselling car wraps, and why interior wraps are the future.

Regional World Wrap Masters to descend on Silverstone

WrapFest will also play host to the inaugural UK & Ireland World Wrap Masters regional heat, in which 24 skilled wrappers will compete in a series of timed wrapping competitions for a chance to qualify for the World Wrap Masters final at FESPA Global Print Expo 2023 in Munich, Germany (23 – 26 May 2023).

The event will host the most gifted and exciting wrapping talent, with the competitors’ wrapping prowess tested to the limit in a series of technical challenges and creative rounds over the course of the two days. To secure their place in Munich, they will have to impress some of the most recognised and respected wrapping experts, with Ole Solskin, Justin Pate, Kiss Lajos and, for the first time, Ivan Tenchev, announced as judges.

A trade show like no other

The vibrancy and colour of the wrapping community is unlike any other. To reflect this, WrapFest will take on a different look and feel to a typical trade show, with a ‘festival forecourt’ where international food trucks and music in the racecourse paddock area. At the end of the first day (Wednesday 26th –17:00 – 20:00), the festival forecourt will play host to the Wrap Party. With live DJ sets and a beer tent, the party will offer visitors and exhibitors the perfect opportunity to wind down after a long day of sourcing, networking and learning.

Furthermore, there will be a number of exciting competitions for wrappers to try their hand at. Firstly, the Show and Shine competition offers a limited number of visitors the chance to bring their own wrapped cars to display within the ‘festival forecourt’ which will then be judged each day to find the ‘coolest’ wrapped car. The People’s Choice Award will be voted for by the wrapping community based on the look of the wrap, while the Judge’s Choice – will involve a panel of special guests and esteemed judges who will consider the aesthetics and beyond. The winner will be announced at 3pm on each show day.

‘Wrap Warrior’ battle, hosted by The Wrap Institute, will provide another opportunity for visitors to test their wrapping skills. This competition, open to anybody, will invite competitors to take part in one of three contests – Bing Bing Plate, Chance of Clouds and Wrap the Dots. It will offer many participants a unique opportunity to demonstrate and hone their skills using a variety of different tools and equipment, plus the chance to win some cool t-shirts.

Duncan MacOwan, Head of Marketing and Events, FESPA, said: “

"Vehicle wrapping has long been one of the most colourful and eye-catching attractions at our FESPA exhibitions. The growth of the industry over the last 20 years has been impossible to ignore, and it is only right that there is now an exclusive event that serves the need of this community.

It’s not an exaggeration to say there has literally never been anything like this before in the UK. The launch event has been designed to appeal to the diverse wrapping community, as well as those who are interested in learning more. From live demonstrations and Q&As with leading wrapping figures, to wrapping competitions and live music, there is something to cater to everybody in this diverse, unique community.”

It’s hard not to feel just a little bit out of place when you’re boarding a millionaire’s yacht.

But for Tom Lovesey, owner of Generation Graphics, stepping foot onto celebrity boats is all part and parcel of the wrapping life his team have become accustomed to. Once wrapping a private chef’s stainlesssteel kitchen entirely in ppf on the fifth biggest boat in the world, he was blissfully unaware that this particular yacht belonged to one of the richest women in the world. Unsurprisingly, when the end client is a billionaire, there isn’t much direct communication between the rich and the wrappers. But on the marina where Generation Graphics are based, I see a very different story. With owners mooring their boats side by side for entire seasons, there is an element of keeping up with the Joneses, meaning Tom has become a popular man along the marina jetty.

Starting his business six years ago, aged just 21, Tom saw the potential of using vinyl wrapping for this niche, and is passionate about the solution Generation Graphics brings to boat owners everywhere, from his base in Southampton to the superyachts in Barcelona. His belief that vinyl wrapping boats will continue to rise in popularity in the future is full of confidence, as the undeniable benefits shine through in his company’s work.

Superyacht Interiors

As much as the exterior of a boat can benefit from wrapping, Generation Graphics are also utilising their space to renovate the interiors. With architectural film designed for use on ships, it was a natural progression for Tom to offer this as a solution for his clients, who would’ve spent thousands more on ripping out their interiors to achieve the same look. With the unit being so close to the marina, everything can be dismantled and wrapped off-site before being reassembled aboard with minimal disruption to the client. Due to the lightweight nature of architectural films, and the top quality ones being IMO certified, Tom tells me the customers who usually opt for this are usually the owners of

boats that are over 100ft and above. Looking around the marina, there are hundreds of boats. If even half of the owners chose to wrap their boat interiors, Tom would be booked up for years to come. Since founding Generation Graphics six years ago, Tom has made a number of invaluable connections who he can call upon to complete other works on board. On one of the smaller boats they worked on, Generation Graphics wrapped the exterior and interior and project managed the rest of the works including carpet fitting and headlining to minimise disruption to the owner.

