WrapFam Unleashed - April 2024

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 1

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Editorial April 2024

06 / Liner Notes

Time - Your Most Precious Finite Resource

James “Ruggs” Kochevar questions how and whom you prioritize when scheduling what is next on your Todo list.

08 / The Wrap Business

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How to Set REAL Goals

Matt Richart gives us the keys to success when setting immediate and future goals, both personal and professional.

12 / Ask John

Motivating Millenials / Gen Z’s

John Duever takes a very personal and real look at understanding what makes the younger generation(s) not only show up but get after it.

18 / Feature

Intellectual Property Essentials for Vehicle Wrap Professionals IP Law Attorney, Rick Martin, walks us through all we need to know to safeguard ourselves when it comes to IP infringements.

23 / Tips & Tricks - Video

Pre-Seaming Panels for Installs

Brand Command’s Blake Madsen offers this quick video tip to help you increase your speed and accuracy.

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Editorial

Ad Index

April 2024

24 / Inside Scoop

48 / Feature

Mutoh’s Aliyah Quiroz walks us through some printer specs to provide great prints for every wrap.

Jay Kroll asks the question that begs a real answer in the wraps market.

Ensuring a Wrap Print Worthy of Your Artwork

The Truth About “Sustainable” Products

Digital EFX……………………… 13 Full Circle Wrap Training… 31 International Sign Assoc.……11 School of Wrap……………… 63 Wensco……………………………… 7

28 / Opinion

52 / The Shop

WrapIQ…………………………… 55

Industry guru, Paul Roba, takes an expanded look at certification, application process, tools, and fellowship.

Our production expert, Adam Sumner, helps you understand the secret to high-efficiency production through proper shop layout.

Wrap Institute…………………… 5

34 / The Centerfold

58 / Featured Wraps

Justin Jansing, Enhanced Images Marketing, spotlights a richly layered and textured wrap.

Highlighting the artisans of today’s wraps market.

Wrapping The Evolution(s) Part 2

The Black Panther Wrap

40 / Shop Profile

Rooted in Training - J3 Industries Owner/Operator/MoB Member, Jeff Wagner, shows us around his highly successful operation.

44 / Design Studio

Joshua Marquardt

Art City owner and OG artist extraordinaire, Joshua Marquardt, shares some of his mastery.

4 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

Creating the Flow

Gallery

63 / Trainers Spotlight Trainer Profiles

An inside look at who’s ready to train you for success!

64 / In The News

A Look at What’s Happening in the Market Bringing you the latest news.

WRAPIX Academy…………… 63

Wrap Nation……………………… 2

- On the Cover -

A stunning example of how Art City owner, Joshua Marquardt, lets his designs tell a story. Read the full story on page 44.

Empowering you to wrap anything like a professional from the industry's most trusted and innovative experts.

EMPOWERING YOU TO WRAP PROFESSIONAL HOW TO VIDEOS FOR BEGINNERS AND ADVANCED INSTALLERS COVERING EVERYTHING FROM: PPF, INTERIOR, DESIGN, WINDOW TINT, COLOR CHANGE, COMMERCIAL ,BUSINESS, SIGNAGE

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! TWI PLATINUM COLLECTION TO WRAP THE BEST, USE THE BEST! THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION OF WRAP TOOLS FROM THE LEADING MANUFACTURERS ACROSS THE WORLD

Liner

April 2024

VOL. 1 ISSUE 4

Notes

www.thewrapfam.com

Time - Your Most Precious Finite Resource

A

s a follow-up to my February column, I wanted to address another choice we have to make: What’s next on the To-do list?

Let’s hope by now your business is on some sort of scheduling software to help you organize, schedule and inventory your jobs. If not, please move this to the TOP of your list.

What I’m talking about here is, “What is YOUR priority?”

Show of hands - who works normal hours? Who gets enough sleep? Who has a steady/healthy diet? Who has a regular workout routine they honestly stick to? Okay, I’m sure that was everyone…

Now, how about your family time? Who is sleeping in their shop? Who leaves the house before their spouse awakens and comes home after the kids are in bed? Who hasn’t called their mom in a month? Conversely, who’s leaving early to catch their kid’s big game or sneaking in a day date to remind the one who loves and supports us most, that we can’t do it without them?

As hard as we all work, we couldn’t do it without our supportsystem engineers at home. We claim the long hours are “for them”, but deep down, we know it’s for us. Our pride, our success, our bank accounts. Yes, this benefits them in the long run, but be honest with yourselves, the grind is for your edification.

Don’t lose sight of what is most important. Make time. There actually are enough hours in the day, you just have to have the self-discipline to stick to the plan. The wheel of time keeps on turning, these wraps will come, go and come again. Every day, the work is going to pile up, and staying busy is a great problem to have, but it’s still a problem we need to plan for. Have a plan, work the plan. Don’t forget to look in the mirror every once in a while.

Stay happy, healthy and hungry, my friends!

-Ruggs 6 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

Publisher, Editor-in-Chief James “Ruggs” Kochevar ruggs@thewrapfam.com

Art Director, Graphic Design Leslie Kochevar leslie@northstargraphicspromo.com

Contributors Adam Sumner

adam@wrapixacademy.com

John Duever

john@wrapiq.com

Matt Richart

matt@digitalefx.com

Guest Contributors Aliyah Quiroz Blake Madsen Jay Kroll Jeff Wagner Joshua Marquardt Justin Jansing Paul Roba Rick Martin

@WrapFamUnleashed WrapFam Unleashed is a registered DBA of North Star Graphics & Promotions. Reproduction in part or in full without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

WrapFam Unleashed is published in the U.S. Contents copyright 2024, WrapFam Unleashed. ©

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April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 7

The Wrap Biz

How to Set REAL Goals

By Matt Richart have been told my entire life by my father to set goals and to achieve them.

Easier said than done right? My old high school basketball coach always had us write down our goals to see where we wanted to go in life. When I first got married, I set some goals that I wanted to achieve. When we first started Digital EFX Wraps in 2004 my partner and I made up some goals that we wanted to achieve. While I tried to stay on task with those goals and did achieve a fair amount of them I still didn’t know how to set real goals.

Talking and speaking out loud about your goals is one thing. Achieving them is another obstacle.

For about the first three to four years of business, my business partner Dallas and I would just speak out loud about what our goals were. When you first start out in business you just want to survive. You live each week just making sure you generate enough income to pay your bills and hopefully pay yourself.

I still remember getting paid $385 per week when we first started out. I still remember looking at our bank account multiple times per day wondering how we were going to make it. I still remember the time when we were waiting for a past-due check just to make our monthly rent payment. I say all this to explain where my mindset was twenty years ago. When you are hanging on for dear life every day it’s very hard to 8 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

set real goals when you are not disciplined. That is the hardest battle to conquer in my opinion.

Are you truly disciplined? I had to look at myself in the mirror and ask that hard question.

I can honestly tell you that I was not disciplined.

I thought I was but in fact, I was so far away from being consistently disciplined. I also think a part of me didn’t have enough faith in what we were truly trying to accomplish.

I have asked our business coach many times if my fear or being cautious has hurt myself and our company at times. He has said that some things have affected our growth but being careful and cautious is not a bad thing. If anything, it has protected us from outside noise, and distractions, and allowed us to save money for growth.

Ask yourself for a moment where you want to be in five years. Think about it for a few. It’s kind of a hard question in my opinion. Is dreaming about your future realistic? Do your goals and dreams seem attainable? These questions were hard for me to answer at first. It’s easy to say I want a 25 thousand sq ft facility with 20 team members producing 5 million a year in revenue.