Is Paint Really Dead?

The traditional method of painting boats is still a booming business. Tom tells me that just down the road, a company employs 250 staff to work on painting projects, giving some indication of how popular this still is. Wrapping is still a fairly new concept in the boating world, and, as with anything new, it has been the subject of some resistance. People like what they know, and boat painting is a craft in itself, something that Tom understands. However, by being early to the boat wrapping game, he has won over clients with the benefits wrapping can offer over more traditional methods. Currently, the team at Generation Graphics is 3-strong and wraps an average of 4 boats a week. To paint the same number of boats would take significantly longer. A boat wrap that

would take Generation Graphics two days to complete would take four weeks to paint. This is a huge selling point for wrapping. As Tom notes, "if you’re buying a boat, you want to get it out in the water as soon as you can. People don’t like to wait." For the traditionalists who do like painting over wrapping, the maintenance is never-ending. Regular polishing is a necessity, and yet over time, the paint will begin to fade due to the process. As Tom shows me a boat he wrapped 6 years ago in the water, you wouldn’t know it hadn’t been recently wrapped. Mainly using Oracal vinyl on exterior wrapping projects, Generation Graphics also offer an upgrade; a self-cleaning vinyl for boats that travel more than 10mph. However, this really is an exclusive option as it comes at an eye-watering price per meter.

The Work Continuum

With one of the benefits of wrapping boats being that the vinyl lasts a lot longer, to an outsider in this world, it would be easy to assume there are quiet periods of time. But not according to Tom, who tells me, "from March onwards, in Hamble [where all the boats are commissioned], there will be a boat turning up every other day. Brand new boats are handed over to their owners and they all need a name on them and the owners might want a stripe or another detail added. All these small jobs add up." In the boating industry, there is also a slightly different way of selling that benefits Generation Graphics enormously. Being only a stone’s throw from a large dealership, boats are often purchased by the dealer before they

have found a buyer. The easiest colour to construct the boats from is white, and so without having a colour specified beforehand, dealerships order them in white. It stands to reason that once they’ve found a buyer for the boat, white is likely not going to be the colour of preference, and that is where Generation Graphics come in. As Tom and his team are able to wrap the boat at speed for a quick turnaround, the new owner can choose from hundreds of colours and get their boat launched within days, rather than specifying the colour with the dealership at the beginning and waiting months for the boat to be delivered.

Navigating Difficult Waters

One issue that arises within wrapping from every sector is, well, wrappers. Good ones, anyway. In the six years that Generation Graphics has been in business, Tom has gained employees, leaving him more time to take on a more customer-facing role. With boat wrapping spanning such a lengthy meterage of material, it often requires two pairs of hands to pin before any wrapping can take place. As more customers began to realise the benefits, Tom was unable to be in two places at once. He successfully recruited two experienced wrappers for the Generation Graphics team meaning there are always at least two people to assist with larger projects. Not dissimilar to car wrapping with the intricacies involved, finding skilled installers has been one of the challenges Tom has encountered as a small business owner.

The level of attention to detail is paramount at Generation Graphics, and for good reason. In addition to the business thriving due to word-of-mouth referrals, there is also another motivation to achieve the perfect wrap that could come at a phenomenal cost to all parties. To lift a boat from the water is an expense that nobody wants to do more than once. Careful consideration is given to where joins are made to ensure the vinyl doesn’t fail once the boat is launched. Eager owners are keen to get their boat out as soon as possible and a mishap like this could cost thousands to rectify, in addition to the backlash from an angry customer. Luckily, this has yet to happen at Generation Graphics, which speaks volumes about their workmanship.

A value that is of the utmost importance to Generation Graphics is honesty, and it is easy to see why. Working to strict deadlines, they can often be found working outside traditional 9-5 hour days. When clients change the launch date of their boat without enough notice, the pressure can be on. Over time, Tom has implemented more processes to ensure that the clients don’t put his team behind on other projects with last-minute demands, something that every small business owner should learn over time to protect not just their business, but also their sanity.

Julie orchestrates and delivers financial expertise to a variety of clients, providing the right information that will help them grow, improve profitability whilst freeing up time to focus on their core activities. Every business is in a different stage of their journey and will need a different level of financial support to generate high value customers, reduce costs, improve profitability and maintain a healthy cash flow. This is why having Julie as your Virtual Finance Director is a great idea. She is an experienced, dynamic and forward-thinking accountant that creates bespoke packages aligning to your business requirements, from dedicated 1-2-1 sessions to help build robust business plans, to delivering long-term projects and offering a fully outsourced finance function.

Have you heard the term cash is king?

Most businesses understand the concept of cashflow but struggle to know how to put it into practice. This is generally for two main reasons, they focus too much on what is in their bank today, which can be harmful as a business always needs to have a longer outlook when making critical decisions, or they use their bank statements (money in vs money out) to estimate their profits, which can be misleading as generally businesses are investing cash for the future such as buying assets, so you can’t assume that your cash will always represent your profits.

What is cashflow?

Your cashflow is the measure of money you receive or pay over in any given period and is one of the most important reporting metrics a business should manage. A common issue we see at Wilkinson Accounting Solutions, is business owners feel they make a lot of sales but never have any cash. The main reason behind this is business owners are trading day to day without keeping track of the detail behind the money they receive or spend.

For example, if a business is selling tickets for an event in 6 months’ time and collects the cash from the customers upfront, this would be a good cashflow strategy. If the key costs are due to be paid 1 month before the event, then the business would need to ensure they plan their cashflow, so the cash is available at the right time. If they are not keeping track there is risk, they could spend the cash received for that event on other business activities such as paying past vat bills etc, which if not managed could lead to cash shortages at critical times.

JULIE WILKINSON

How to manage cashflow short term

For a business to manage short term cashflow, we would recommend setting up a 12-week cashflow template. This needs to link directly with your operations as it should be based on the realistic expectations of what money will be received or paid out within that time frame. You start with the opening bank position, list all incomings and outgoings which will then calculate your estimate closing balances.

By doing this cashflow check it allows you to see into the future and pinpoint any risk areas in advance, so it gives you time to plan and manage cashflow accordingly, so you don’t run out of money. The complexity of the cashflow will change depending on the business model, especially if your business takes deposits, collects cash or makes payment upfront, as you need to be able to keep track of what is still due vs what has been paid.

This is why your balance sheet is a key factor in cashflows, as if bookkeeping is done correctly, you should be able to utilise the balance sheet to support with your cash position, such as using open creditor balances for bills that are still due to be paid.

What happens if I need funding?

Should I track cash long term?

It is generally easier to manage cash short term than longer term, however a long term cashflow is advisable. This cashflow should look 3-5 years ahead and would be based on your longer-term forecast projections. The reason you track long term, is there could be larger investments required as your business grows where you might need funding to support, therefore it is best to get insight into this now, so you can start preparing.

Once you are keeping track of your cashflow you can make decisions on how you fund any cashflow gaps. There are several ways you can manage cashflow, it doesn’t always need to be expensive long term debt funding, it can be short term cover for a certain strategy. Different cashflow management strategies are:-

Internal management of cashflow

Before you onboard any funding it is always best to see if you can free up spare cash internally first. This can be looking at cost savings (such as changing suppliers to get cheaper materials) or changing how you take cash from customers, such as requesting deposits, so you get cash up front.

Debt financing

If you need higher level of funding then you could look to seek debt funding which can come from different sources such as asset financing, invoice discounting/factoring or other cashflow financing/lending facilities. The ability to seek these financing will depend on your business activities and are likely to require some form of business plan or cashflow, depending on the level of funding required.

Summary

Credit

There are other ways to obtain short term credit, you can request longer terms with suppliers, or ask to pay in instalments rather than upfront, or you can look at getting credit cards or overdrafts. These are useful methods to cover short term cashflow gaps at relatively low cost

Equity

Another method of funding is to release equity, this can be often through angel investors, venture capitalists or private investors. Equity financing is different to debt funding as debt funding is likely to have higher short-term costs associated (such as paying interest), whereas equity financing is released from selling stocks (shares) which can with other issues such as losing control of your company.

Cashflow can be a complex topic for businesses owners to grasp. Basic cashflow models are quite useful for many businesses but it is important to keep good management of your finances, otherwise costs can get out of control. If you are struggling with cashflow then financing and funding is an option but is best to discuss with your accountant or a finance professional who can talk you through the pros and cons of different options.

The possibilities just got bigger, with an additional

JETSETTING WITH EPF GRAPHICS

Dave Todd wasn’t expecting to be on a plane to Japan as part of the Le Mans team so early on after founding his company, EPF Graphics.

Beginning with a small set-up in his garage making stickers, a stroke of luck came shortly afterwards from (of all places) a mutual Facebook connection. Since that call 7 years ago, Dave has travelled to far-flung places across the globe, naming Japan, Argentina, Australia and a whole host of European countries as some of his visited destinations. He is now an experienced wrapper in the field of racing, specialising in design, production and installation services. Dave is living proof that if you have the travelling bug, vehicle wrapping can be the perfect industry to enter. Honing his skills and being a fast learner, he is now a trusted part of Laverty’s Racing, BMW World Superbikes, Yamaha and Honda teams.