It’s easy to say I want a lake house with a boat, jet ski, golf carts, and land to enjoy with my family. It’s easy to say you want a certain type of new car or a new house that you have always dreamed about.

For the record, I do not own these items above but have thought of them during our goal-setting process. Many things I listed are materialistic

items that don’t necessarily bring happiness. Keep in mind that many goals cannot be materialistic.

One of our main goals here at Digital EFX Wraps is to create a culture with our team that they feel wanted, respected, lead the proper way, and that they have a future to build on. My partner and I want our team to be the highestpaid installers, designers, and sales representatives in our entire area. If they decide to leave our company, we don’t want it to be about money!

My business partner Dallas Fowler and I started to make goals for our company about 8 years ago. We would talk out loud during late-night installations of what we were doing.

What we wanted to accomplish and what was truly attainable. Then we would close the shop, go home, wake up, and do it all over again.

But those discussions about our goals were just spoken verbally. No organization, nothing

written down, and it just became all talk. After a few months would go by we would pick back up the conversation and discuss other goals. As this broken record of discussing our goals became a habit, I believe we started to get frustrated with each other and ourselves.

When you are just trying to survive it was hard for us to focus on what our REAL goals were.

As I stated before I believe that fear, not being disciplined, and not knowing how to truly set goals were what was holding us back.

Dallas and I then started to step away from the business to have a lunch meeting and discuss our new set of goals. We would have lunch at Skyline Chili and write down what we wanted to achieve and when these goals could happen. This same routine would go on about every 6 months.

What we found out was we really enjoyed chili but were horrible at setting real goals.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 9

The Wrap Biz

the obvious it’s a huge wake-up call.

Most importantly a much-needed wake-up call that truly changed our company, our vision, mission, and most importantly our culture.

How to set REAL goals is something that I now look forward to working on. The first step is getting your team together to come up with some ideas, direction, and goals that they may want to achieve. If you are a solo owner, then set those goals and ideas by yourself. Once you get a list of goals that you want to conquer, I recommend picking out four to five of the most important goals. Now write those goals down on a Word document or something easy to change or modify. We even created a fillable PDF form to utilize during each of our quarterly goal-setting meetings. Type in your first main goal as the header. Then list the potential benefits of achieving your goal and Dallas Fowler and Matt Richart, Co-Owners DIgital EFX why. This will help you understand Once again this made us even more frustrated WHY you are achieving this goal. because we were setting time aside to work on The next important step is to list all the our business but not getting any real results. possible obstacles that you might come up against This is when Dallas and I reached out in achieving this goal. To the right of that section for help and hired a business coach. One of write out all the possible solutions for this goal. the first things we attacked was goal setting.

The final section that information would Let me tell you how much of an eye-opening be your specific action steps for achieving learning experience that was. We both found this goal. List out all the necessary steps that out that we had no idea how to set real goals. would need to be taken place to get your How to achieve those goals and reach them goal achieved. To the right of that put down consistently. When you get a blinding flash of who is responsible, what your target date is, 10 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

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The Wrap Biz

and then the date your goal was achieved. This goal workflow page would be used for your first main goal. Then fill out separate forms for each goal that you have on your list.

Now the difficult part. Always keep this goal sheet in front of you and your team. Utilize this sheet in team meetings and any other forms of communication that you have with others. Make a point to discuss this with your leadership team each week to make sure everyone is staying on task along with getting over any hurdles and how those solutions are working out.

Our company does goal-setting each quarter of the year, so we have four main goalsetting meetings. We then use these goals in our meetings with our team to show what has been accomplished and what has not. Also, don’t be discouraged if you don’t meet one of the four goals you set for yourself and your company.

Simply put that goal down on the next quarter 12 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

goal session and get it knocked out. Now the fun and exciting part. When you reach the goal that you set it’s the best feeling in the world. Not only does it make you feel like you accomplished something important, but it builds trust with your entire team. When they become a part of goal setting, see the work being done to obtain those goals, and then see it get executed properly your entire culture can change overnight. The other great benefit of setting goals is it made Dallas and me a stronger unit. We now trust each other more than ever. Especially when you obtain a goal you both set and achieved in the right amount of time.

If you have a hard time coming up with a few goals to start with, ask another business owner if they have goals. Ask one of your clients if they have a goal setting in their organization.

This may help you with goal setting.

As an example, I want to give you the first four goals we ever set for our company:

1. Process areas of operations (weekly meetings, daily huddles, and scheduling meetings) We had to set a goal to be consistent in communication so that REAL goals could be obtained.

2. Overall sales in vehicle wraps and design fees to be increased by 25%.

3. Market our company with social media and have 4 posts per week along with obtaining 2 Google reviews per week.

4. Get our cost of goods sold tracked through new software along with using Trello properly.

After our first goal meeting and three months had passed, we achieved every goal that was set.

It was the most gratifying feeling that I had in a decade. Ever since that point we set goals every three months and get 80% of them completed. I highly recommend you start today and set some REAL goals for yourself, your team, and your company. This goal-setting consistency will also bleed into your real life and allow you to conquer tasks that you never knew were possible.

Matt Richart Matt@digitalefxwraps.com Co-Owner/CFO, Digital EFX Wraps LLC. Instructor, Inside The Wrap Shop

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April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 13

Ask John

Motivating Millennials & Gen Z Engaging the New Generation

By John Duever

Mary M asked: How do you motivate Millennials in today's workplace?

[Editor's note: Millennials, also known as Gen Y, are born somehere between 1980-1996 (currently between 28-44 years old). Gen Z includes those born from 1997 - 2012 (currently between 12- 27 years old). Combined, Gen Z and Millennials make up approximately 73% of the U.S. workforce in 2024.]

reat question Mary, thank you.

When I think about the answer to this question I find myself remembering two polarizing responses that I see. The first response is “Millennials and Gen Z are useless and I’d never hire them again!” The second response is “I am having great luck with my younger staff and love them.”

Personally and at my company, Vinyl Images in St. Louis, MO, we are part of that latter group and I will explain how we got there.

Stay with me here as I explain the back story that changed it all for me, you may not see the relevance right away but it will come full circle later in the article, I promise.

I have been with my wife for 21 years, we were high school sweethearts and we still worship the ground that each other walks on.

About 3 years into our marriage we hit a little rough patch in our relationship. She sat me down in our kitchen and asked me two questions that 14 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

ended up changing the trajectory of my life, my business, our relationship and how I lead my team.

The questions were: 1. “Do you know the definition of empathy?” and 2. “Do you have any idea what a love language is?”

My response was “Of course I do, what’s your point?” She saw right through my bullshit.

She went on to explain to me that the definition of empathy was the ability to see something or an experience through another’s eyes and the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes in order to perceive a situation differently than you would as yourself. I was 32 years old and didn’t know or understand the definition of empathy, and not only that, I had never put empathy as a trait that was needed to be a good leader.

She then explained to me the 5 Love Languages: • Words of affirmation • Quality time • Physical touch • Acts of service • Receiving gifts

This conversation changed my life. My personal love languages are words of affirmation and personal touch, in layman’s terms, and like most men I know, I want to be told I’m doing well, complimented and to feel personal touch.