Clocking up the air miles over the past 7 years, Dave is keen to stress that whilst it may sound like an idyllic lifestyle, the hours can be long and the sightseeing short. Working abroad also comes with its challenges. Taking a complete set of anything wrapping-related on an aeroplane is virtually impossible, and so late-night visits to pharmacies in foreign countries to pick up alcohol for cleaning, or locating essential primers are all part of the fun. Nevertheless, he’s made it work, and earned himself a stellar reputation amongst the teams he works for. Being into motorsport, Dave takes great pride in the fact that his work can be seen on the tracks once he’s completed it.

In addition to wrapping the vehicles for motorsports teams, Dave has also been tasked with prestigious helmet wraps for competitors, which allows him to show his creative flair alongside his wrapping skills. Working alongside Michael Laverty, a big name in the racing industry, Dave wrapped the team’s trailer, which carries the responsibility of promoting the team and its sponsors as well as a huge entourage. With every day bringing new challenges, there is never a dull moment, whatever the size of the project.

One of the downsides to working abroad so often is that other projects are put on the back burner. EPF Graphics launched its own training academy for vehicle wrapping, to inspire others in the area to enter the industry and improve the skills of those in the industry. But as with any new venture, it takes time to plan, market and implement, something that is ten times more difficult if you aren’t even on home soil. As another year of motorsport gets underway, Dave is as busy as ever, meaning a temporary pause to his plans for the training academy. Knowing the value that he can offer to others in the industry, EPF Graphics are set to resume the courses at their Stocktonon-Tees HQ as soon as there is a break in the schedule.

Sign

SHOW FEATURES

Hexis UK Wrap Battle

As well as a broad and diverse range of exhibitors, SDUK is running a series of features designed to educate and inform sign-makers of all shapes, sizes and experience levels. The ever-popular UK Wrap Battle 2023, hosted by HEXIS, will run throughout the show, giving visitors a rare chance to see the very best of the vehicle wrapping profession as they demonstrate their skills in a battle of speed and accuracy to claim the title of Best UK Installer 2023.

Sign & Digital UK (SDUK) returns to the NEC Birmingham from 21st to 23rd March 2023. The floor plan is growing fast, with some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Roland DG, Epson UK, Premier, Hexis UK, Vivid Laminating Technologies and swissQprint, signed up. There will also be a host of familiar, and maybe not so familiar, exhibitors ready and waiting to welcome visitors from across the sign and large-format digital printing world.

This show remains the UK’s only exhibition dedicated to the sign and digital display market. Event director, Jenny Matthew, says, "Last year we had a great show, even though the country was just getting used to the idea of getting out again. However, this year promises to be a no-holds-barred celebration of all that is good and great in the wonderful world of sign-making and large-format digital printing. I have spoken to many people who say that SDUK 2023 will be their first opportunity to see the latest technology and innovation for several years, and they can’t wait. And neither can we!".

The Sign Studio

Whether you are a vinyl veteran or just setting out on your vinyl adventure, The Sign Studio is a must-see for visitors at the show this year.

It will run daily, with live demonstrations and practical workshops hosted by experienced sign-maker Paul Hughes. These sessions will allow visitors to learn more about the basics of vinyl application, vehicle livery, wall coverings and more. "I will give practical, hands-on demonstrations designed to inform people looking to take their first steps in vinyl application and those wanting to add to and develop their skills. There will even be something for more seasoned pros on the hunt for the latest tips and tricks," says Paul.

Explains Lounge and Sign Surgery (hosted by ISA UK)

The International Sign Association UK (ISA-UK) is back to host the SDUK Explains Lounge and a brand-new feature - the Sign Surgery.

The Sign Surgery will take place alongside the Explains Lounge and will be an informal environment where visitors can put questions to ISA-UK directors. Craig Brown, CEO of the ISA UK, says, "The Sign Surgery will be a vibrant and welcoming place where visitors come to discuss the issues and challenges most important to them. ISA members with decades of

experience in all areas of sign-making will be available throughout the show to answer questions and discuss real business issues. We have seen and lived it all in signage as a group, and this is a rare opportunity to share this knowledge with fellow sign-makers" Building on its popularity last year, the Explains Lounge will host a full programme of presentations designed to engage, inform and inspire. All of the sessions are free to attend and there’s no need to book. Check the website at www.signanddigitaluk.com to see a full schedule and list of speakers.

Jenny Matthew, concludes:

"We are so excited about the show this year. We want everyone who joins us to get real value from their time, so we are doing our best to ensure there is something for everyone, from industry newcomers to seasoned professionals. The schedule is jam-packed with fantastic exhibitors, exciting features and thousands of networking opportunities to ensure that visitors will be informed and inspired by everything they find at SDUK 2023."

& Digital UK will take place at the NEC, Birmingham from 21-23 March 2023.

On the 22nd of March, a brand-new event will be kicking off in Birmingham’s historic Town Hall. The Sign Awards promises to delight attendees with a Gala Dinner at which the winners for twelve awards under ten categories will be revealed by ITV’s Emma Jesson, the host for the evening.

THE CATEGORIES & FINALISTS

If you’re lucky enough to be attending the sold-out event, then buckle up for an evening of signage and celebrating. Dan Tyler, Founder of The UK Graphic Awards says, "It’s been four years since the signage industry has had the opportunity to acknowledge and recognise its incredible achievements at an event like this. We have seen how important this is with the great success of the UK Graphic Awards and we wanted to bring this experience and excitement back to the sign industry."

Judging is blind and impartial, and will be carried out by an international jury of experienced signage industry professionals, who are also yet to be revealed at the time of writing. With excitement building around the event, a number of big-name sponsors and partners from the industry have jumped at the chance to be involved. The perfectly timed ceremony takes place in the middle of the UK’s biggest and most popular event, Sign & Digital UK, adding to the prestige of the awards.

Company of the Year (30+ Employees)

Company

Over the years, I’ve been asked to do a lot of unusual projects that have involved fusion finishes. Our Editor, Rosie, has asked me to show and discuss some of the more unusual projects that I’ve developed over the years.

Sadly, some of these projects don’t have any photographic record, thanks to happening before the onset of the cell phone camera. One of my favourite projects happened in the spring of 1992 when my team was asked to create a 6-foot-tall Diet Coke can for a promotion being run by or local Coca-Cola bottler. The can was fabricated out of traditional plywood materials but was finished on the outside with Milement by MBA...an early form of a fusion finish. This finish was intended for the trade show industry, so it was fairly thin and somewhat brittle, but it was fine for big, flat surfaces like trade show panels.

One of my all-time favorite projects was this luminaire, created for the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville Tennessee. Back in 2006, plans were made for a new grand entrance hall to the hospital that included a four-story tall "elliptunda"...an elliptical entrance area glazed on three sides. The original plan was for a signature lighting element that would be partially glass and partially "wood". The problem was, that they wanted these "ribbons" of wood to end up being approximately 12 inches wide, and about 10 feet tall, but only an eighth of an inch thick. I explained to the lead interior designer on the project, Heather King, that what she wanted to do was functionally impossible. We could not fabricate curved ribbonlike structures out of real wood. Making things more difficult, the space faced directly west... meaning it was going to get intense afternoon sun every day and I knew this meant that any real wood element would likely be destroyed by sun damage within a season or two. After discussing these issues, Heather asked me what I thought we could do instead and my response was very simple..."DINOC over aluminium, as it will look totally real and no one will know the difference".

That’s exactly what we did...we fabricated the ribbons out of .080 aircraft aluminium that was CNC’d to shape after the DI-NOC had been applied to both sides, and then we ran the ribbons through a roll former to create the curvature that you see in the image.

In the early spring of 2011, I was contacted by 3M to be project manager over a major tradeshow project happening in May of that year. The show was the International Contemporary Furniture Fair hosted at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, and this is going to be the first big presentation by 3M‘s newly formed Architectural Markets Department. The trade show booth itself was fabricated by a store speciality fixtures company located in Brooklyn and the overall dimensions of the booth were 40‘ x 10‘.

The entire back wall of the display was in essence a continuous niche, filled with elements that had been finished with DiNoc finishes. This also included a couple of pieces that contain LED lighting to show some digital print capabilities by being translucent. Every surface in the booth was covered in the material...including the floor. The floor was made up of 4‘x 4‘ parquet panels, that were put together with coffin locks. Yes, we know it wasn’t a good idea to use deinonychus flooring, but in this case, the show was four days and we correctly assumed that the material had enough durability to withstand floor traffic for that period of time with no adverse wear.

Also involved in that production were a number of accessory items, there were a number of stainless steel boxes that were partially covered for the twotone effect, and some tables that were covered, and then enclosed inside clear acrylic boxes, creating an unusual three-dimensional effect for the product. In these images, you can see all the different surfaces that we used... as well as most of the AMD management staff, who are staffing the booth for that show.