However, my wife’s love language is “Acts of Service”. What makes her happy is me being present at home and helping her with the endless list of items she needs to accomplish in a given day. When I started to speak her actual love language (act of service) instead of slapping her on the butt and telling her how hot she was (words of affirmation and physical touch), she began to speak my love language

https://insight.ng/lifestyle/expressing-love-languages

learned a piece of advice about things that were really affecting them, which affected the business, together we are happier than we’ve ever been. that would roll right off my shoulders without Let's bring this back around now that I have another thought. It is not that they are weak, it is explained the backstory. As a leader, a powerful, that some just aren’t hardened to a difficult life respected and fierce leader that you are Mary, it and what we perceive as not a big deal, could be a is important to always keep the word empathy very big deal to them. Put yourself in their shoes top of mind. When you hire a Millennials or Gen and take a look at the situation then talk to them Z, you have to keep in mind that they did not about what’s going on and how you suggest they grow up like us and the world has raised them fix or solve the issue. This has been extremely very differently than it raised us. We need to helpful for me with a large team of successful be empathetic to their views and needs. This Millennials / Gen Zs and ties into this next part. does not mean that we need to agree with Reading about love languages and learning or fully support their ideology or views, but love languages opened my eyes to personality being an ear for them and understanding that types. I thought if someone wants to receive love they need us to understand that they perceive a certain way then they probably value things situations differently than us is very important.

At the end of the day, your perception is your that I may not find value in or they want to be talked to a certain way. Everyone is different reality, and a Millennials or Gen Z’s perception and you need to begin to speak their “language” is their reality. I cannot count how many times to find out what they need to feel fulfilled.

I have been there for members of my crew or more and more and after 3 kids and 21 years

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 15

Ask John

I equate my experience with personality types within my team to be as important as love language is in my marriage, and I treat it as so. I take time to learn about my team, talk to them about things not involving work and try to get to know them so I can better learn their personality types and cater to their needs on an individual basis. Could this be considered coddling or maybe babysitting to an extent, sure, but it is 100% worthwhile time spent to build a team of killers. The more I get to know my team and their needs, the more my company grows. It is very necessary for me to invest this time in my team if I want to continue to scale the business.

As I and the managers at Vinyl Images, learn about our teams we get to know what 16 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

makes them tick and we find out what they are motivated by through conversation. We find out what motivates them by asking directly and having conversations on the subject. Be empathetic to their needs, cater to them (within reason) and communicate why and how their motivation can be met by excelling in the workplace. Direct communication on all fronts of a team member’s life, performance, communication, the good the bad and the ugly will end in the person trusting you and wanting to work harder for you. When they work harder for you, you should give them what they need in order to help them stay motivated and thus the world turns.

An example, I am motivated by time off from work so I can be with my wife and sons and

do what I want to do as well as be financially successful. Well, time off and money could be at the bottom of someone’s value list, so supplying them with a bonus or time off could mean nothing to them. You need to find out what they are motivated by by asking them directly and catering to those needs. They could be the next Gordon Ramsey outside of your company, so buying them a new set of cooking pans would mean more to them than a $1000 bonus or a week's paid vacation. You never know what they need unless you ask so have the conversations, take them to lunch, have them tag along on a bid and get to know them.

Another example, I have been a successful athlete my whole life and the coaches that motivated me the most were the ones that literally beat me and screamed in my face to get me moving. I used to be “that leader” to my team and ruined a lot of great team members because of that. After I began to understand that not everyone is motivated the same way as me and I switched my angle of communication to the needs of the individual my company grew and miraculously I didn’t have nearly as much turnover with my team.

Now I do want to be very clear that we hire slow and fire fast at this point in our business.

There truly are lazy people in the world and they think that they will be the next Mr. Beast if they put 12 videos on YouTube. We cut these people fast and my team has learned what to look for in the interview process to avoid these people. I have found the ratio of great young employees to those that end up not working out in my company to be about 25% to 75% – there are a lot of diamonds out there.

Figure out their personality types and what they are motivated by, directly communicate with them how they need to be communicated with, train them and give them every tool they need to be successful. Show them the roadmap and vision of how you are going to help them reach their wildest dreams and you will find the best Millennials and Gen Zs to fit into your team in a manner that is mutually beneficial for all.

John Duever John@wrapiq.com Co-Owner/Operator, Vinyl Images Founder/CEO, WrapIQ

Have a question for John?

Submit your question: April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 17

Intellectual Property Essentials for

I

Vehicle Wrap Professionals

By Rick Martin - Martin IP Law Group n an age where standing out is key to business success, vehicle wraps have emerged as a vibrant canvas for creativity and marketing.

However, with great creativity comes great responsibility, especially when navigating the complex waters of intellectual property (IP) laws. As an experienced intellectual property attorney, I'm here to guide you through the essential IP considerations every vehicle wrap business owner should be aware of to ensure your work shines without stepping on legal landmines.

Understanding Intellectual Property in Vehicle Wraps Intellectual property laws protect creators' rights over their creations, ensuring they can profit from their work and prevent others from using it without permission. In the vehicle wrap industry, IP concerns primarily revolve around copyrights, trademarks, and, to a lesser extent, patents. Understanding these can be the difference between a flourishing business and one bogged down by legal woes.

Copyright: Protecting Artistic Creations Copyrights protect original works of authorship, including graphics, photographs, 18 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

and designs – the bread and butter of vehicle wraps. A copyright gives the creator (author) of a work the exclusive rights to reproduce that work for a limited period of time – usually the life of the author plus seventy (70) years.

Copyright protection exists automatically once the creator fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. The work must be created by a human author (works created

by AI are not protectible) and they must have some minimal degree of creativity.

While registration of a copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office is not required for protection to exist, there are several benefits to registering your creative works. First, registration must be sought prior to filing a lawsuit against someone else for infringement.

Timely registration also allows copyright owners to seek certain types of monetary damages and attorney fees if there is a lawsuit. When it comes to protecting your creations, the benefits gained by timely registering your work will almost certainly be worth the investment.

In addition to protecting your creations, it is also important to make sure you don’t infringe on the copyrights of others. The key to using copyrighted material without infringing on someone else’s rights is permission. Copyright

infringement can lead to lawsuits, financial damages, and a tarnished reputation. Avoiding this is simple in theory but requires diligence in practice: • Create Original Designs: Encourage originality within your team. Not only does this sidestep copyright issues, but it also sets your business apart and generates quivalent Licenseassets which protectable bring value to your business.

• License What You Can't Create: Sometimes, a project demands specific imagery or designs. In these cases, obtain MAIN UNLICENSE - PUBLIC DOMAIN no rights This reserved a license. usually involves can be freely used by anyone without a permission fee, but or it'spaying a small price to seeking royalties pay for legal peace of mind.

• Use Public Domain or Creative Commons: Resources exist where artists share their work freely, but conditions often apply. Always adhere to these conditions to avoid unintended infringement.

Public Domain Equivalent License

CREATIVE COMMONS ZERO - PUBLIC DOMAIN no rights reserved, can be freely used by anyone without seeking permission or paying royalties

UNLICENSE - PUBLIC DOMAIN no rights reserved can be freely used by anyone without seeking permission or paying royalties

Creative Commons NonCommercial License

CREATIVE COMMONS some rights reserved

ATTRIBUTION credit the author

NONCOMMERCIAL cannot use it for commercial purposes or make money from it

Trademark Symb NO DERIVATIVE WORKS SHARE-ALIKE Licensees may copy, distribute, if you make any new display and perform only creations using this work, you have to verbatim copies of the MARK work share your new creationsCOPYRIGHT under the SERVICE rights reserved same rules thatallwere identifying services, work is copyrighted and not yet registered used for the original work that you are the owner of the work

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 19

identif no

Trademarks: Protecting Brand Identity

Examples of an infringment - Photos courtesy of Dan Antonelli, KickCharge Creative.