Among the more traditional things that I’ve refinished with DiNoc over the years is this...my personal drum set. I started college as a jazz major before I realized that I actually wanted to eat after university. I’ve owned this cherry red set of Gretsch Catalina Maple drums for over a decade and I love the drums, but I just didn’t love the finish. So over the course of an afternoon, I disassembled the shells, prepped everything and wrapped everything with 3M DI-NOC™ MW 776. The drums are two full seasons in now, and still look brand new.

Personally, the ICFF in 2011 was a major watershed moment for me, because we also had a major project that was being done for the internationally known industrial designer, Karim Rashid. Karim had an associated showroom/party space designated for the week and we created Dimensional flooring that was temporary in nature, but very cool to install.

Also, because I was lucky enough to be the PM on that project, I got a personal invitation from Karim to attend the party and was able to meet a number of my designer idols that live and work in the New York City market.

Stay tuned here on Vinyl Pros for more projects like these, as well as a dose of fusion history and information on how to develop your business with these amazing finishes.

Distributing, a 3M Authorized Distribution Partner. With over 42 years in the film and graphics business, Brent brings a real-world, dealer-centric point of view to his dealers, by supporting them with DI-NOC and Fasara sales and technical information, as well as support for marketing, social media and business development. Brent can be reached at brent@ designfilm.com or 865-924-8525

Brent Williams is the Director of the DesignFilm program at Accent .

INTERIOR INSIGHTS

With Louise Wynne

The phone’s ringing.

... It’s a client.

... They’re asking for a quote for kitchen wrapping.

... You make an appointment to go and scope out the project.

So far, so good, right? And then the question you dread...

‘So what finish would should I go for?’

Do you:

A) Blag it and select the one everyone else chooses

B) Point to the greys...

A Coverstyl’ NE80 never did anyone any harm Or

C) Wish you’d paid attention to that interiors magazine your other half bought last week

Well never fear!

It’s your resident (ahem, for 1 issue only, I might not get invited back!) Interior Designer here to point you in the right direction. You bring the wrapping skills and I’ll bring you tips for creating a top-notch client experience.

1

Listen: This is the most obvious but the most important one of all. Ask questions to figure out what finish, if any, the client has in mind.

Do they already have a strong idea of what they like?

Does their home have a particular aesthetic (so you can help them to create a cohesive look where the kitchen works with the rest of the house)?

What’s most important, style, or budget?

How do they want to feel in the space?

This last one is a great question - and it’s especially important in a multi-functional room, like a kitchen, dining, and living space in one.

Adjectives like ‘inviting’, ‘fun’, and ‘bold, are the sorts of comments you might hear back. They’re all helpful in setting the tone of the room and so guiding you on the aesthetic.

You might get a response that’s something like ‘I want to feel uncluttered and like I’ve got space’. In which case, you’d possibly recommend the more simple, solid colour finishes. Or they might tell you they’d like to feel ‘warm’ and for the space to feel ‘inviting’, in which case you could bring in a wood finish, either on its own or used alongside a solid colour.

Go Prepared: My personal favourite! 2

Imagine you go to measure up, and quote for the job. And you produce a deck of samples for the client. This vinyl wrapping business is new to them and they weren’t expecting such a huge choice.

Fantastic! Having choice is great. But too much choice can be overwhelming for most people, and they end up just going for something they know, instead of something they LOVE! So, what if you’re in this situation, BUT you have sorted something to help them? That will only take an hour of your time to prepare.

Enter Pinterest

It takes no time at all to create a Pinterest account. And a quick search will fill your feed with dozens of gorgeous images of vinyl wrapped kitchens which you can then Pin to different boards. To get started, you could create different boards for different finishes, such as ‘Warm Woods’ or ‘Bold Colours’. Then enter the brand(s) you offer to your clients into the search bar, find images you like, and get pinning!

P.S watch out, it’s addictive.

P.P.S This little bit of homework is massively going to elevate your client experience.

What’s on Trend?:

I’m going to break this down into 3 parts:

Colour is one of the big trends to hit the kitchen market in recent years. If your client wants to go bold, but they’re scared of getting it wrong, I’d suggest steering them towards colours that you can easily find in nature and that you often see when you look out of the window.

Blues and greens are probably the way to go here so try Cover Styl’ NF06 or for something a little paler M4.

Mix one of these with a wood effect for maximum effect. Think ‘bringing the outside in.’

Humans evolved in nature and so if you can bring the colours of the natural world into someone’s home, it’s going to make them feel calm, safe, warm, comforted and all the lovely feels!

Statement splashbacks and worktops are making big waves right now and are a creative way to bring a hit of personality. This is where your Pinterest board could come in very handy if you’ve prepped in advance, as people find it really tricky to visualise how a small sample could actually look in their space.