Trademarks protect symbols, logos, and phrases that distinguish goods or services. It’s how customers recognize you in the marketplace and distinguish your products or services from those of your competitors. Trademarks provide legal protection for your brand and help you to guard against counterfeiting and fraud.

Similar to copyright protection, trademark protection exists as soon as you start using the trademark in connection with your goods or services. Without a registration, those rights are limited, and they typically will only apply in the geographic area in which you are providing your goods or services. So if you are using a mark in connection with your vehicle wrapping business in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, you would have rights in that market, but you couldn’t necessarily prevent someone from using the same name in say, Los Angeles.

If you aspire to grow your business beyond a single location, registration of your mark with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office is recommended.

A registered trademark provides broader rights and protections than an unregistered mark. A federal registration gives the owner of the mark the exclusive right to use the mark nationwide.

This can be essential for any business that is intent on expanding their service area.

It is also important to avoid infringing on trademarks of others. When it comes to vehicle wraps, the accidental or intentional use of trademarked material can suggest an

20 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

SHARE-ALIKE if you make any new creations using this work, you have to share your new creations under the same rules that were used for the original work

NO DERIVATIVE WORKS Licensees may copy, distribute, display and perform only verbatim copies of the work

Trademark Symbols

COPYRIGHT all rights reserved work is copyrighted and that you are the owner of the work

SERVICE MARK identifying services, not yet registered

TRADE MARK identifying tangible goods, not yet registered

REGISTERED cannot use it for commercial purposes or make money from it can only be used if your trademark is federally registered

association or endorsement that doesn’t exist,

or application, a quick search to ensure

leading to "confusion," a no-go in trademark

your invention hasn't already been patented

law. Whether it's a sports team logo or a

could save you from future legal issues.

tech company's emblem, using these without

• Consider Filing for Patents: If you've

permission is a direct path to legal trouble.

developed a new technique, consulting

• Secure Permissions: If your design includes

with a patent attorney to explore your

a trademarked logo or symbol, get written

own patent options could protect

permission from the trademark holder.

your business in the long run.

• Avoid Confusion: Even if you create a design that's "inspired by" a famous brand, if it's too close to the original, you might

Best Practices for IP Compliance Staying on the right side of IP law isn’t just

find yourself in hot water. When in doubt,

about dodging legal bullets; it’s about fostering

redesign to avoid any potential confusion.

a culture of respect and creativity within your

Patents: Protecting Innovation While patents might not come to mind

business. Here are some strategies to keep your operation smooth and infringement-free: • Educate Your Team: Knowledge is

immediately in the context of vehicle wraps,

power. Ensure your designers and staff

they're relevant if you're developing new

understand basic IP principles.

methods or materials for creating or applying

• Implement a Review Process: Before any

wraps. A patent gives its holder exclusive rights

design goes to print, have a process in

to an invention, meaning if you accidentally

place to check for potential IP issues.

use a patented technique, you could be

• Keep Good Records: Document your licensing

infringing on someone else's patent.

agreements, permissions, and design origins.

• Research Before You Innovate: If you're on the

Good record-keeping can be invaluable in

brink of a breakthrough in wrap technology

defending against infringement claims.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 21

FREE Intellectual Property Strategy Sessions Do you have issues or concerns about protecting your unique vinyl-wrap designs?

We've partnered with WrapFam Unleashed to offer its readers a Free Intellectual Property Strategy Sessions with IP Attorney, Rick Martin.

To claim your FREE strategy session, call (812) 492-4478 or email admin@ipsolutionslaw.com and mention WRAPFAM.

Don’t delay, this FREE offer expires on April 30, 2024!

• Consult with IP Experts: When in doubt, seek the advice of an IP attorney. They can help navigate complex situations and offer solutions that protect your business and respect others' rights.

Dealing with Infringement Accusations Even with the best intentions and practices, you might face accusations of IP infringement. Here’s how to handle them: • Don’t Panic: Receiving a cease-and-desist letter or legal notice can be alarming, but it’s important to respond calmly and strategically.

22 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

• Don’t Delay: Ignoring a cease-and-desist letter or other legal notices can worsen the situation. Immediate action shows good faith and can often lead to amicable resolutions.

• Review and Assess: Evaluate the claim carefully. Misunderstandings are common and can sometimes be resolved without legal action.

• Seek Legal Advice: Contact an IP attorney to understand your position and options.

They can help negotiate a resolution or defend your case if necessary.

Conclusion: Navigating IP with Confidence Thriving in the vehicle wrap industry requires not just creativity and technical skill but also a keen understanding of intellectual property laws.

By respecting the IP rights of others and taking steps to protect your own creations, you foster an environment where creativity and innovation can flourish. Remember, IP management is not just about adherence to laws—it's about respecting the foundation of creativity that our industry is built upon. With the right approach, you can navigate the IP landscape confidently, ensuring your business's integrity and success for years to come.

Rick Martin Martin IP Law Group

TNT (Tips N Tricks)

Video Minute

Pre-Seaming Panels for Easier Installs

Brand Command’s Blake Madsen offers this quick video tip to help you increase your speed and accuracy.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 23

The Inside Scoop

Ensuring a Wrap Print Worthy of Your Artwork

By Aliyah Quiroz - MUTOH America Inc o ensure your shop thrives, investing in top-notch equipment is crucial. At the heart of every successful wrap project lies the printer responsible for bringing vibrant graphics to life. Given the dynamic nature of the industry, characterized by evolving trends, diverse customer preferences, and tight deadlines, it's essential to have reliable equipment that's efficient and adaptable.

When searching for your ideal printer, several factors should be considered. These include speed, color, print quality, as well as overall efficiency in terms of maintenance, labor, ink, and material costs. Tony Simmering, Product Manager at MUTOH America, emphasizes the significance of efficiency in this context, stating, “MUTOH eco-solvent printers provide extreme ink efficiency with very high-density ICC profiles that use very little ink. The overall maintenance cost on these printers is significantly smaller than others in this class due to how robust the AccuFine printhead system is as well as having a well-designed maintenance apparatus." Having these types of features built into your printer empowers wrap shop operators to spend less time directly interacting with the printer, enabling them to focus on other tasks without sacrificing print quality.

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The preferred choices for wrap printing are eco-solvent and latex printers, widely recognized for their popularity and versatility.

When deciding between the two, the key lies in selecting the ink type that aligns seamlessly with your business requirements, taking into account factors like color gamut, outdoor durability, and compatibility with various media to name a few.

We spoke to Wrapsesh, a company well known in the industry for their custom cars and intricate wrap detailing, about their experience in printing for wraps. They use the XpertJet 1682SR printer for all their wraps and have found that the eco-solvent ink pairs well with the media they use most. Jess, installer, and Co-Owner of Wrapsesh highlights the advantages of eco-solvent printers, noting, “With latex, the ink kind of sits on top of the film, so it doesn’t have as much depth and color saturation as eco-solvent. I also like that we can print on those custom materials.”

Not only should you consider what you’ll be using your printer for to start but consider if you want to have the flexibility to add to that list in the future, and if your printer has those capabilities. It can be tough to know which print solution best suits your business, so it's important to weigh every aspect of the technology to make the best decision for you.

Another tip to consider when you’re printing wraps is your selected printer settings.

The most successful wrap shops will identify

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 25

The Inside Scoop

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their most used wrap films and optimize each profile to achieve enhanced output quality and operational ease. Investing time in setting up these profiles ensures that your printer is finetuned to consistently deliver the best results.

While some wrap shops prefer to outsource their prints and focus solely on installation, there is a compelling case for in-house printing.

Wrapsesh attests, “Our profits increased substantially when we got into printing because it’s opened up opportunities for us to do so many more things." In-house printing not only maximizes profits but also provides control over the entire process, reducing turnarounds and increasing efficiency. Jess says, “I always tell people, if I smell new vinyl in the print room, I know we're making money." When you have that printer in your shop you can take control of everything and fine-tune your settings. It’s that attention to detail that will make every wrap stand out.

Navigating the world of wrap printing can be intimidating with the number of choices that

are available to you, ranging from printers and laminators to the films you select and the tools you use. When choosing a printer, prioritize qualities like size, quality, and cost of ownership, as every successful wrap job begins with exceptional printing. Discern the applications you want to offer and the media that fits them best and ensure the ink type is compatible. Success in wrap printing isn't just an outcome; it's a deliberate choice of equipment and practices that lay the foundation for excellence. While selecting the ideal printer for wrapping is not an easy process, following the advice of experts, like the ones mentioned here, can guide you towards investing in a high-quality printer that will elevate all aspects of your wrap business.

By Aliyah Quiroz MUTOH America Inc

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 27

Opinion

Wrapping: The Evolution(s) - Part 2

By Paul Roba he vehicle wrap industry has

wrap installer or installation company.

undergone many important

• Training provides a sound foundation

evolutionary changes, where

of skills to understand the limitations of

improvements have been

wrap materials, and how to effectively

made in various areas.

work around difficult application areas.

In my previous discussion,

• Practice, or as I like to call it… Practice,

I covered evolution in

Practice, Practice, is key to honing

product engineering and

your application skills from what

converting technologies.

you have learned and perfecting

Those evolutions helped at

them for consistent high quality.

the base level for the wrap

• Certification demonstrates proficiency,

industry to grow and thrive.

professionalism, and recognition as

The progress areas include the following sections:

more than competent to install wrap

• Product engineering

graphics and color change films.

• Converting technologies

In the early years of the emerging wrap

• Training & Certification

industry, training was sparse at best. Most

• Application Process

installers felt that with a squeegee and heat

• Tools

gun or torch, they could install by brute

• Fellowship

force and the heat and stretch method. Not

This article focuses on the evolution seen in training, application processes, tools, and fellowship in the vehicle wrap

very effective for long-term performance.

The training was desperately needed.

Initially, a few training programs evolved

industry. These focused areas help take the

through 3M, PDAA (Professional Decal

foundation of products and build the future

Application Alliance), and UASG (United

of wrapping with the industriousness of

Application Standards Group). These programs

innovators and champions in this trade.

were many times limited to a few sessions

Training & Certification

throughout the year. As the need for more training was seen, Avery Dennison, Mutoh, and

As we all know, training, practice,

Roland joined in as valuable resources to obtain

and certification are critical to success as a

training on how to convert and apply materials.

28 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

Looking at today’s training programs, one sees that the wrap vinyl manufacturers all have some sort of program to train users on their products. Some of the training originators have expanded their program offerings significantly, adding sessions, certified trainers, and broader geographic coverage.

As well, there have been many new entrants into the burgeoning education segment for vehicle wrapping. These include destination training, where you go to the company’s location; travel training programs, where the trainers come to you: and online training, where

The School of Wrap classroom

you have unlimited access to training videos

& Certification process. To gain certification

wherever you have an internet connection.

installers need to hone their craft. Repetition

Training has evolved from a few dozen

helps ensure the skills learned become

sessions offered through a limited group of

second nature, and repeatable. Practice,

providers, to close to 200 sessions offered by a

practice, practice… on your own, with

diverse group of organizations and individuals.

associates, on your car or truck, with scrap

Additionally, training has blossomed to include

materials, and whenever possible.

other products and segments like paint protection

Certification should be the goal for

films, window tints, architectural products, rigid

most installers and installation companies.

signage, windows, floors, and other areas.

Why? Because it provides recognition by

Training has given many installers a strong

manufacturers and industry associations that

base to move their skills to a faster, more

the installer has achieved strong proficiency

robust, more profitable business. It (training)

in installation and bolsters the confidence a

also exposes them to other segments that

customer can have in the installer's work.

can complement their business broaden their offerings, and increase earning potential.

Practice is the next step in the Training

Like training, certification programs have burgeoned as the wrap industry matures.

A few certification programs from 3M, April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 29

Opinion

UASG, and PDAA has evolved into most media manufacturers developing a system, and many new third-party organizations providing their independent certifications.

The certification an installer looks to obtain should be from the supplier(s) of the products they use on a regular basis, or from a source the material supplier recognizes. By being certified in this manner, the installer can develop a stronger relationship with the manufacturer, improve the potential for support if an issue occurs, and provide the confidence to their customers that they do what they know, and know what they do!

Application Process When wrap vinyls were first introduced, the application process was basic. Heat the material, PDAAand stretch to conform over the compound curves and multi-dimensional obstacles. Failures proliferated, and manufacturers were seen as “the bad guy” as they declined claims on material performance because of application techniques.

This brought about an evolution of the application process so installers could develop knowledge to improve the applications, reduce installation time, and provide customers with flawless end products. Of course, the application process works hand-in-hand with Training, as new techniques are shared and learned.

Evolution in installation came about with many new techniques and buzzwords. Initially, there were limited application techniques like those presented by Rob Ivers and his 2011 book “The Graphic Installers Handbook” and Jim Hingst’s book, “Vinyl Sign Techniques”.

These were fleet and signage-oriented books 30 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

and did not provide too much in the areas of commercial or color-change vehicle wraps.

On came UGIS from Justin Pate, an evolution from fleet & signage to wrap application tips. UGIS (Universal Graphics Installation System) took applications to a new level, some would say it was a revolution. New terms came about like: • Making glass • Triangles • Cutting on the Empty/ Empty or Solid/Empty • Tuck and cut • Post heating The industry continued evolving, and influencers like Rainer Lorz, Justin Pate, and Koji Yamaguchi came up with new techniques and concepts for application. There have been many global influencers from Germany, The Netherlands, The USA, Japan, Korea, Brazil, and many other countries contributing to the evolution of the application process.

Some newer phrases, and techniques that have gained world recognition include: • Feeding the mouth • The palm technique • Cold Pre-stretch • Hot pre-stretch • Zero stretch • Wrap Matrix • Pyramids I won’t get into what each of these techniques are because they can be complicated to explain in words. Look for them online, and through training platforms

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 31

Opinion

to get a better understanding of how to learn and use these evolving techniques to improve vinyl application and performance.

Through the years tools were developed and improved upon for better applications. Even the tools from other industries were modified to address the unique needs of the wrap industry.

Tools

I probably can’t name all the tools but know

Of course, much of the evolution of

that focus from companies many manufacturers

application processes could not be possible

have created better ways to wrap the edge, tuck

without the hand-to-hand (pun intended)

the vinyl, cut the corner, slit the backer, smooth

evolution of application tools. Early on there

the vinyl, heat the vinyl, remove the obstacles,

were squeegees, felt squeegees, the Rolle

position the graphics and so much more.

ProTM, X-ACTO® knives, breakaway cutters,

Some products you probably have heard of:

masking tape, Snitty, and heat guns or torches.