Pair a striking stone or marble with warm wood cabinetry to soften the look, such as contemporary terrazzo NG02 and the deep, luxurious NF65.

Metal and leather finishes are BIG right now and this doesn’t look likely to change for the foreseeable. The clever way to make this work - and make it look bang up to date - is to mix and layer different metal look finishes and textures for a super sexy, space.

I absolutely love the idea of pairing NE38 with NE40 and NG20 and adding some brushed brass handles to complete the look. Try and stick to one dominant finish (roughly 70%), and then work with another couple of metals as accents. Any more than 3 or 4 finishes and it’ll start to look a little messy so be careful. In smaller kitchens, this style might just end up feeling cluttered rather than cool.

So, my vinyl wrapping heroes; go forth and get creative. I can’t wait to hear how you’re saving unwanted cabinetry from landfill and helping your clients have the best looking kitchens in town!

I’m a little bit wary of this one, as I don’t personally like a trend for the sake of it, but it’s something I get asked a lot, and so maybe you do too.

SPIRES KITCHEN WRAPS

Owner: Shaun Thompson

Areas Covered: We have covered all over the UK but we mainly cover the Midlands

What is your background working with vinyl?

I first started working for my dad’s signage company at 16 called Autographics, then went self-employed 2016 installing all over the country and Europe for companies such as Eddie Stobart, Yodel, DPD, Virgin/Avanti Rail and others.

What made you decide to take the leap to become self-employed?

I had different goals I wanted to achieve and I needed to venture out of my comfort zone and test myself in bigger projects, and that I did! I haven’t looked back since.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

We have a famous cathedral in my home city that has 3 big spires, and so Spires Kitchen Wraps seemed fitting.

Do you work alone or as part of a team?

We are a team of 3 including myself and my two fitters Martin and Ben.

How many kitchens (on average) do you wrap in a week?

On average we wrap 3-4 kitchens in a week.

Which interior films would you recommend for kitchens?

For the doors we either use Metamark 7 Series or Hexis Suptac for our standard range. For our premium range, we offer Cover Styl’ for the doors. On worktops we always use Cover Styl’, or in the past we have used Surfex which we thought was a good vinyl to work with.

Best part(s) of the job?

I’d have to say the best parts are the transformations. There’s nothing better than looking at the before and after pictures and looking at what we have done and what we have achieved for our customers. It’s a great feeling.

Worst part(s)?

I think I speak for all kitchen wrapping companies on this one...cleaning the grease off the cupboards! Not great but has to be done.

What’s unique about your company?

I think we have great vision and a lot of experience - 40 years combined. We also have an interior design background which gives us a lot of ideas for the customers if they are struggling with material choices, or what will work well together.

Any tips you’d give to installers starting out?

This is a must for installers starting out which I do drill into my staff, never take short cuts and always make sure your work is always to the best of your ability.

What do you think the future holds for kitchen wrapping?

I think kitchen wrapping has a great future ahead. More and more people are starting to understand that you don’t have to rip out your kitchen for ‘wow’ factor results. And who doesn’t like to save money? This is what we do best for people.

What are the long-term goals for Spires Kitchen Wraps?

Our long-term goals are keeping at the top of our game and maybe one day expanding nationwide. It would be good to get a couple more vans on the road and make our presence felt in the wider community.

Products FEATURED

SlidaSeat

£89.95

Squad

£10.80 ex VAT

Squeegee Sharpener

£6.60 ex VAT

Heavy Duty Gripper Magnets (per pair)

£16.22 ex VAT

Pro PPF Squeegees 100 x 75mm

£7.50

Non-Slip Self Adhesive Tape (Per Metre)

£5.15

Vinyl Weeding Tool

£9.99

BODY-PREP For cleaning and preparation of BODYFENCE PPF

Films 1 Litre

£7.32 each

18 years ago, Mark Mashiter opened a small warehouse in Oldham to distribute Soyang Technologies products. Between a team of four, they emptied containers, made deliveries and dealt with all the other essential business activities. In just two years, their staff count had tripled and they moved to their second premises. Their final move came as they purchased a large industrial unit on Altham Industrial Estate. Now standing at a 33-strong team, they are receiving three containers a week to keep up with the demand for their products. To give some indication of how much their business has grown since their first shipment 18 years ago, their warehouse is currently holding around 1.5 million meters of material.