• Knifeless Tape, finish, design, perf,

Many tools from other industries like tweezers, dental picks, car ramps, and other products were also incorporated into the wrap world.

precision, bridge, & tri line • Application gloves, seamless, different fabrics, fingertips only • Magnets

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• Material holders like Wrap U Ezee, frames, application bars • Knives with special features and capabilities • Squeegees, all different shapes, sizes, flexibility • Buffers, for wet application, scratch resistance • Removal tools for emblems, clips, molding and trim • Heat guns, IR guns, integrated heat & IR guns This is just a high-level listing of some of the products that have evolved over time and with great creativity to make installations better. In addition, many of these products addressed difficult application scenarios

@wrapinstitute 32 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

and made them easier to conquer.

Fellowship All the previous evolutions that I have mentioned pale in comparison to the overarching evolutionary umbrella for graphic and color change wraps, the fellowship or camaraderie of the members of the industry. In the early years, there were really only two basic groups providing support for fellow installers, USAG and PDAA. Then a few webbased forums were developed but were not focused specifically on wraps.

Social media, blogs, industry leaders, and industry associations emerged to support, promote, improve, and provide platforms for knowledge exchange for the wrap industry. Many groups sprang up like Masters of Branding, Paint is Dead, Wrapper Mapper, The Wrap Society and many regional, national, and global groups on Facebook and other social media platforms.

But where else did evolution take place?

One tradeshow NBM created a wrap-focused event – WRAPScon. This show extension created laser-concentrated content to help installers/ applicators meet, share ideas, and learn new techniques. Adding to the brother/sisterhood, competitions were held, master panel discussions plus open Q&A sessions were open to the community, and knowledge flowed freely.

The Wrap Experience is another extension of a tradeshow (ISA Expo) which brings together a wide range of companies and products focused on the wrap segment of the sign, graphics and visual communications industry. This show provides

A WrapIX Academy class

forums and contests where individuals and teams compete for prizes and learn about the latest materials, tools and applications at the same time!

All of these Fellowship experiences demonstrate the evolution of an industry where individuals and companies can turn to each other for sharing of knowledge in a freeflowing manner. The members of the wrap family rise above and show that people come first! This camaraderie has shown itself over and over again as the wrapper family comes together and help each other in time of need.

I am proud to say that I have been part of the wrap world for almost 40 years.

The people I have had the honor to work with, and learn from, are countless and remain close to my heart to this day!

Wrap on!

Paul Roba Paul Roba is a graphics and wrap industry veteran of over 35 years. He was involved with the early design, roll out, and training programs of wrap films.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 33

The

Centerfold

34 ll WrapFam WrapFamUnleashed Unleashedl April l April 2024 2024

April April 2024 2024l lWrapFam WrapFamUnleashed Unleashed ll 35

The

Centerfold

36 ll WrapFam WrapFamUnleashed Unleashedl April l April 2024 2024

April April 2024 2024l lWrapFam WrapFamUnleashed Unleashed ll 37

The

Centerfold

O

ur latest wrap for CMT VolumeAnalysis.com, featuring striking metal steel effects, ghosted logos, carbon fiber, and custom graphics, all meticulously created in-house. Adding to its uniqueness of a full matte finish, we have accentuated the wrap with mirror chrome overlays and wrapped door handles and Tesla emblems in honeycomb carbon fiber for that extra enhancement. What sets this wrap apart is the different designs on the driver and passenger sides. The front has been designed to look aggressive and sleek at the same time.

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By Justin Jansing Enhanced Images Marketing @eimarketinggroup

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 39

ShopProfile Member Spotlight

Rooted in Training The Learning Never Stops

J

eff Wagner of J3 Industries started installing graphics in 1991 at the age of 19 for a local installation company, Lone Star Applicators. Taught by Kent Carpenter, Jeff spent the next several years honing the craft.

When the opportunity presented itself, a local trucking company needed a full-time graphics installer to update and repair the aging fleet of commercial tractor and trailer graphics. Adding experience and knowledge, Jeff continued to work in the commercial graphics installation business. Around the late 90’s the business changed with the development of digital printers and the concept of the car wrap.

With the development of digital printers and the car wrap concept, Jeff knew he was

40 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

on the right path. After working for several graphics companies, Jeff and his wife Jennifer Started J3 Industries in the summer of 2007.

Focusing on commercial interior and fleet graphics installations, companies such as Signature Graphics, Lowen and FastSigns provided a steady stream of business and opened the door for the future.

With a growing installation business and contacts with industry professionals, Jeff and another local installer, Mike Zick of Mike Zick Installations, were part of the original training / 3M certification class at Lowen Graphics.

Not knowing at the time the impact this training class would have on the direction and

Shop and office interior

Jeff Wagner, Shop Owner

future of J3. More training and installation opportunities arose from this first class.

Industry certification and training classes started to grow at a fast pace.

Around the same time structured training and certification classes were gaining steam, Jeff got the opportunity to help grow vinyl distributor-sponsored training classes.

With the guidance of longtime 3M Technical Service Representative, Bob Barr, Jeff and J3 got the opportunity to help Graphics Solutions Group set up and teach their future vehicle wrap classes.

Soon after, with the growing association with 3M and help from good friend and colleague Bob Barr, J3 Industries got the opportunity to open and operate the first 3M training and certification facility in Texas.

While continuing to operate the @j3_industries

installation side of J3, Jeff and Jennifer were April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 41

ShopProfile

Smart car reflective wrap for Get Graphic - Top (daylight view), bottom (reflective/night view)

Hybrid Semi truck wrap for Hyllion 42 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

Snap-on toll truck wrap

Audi R8 full-color change wrap

simultaneously running the Certification facility

another trading facility surfaced. Arlon Graphics

and continuing mobile trading with GSG.

and WrapStar Pro owner Kristen Lanzarone

March 2020 and the Covid pandemic

partnered for the Master The Wrap initiative.

took the training side of the business by

Again throwing the training hat back in the ring,

surprise. With the ever-growing pandemic,

J3 will be one of the authorized training and

training classes took a back seat to the normal

certification locations for WrapStar U and Arlon.

graphics installation side of the business.

Both training classes and certification classes were put on hold indefinitely. Unfortunately, neither would survive the shutdown that followed.

After the pandemic-related shutdowns, new relationships developed and new doors

Opening in May of 2024 in Frisco, Texas. J3 Industries will have a new training facility ready to go.

With 30+ years of installation experience, many lessons have been learned.

Never stop learning is a concept to never

soon opened. A chance meeting in 2019 with

lose sight of. There are always new materials

Arlon Sales Representative, Michael Aybinder,

and techniques to master. The more knowledge

provided more mobile training opportunities.

you can obtain, the better the quality of

After 3 plus years of mobile training with Arlon Graphics, the opportunity to open

work you perform. To be good and last in this business, you need to love what you do!

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 43

Design Studio

It's about the

art

@artcitywrapswi

By Joshua Marquardt - Art City

I

've always loved working with my hands and being submersed in color and shape. I was working for a sculptor in Minneapolis and was hoping to become more integrated into creative work and I started working for a design firm around 97', working on Macs using Quark Express and Adobe Photoshop to produce film negatives for all sorts of printing. I was the grunt and was amazed at the four-color process being able to produce so many colors, and I was exposed to digital cameras when one shot could take an hour. After feeling bored and uninspired by typesetting and creating proofs, I went to school for printmaking and received 44 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

my BFA, focused on creating larger-scale fine art pieces. While attending college I worked at a local sign shop weeding, masking and bringing out the garbage; I loved the smell of the shop and the sound of the machines... I was almost hooked. I finally worked my way to a local beer distribution sign shop where my fabrication skills helped them catch up on production. This made it possible for them to teach me the foundations of Adobe Illustrator, how to create images that were scalable and how to save these as manufacturable files. This was also my first large-format printer/ laminator experience, the bait was taken. Really this was a breakthrough for me in my search

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 45

Design Studio

46 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

for the ability to transfer my ideas to scale and lead me to an awesome studio in Ft. Myers where they nurtured me to believe in my abilities.