SOYANG EUROPE

Already supplying material for banners, coated textiles for retail display and exhibition graphics, digitally printed wall coverings, building wraps, billboards, and digitally printed textiles for homes, Soyang Europe added another feather to its cap in the last year. Acquiring another Cambridge-based business that specialises in printing, engineering and ink led them to a partnership with another global company. Their traction in the market and knowledge of their customer base have seen them become an official distributor for Fuji Film, offering a range of printing machines and inks. These range from smaller printers to five-meter-wide printers that can print up to 600 square meters an hour.

SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT

A goal that Mark set, and achieved, for Soyang Europe was to become a carbon-neutral business. Their HQ itself has solar panels, zoned lighting, LED warehouse lighting, two low-emission trucks, electric forklift trucks and a fleet of electric vehicles for the sales team. In addition to this, careful consideration has been given to how goods are received. 60-65% of everything sold at Soyang Europe comes from their production in China, meaning that the boats that bring the goods over now bring 40ft containers to maximise space. Applying for a license to carry waste seemed like the next logical step as they collect scrap on their lorries and bring it back to Soyang Europe as a central location for recycling. After the relevant documents have been filled out, their customers have full traceability of scrap and have the certification that it has been dealt with responsibly.

With an increasing number of businesses focusing on greener solutions to reduce their own carbon footprint, there has never been a better time to update your sustainability policy. Mark says, "We are refining solutions for our customers. Our customers, who are generally in retail or events, were being asked ‘how can you recycle these materials?" And now, at no extra cost to their customers, they are providing a responsible route of recycling. Instead of being forced into being more sustainable as a business, Soyang Europe is leading the way. Having these systems up and running and creating these from their infancy means that when legislation eventually comes in, there will be no surprises for Soyang Europe as a business.

Flying the flag for sustainable practices and being the first manufacturer-distributor of materials to receive the CarbonQuota certification, it will come as no surprise that Soyang Europe will be looking to increase their range of non-PVC materials. Mark says, "there’s a real drive for us as a business to produce something [non-PVC] that’s available for the market because a lot of materials that are brought into the market are generally a lot more expensive than the PVC version." wwAs Soyang Technologies work on producing the holy grail of non-PVC materials that are not twice as expensive as the PVC range to drive sustainable solutions, they understand their customer’s predicament. Knowing that their customer base all want to use non-PVC products, but not always being able to justify the cost, Mark is confident that, in time, the sustainable option won’t always be unaffordable to the masses.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MARCH 2023

2nd March

Avery Dennison Paint Protection Film Application Course

William Smith Group 1832

William Smith Group 1832, Grove Works, Barnard Castle, Durham, DL12 8JQ

10th March

Remote Vehicle Wrap Training Course

William Smith Group 1832

Virtual Academy, Microsoft Teams, William Smith Group 1832, DL12 8JQ

17th March

Redesigning Surfaces Using Film - Virtual CPD

William Smith Group 1832

Virtual Academy, Microsoft Teams, William Smith Group 1832, DL12 8JQ

29th March

Sustainability Bootcamp

Make It Happen Signage Consultancy

Imageco, Britannia House, Beza Rd, Leeds LS10 2BR

7th March

8th March

Make It Happen Signage Consultancy

Sustainability Bootcamp SignFab (UK) Ltd, Byford Road, Leicester, LE4 0DG

13th March

3M DI-NOC Application Training

William Smith Group 1832

William Smith Group 1832, Grove Works, Barnard Castle, Durham, DL12 8JQ

21st-23rd March Trade show for the visual communications Sign and digital uk NEC, Birmingham

29th & 30th March

Spandex and 3M roadshow

Spandex

Village Hotel, Solihull

Make It Happen Signage Consultancy

The Signage Bootcamp SignFab (UK) Ltd, Byford Road, Leicester, LE4 0DG

15th March

Kitchen Application Training Course

William Smith Group 1832

William Smith Group 1832, Grove Works, Barnard Castle, Durham, DL12 8JQ

22nd March

The Sign Awards

Birmingham Town Hall

30th March

Remote Architextural Sales Course

William Smith Group 1832

Teams, Grove Works, Queen Street, Barnard Castle, DL12 8JQ

On The Frontline for Sales, Estimators and Project Managers who want to enhance and improve relationships with their clients.

Make It Happen Signage Consultancy

9th March SignFab (UK) Ltd, Byford Road, Leicester, LE4 0DG

15th March

Next Generation

FESPA UK Association

British Motor Museum, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Lighthorne Heath, Warwick, CV35 0BJ

27th March

Architextural Taster DayAM - Remote

William Smith Group 1832

Teams, Grove Works, Queen Street, Barnard Castle, DL12 8JQ

31st March

Window Film Training Course

William Smith Group 1832

William Smith Group 1832, Grove Works, Barnard Castle, Durham, DL12 8JQ

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