After leaving this studio I have pretty much lived off of the work brought through with Art City Signs, LLC., a small studio located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin where all we do is focus on the design, manufacture and installation of adhesive-based vinyl.

I still prefer to use an iMac computer with the newest Adobe Creative suite running Adobe Illustrator. I do LOVE the Wacam big tablets for drawing and feel they are an efficient way for me to process visual thoughts compared to using a mouse, just flows a bit more naturally for me.

But really I'm most comfortable with a pencil and paper, markers and scissors. I gotta have music on when I work...any music will do, it just helps create a vibe in my mental space that I feel free to meander around in. The ability to be fluid and wander through a design, ask questions of the color/font/image/intent as I unfold the work is important to me and is part of the enjoyment. I am inspired by contrasting colors and unique patterns and find more enjoyment in less-perfect results.

Being able to translate photos and measurements from real life to design software with accuracy has been a valuable and difficult thing to learn. I have received work

from designers that has incorrect measurements or is at incorrect scales so the final resolution is inaccurate. Slowing down to double, triple-check your work is not a bad thing.

Our industry can get sucked into the trap of speed; "I need it now, I can print it fast, and I can wrap faster than anyone in the world!" Honestly, I don't care... I prefer my work to be paced and solid.

All the professionals I have met have trained hard and paid extra to gain the knowledge and the unique experiences they have. I have lost money on failed wraps, designed things wrong and printed them wrong, worked weekends to make up for weekday screw-ups, saved profits to study with others, missed time with family to be able to experience new types of installations at different scales, and have loved the whole process. It has been hard to chase the ideas that I love; family, music, color, scale, and art.

If you invest in the future of yourself, you will succeed because this is a healthy mindset. It is my opinion that discipline like this is what sets people I admire like artists, skateboarders and masters apart...they are not scared to fail and they have done it all in their focused meditation.

Enjoy the process of your work and set out to be inspired by the work you create, then share this work with others...and don't hang out with dicks, your environment is everything.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 47

The Truth About

“Sustainable” Products

By Jay Kroll, General Formulations

O

k, WrapFam, I think it’s time for a Wrap Family Meeting.

How many times have you gotten the question (or some variant): “Do you have any sustainable material options?” We need to talk about the response, some education, and most importantly—the honest analysis of the root, the resources, and the right path forward. I’d like to do three things: first, zoom out; second, acknowledge the truth; and third, figure out how we can keep moving forward—meaningfully—in this space.

The term "Sustainable" carries a multitude of interpretations, necessitating a deep dive into what customers mean by sustainability and the extent they envision for their product.

Sustainability can encompass a range of factors, from the use of recycled or locally sourced materials to considerations about product longevity—how frequently Material X might need replacement compared to Material Y. Questions about the environmental impact of inks, as well as the potential for the material to be recycled, upcycled, or reused, are also crucial. It's important to examine the entire Spectrum of Sustainability, considering the full lifecycle of the product in our conversations.

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Discussing environmental responsibility means that we have to consider the full lifecycle of materials, from their inception to disposal, rather than focusing solely on their recyclability or the likelihood of being recycled. Integrating recycled content into products, such as using films or release liners made from recycled materials, significantly cuts down on the need for new, virgin materials, and that will diminish the product's environmental footprint. The adhesive coating process also plays a significant role, and capturing solvents and other organic compounds during the manufacturing process for environmentally safe disposal is crucial. Opting for materials produced through conscientious methods and technologies reinforces the critical impact of manufacturing practices within the broader approach to sustainability.

Speaking of which, are any of these printed, adhesive-coated materials actually recyclable?

This depends a lot on your local municipality and its processing options, but for the most part, the only labels you can run through a standard recycling program are bottle labels that end up getting burned up in the process for those materials. In reality, recycling stickers, wraps, and decals pose challenges, including the need to sort

GF 234 GraphiTex, Installed by Decal Doctor

matching components or ingredients, remove liners and layers, and determine the appropriate recycling process. Advancements are being made by vinyl manufacturers in recycling bulk materials for use in other markets, and it's anticipated that these efforts will be enhanced in the upcoming years. The key challenge lies in optimizing this process for efficiency and accessibility to ensure it has the greatest positive environmental impact.

Ruggs shared a story about a time he developed an advertising campaign, where a client requested "green PVC," and he humorously offered them choices between Light Green and Forest Green. Despite the playful response, the environmental implications of using oil-based films like PVC are significant due to their chemical

composition. PVC has historically been criticized for its use of phthalates and certain plasticizers, which gave it a distinctive smell. However, many of these harmful chemicals are no longer present in today's graphic vinyl films. Modern vinyl films can be distinguished by certifications such as REACH, RoHS, and California Prop 65, which verify that they are devoid of these harmful substances and "forever chemicals." The vinyl films currently available are significantly different from those of previous generations.

The Use Life, made up of the overall durability, printability, and conformability of a material for specific uses is also a crucial consideration. For instance, if a Polyester print film satisfies the PVC-free requirement but

AprilApril 20242024 l WrapFam l WrapFam Unleashed Unleashedl l 49

The Truth About

“Sustainable” Products

More examples of GF 234 GraphiTex, Installed by Decal Doctor

50 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

needs to be frequently replaced, is unsuitable for the intended installation, or requires extra chemicals and coatings for printability or durability, can it truly be considered a more sustainable choice? While it's important to continue innovating in the materials sector, there must also be a candid conversation about ensuring that our solutions do not introduce new issues simply to facilitate quick sales.

I'd like to clarify that I'm not an expert in this field. Rather, I'm an inquisitive enthusiast, seeking solutions and aiming to pose thoughtful questions to encourage ongoing progress. At the same time, I recognize the considerable advancements that have been achieved in the graphics market in recent years. I'm not one to dwell on pessimistic outlooks, nor am I willing to simply accept things as they are without question. I firmly believe there's substantial

room for improvement in terms of materials, but it's also important to acknowledge the significant progress that has already been made.

And WrapFam, understand that this conversation is only just beginning. Your perspective—as the ones directly involved, hands-on, engaging firsthand, and actively on the front lines—is critically important. I encourage you to embrace your curiosity, share your ideas, pose insightful questions, and join forces with us. Together, we can drive this important conversation forward.

Jay Kroll Jkroll@generalformulations.com Product Manager (Cut & Craft Films, Wall Graphics and Transit Media), General Formulations

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 51

The Shop

Creating the Flow – Shop Layout From Survival to Streamlined

By Adam Sumner rom a small garage to a fully functioning shop layout is key.

Looking back at the first days starting out in wide format printing, just finding enough space to work was a battle. My initial shop was no more than a 40 x 15 foot garage space in the back of my father's offset printing shop.

My desk was located under a staircase which left my neck feeling a bit sore at the end of the day. With little to no room, I had a printand-cut Roland printer, a Royal Sovereign laminator, and a 4 x 8 foot working table.

No take-up roll on my printer so my days were spent standing at the table and rolling the prints off the machine so I could throw them through the laminator the next day. Once it was laminated and trimmed out, I would push the equipment against the wall to make room for a vehicle to come in and wrap it. With no room to pull it in fully, I would install the front end and one side then turn the car around and finish the back and the other side. Needless to say, streamline and efficiency were foreign words to me - it was more like survival.

As a one-man operation designing, printing and installing I started to really pay attention to the way my shop was organized and flowed to spend as little time transitioning 52 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

my shop to get the next task done as possible.

This is something that I have carried with me for quite a long time and has culminated into the workflow that we have today.

You are not always going to get it right the first time. Over the years each space I had occupied had been changed multiple times until I found the right configuration for the space that was available. Over time with input from employees, watching the way work is being done through the day and seeing where we can save a couple minutes a day by rearranging, which can add up to hours a week and days a month and weeks a year of saved time.

Our shop has a rule that the entire business is built around. The 5-minute rule is something that I started a long time ago and anyone that has come through one of my trainings has heard about. In any task you do throughout the day try to find a way to save yourself 5 minutes. Now how do you save 5 minutes? Well, it could be by being more organized and labeling material better. It could be installing a rack closer to your printers so that loading the machine can be sped up. Could be grouping printers, laminators, and cutters so that jobs can flow from one machine to the next a little quicker. Could be adding another computer, installing new lights, or remodeling the shop to bring people closer together. The more you focus on just saving 5 minutes each time you do a task, you will eventually find the most

Planning layout when you are adding equipment is key. Think of a plan and try to visualize the working space needed. When planning where to add equipment, tape the print of the machine footprint on the floor and visualize how it will work for you.

Moving from having print/install into one bay to print on one side of the office helped me get a full vehicle in, but we suffered greatly not having people able to talk to one another.

Having all the machines in a line helped keep things together, but was a nightmare for workspace. Having design and production machines located too far from the printers caused lost time walking back and forth from loading to sending prints.

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 53

The Shop

Creating a flow from the router table to the mounting table helped streamline the finishing of graphics.

Making room for a new machine. new flow for production and design bringing everything closer helps the team mesh much better.

54 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

efficient way for your shop and personnel to perform.

What is the ideal layout?

Well, it depends on equipment, employees, and the type of business you do. But for us, as a wrap shop focusing more on vehicle wraps, I will walk you through what I feel is the best layout for us, and how we changed over the years.

In our current shop the initial idea that we had was to have all jobs start at the back of the shop and work forward to the front and ultimately out the door. So material would come in and be stored in the back of the shop near the printers then move forward to the lamination and trimming tables then out to the installation area to be delivered to the customer. Our designers were located more in the middle of the shop and most of the production was in the rear. What we found was when production had a question they would walk to the other room then the designers would walk back to production to check out the print to make sure things were looking correct. This caused countless hours of walking back and

forth wasting time and causing projects to take a bit longer.

Now don’t get me wrong I am in no way calling my guys slow they are far from that, but they were not able to be as efficient as they could be.

So, we found the solution.

Call in a contractor to blow out a wall and build a larger print room that could not only house all the printing equipment, but also the design and production team. Then,

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April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 55

The Shop

we put all their desks together to create a tighter working environment, giving my guys the ability to turn a chair to get the answer they needed.

It also made it possible for my designer to see the printer and check without even getting up to see if what is being produced was correct. This change, as expensive as it might have been to blow out and build some new walls, has saved us countless hours and reprints because everyone is centered around the most critical step. Moving the print and design team together into the center of Having an open easy-access doorway is a must. the shop also helped with installation. Now, our installation area is right next to our designers and production so when they have a question they can get the answers quickly and get back to stickin’.

This change for us has been the best remodel we have ever done and is the one layout that I will keep no matter the location that we move into.

The next thing that made a massive difference for us was to DECLUTTER OUR INSTALL AREA. This is a constant work in progress because as anyone with a shop knows, when you have a large When you first move into a shop you feel like there is so open area for vehicles to be moved in and out of much room till you start to fill it up. it's pretty easy to find nooks and crannies to store things for later. We had things everywhere and realized that we were taking up valuable square footage that a vehicle could occupy and install. All to store tools and supplies that were not used on a daily basis. We ended up building a storage room with a mezzanine on top to store all the things we didn’t use on a daily basis. Things from hard hats and harnesses to tiedown straps, painting supplies air compressors, saws – you name it. We have a wide arrange of tools and equipment that we use for red carpet event installs that are not Cleanliness is next to Godlyness for your printing room. used on the daily and take up space in the install 56 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

Running a lean operation with minimal trash and keeping your stock highly organized will help your efficiency.

area. By moving those things up into an area that we have access to, opened up over 400 square feet that was now useable for us to park an extra vehicle. Inside to storage room, we have ladders, rolling scaffolding, extra rags, cleaning supplies - the necessities for everyday installs.

This has significantly helped in keeping the shop clean and cut down on the hours walking around the shop to find the tool or supply you need. It's also helped us keep better inventory so it’s not Friday at 4 o’clock with a weekend install the next day and you realize you don’t have what you need to start the install in the morning.

Laying out your shop for efficiency is important. Focus on keeping things tight, keeping people close and supplies you need all in the same area. This will help in turning jobs quicker,

have meetings with your employees and have them give you input on what would help them stay more organized, and don’t be afraid to grab a hammer and open the flow of the shop to get your team communicating easier. No matter the size of your business, realize that as things change and so should the flow of your shop. And even if it may seem natural to have each position or department separated, keeping your teams together will increase productivity and morale around the shop.

Adam Sumner Adam@wrapixacademy.com Owner, Wrapix Academy Owner, Wrapix Imaging 3M Authorized Trainer

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 57

Featured

Wraps @bwrappedllc

@candywrapsllc

58 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

@dolcedesignnewyork

@flipsidegraphics

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 59

Featured

Wraps

@glarb.design

@graphixid_

60 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

@graphix_gurus

@justinbaileywraps April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 61

Featured

Wraps

@wrap_experts

62 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

W

elcome to the Trainer Spotlight, where we highlight individual trainers. The spotlighted trainers are industry leaders with a wealth of knowledge to share, offering valuable tips, techniques,

and hands-on experiences that will empower you to excel in your wrap craft. Be sure to visit their websites for more info and training dates.

Adam Sumner

WRAPIX Academy Burbank, CA 91502 818-433-7548 Adam@wrapixacademy.com Wrapix Academy is the only west coast 3M Authorized training and testing facility. With over 6000 square feet our training facility is dedicated only to graphic installations. We offer 11 different hands on stations to build and refine skills. Whether you be new to the industry or a seasoned professional, our training classes can be adapted to fit any need.

Jamie Mullican School Of Wrap Nashville, TN 37210 (615) 646-3277 mully@schoolofwrap.com Located in the heart of the music city, School of Wrap is a 3M Authorized Training Facility offering 3 different certifications and training. As 3M Preferred Installer you will be recognized as among the best in the industry. Promote yourself and your business as a leader in installations and 3M will list and promote you as well. Our training will teach you the latest techniques and standards used in the industry.

YOUR SPOTLIGHT HERE

(303) 219-0827 ruggs@thewrapfam.com April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 63

In the News

• A Hub for Technical Resources

2024 CAMBEA Virtual Wrap Contest

• Rich Company History: • New Careers Page:

**Compete Against the Best:

• Instagram Integration:

2024 CAMBEA Virtual

• Press Room & News-

Wrap Contest**

letter Sign-Up

General Formulations Launches New Website

The website's fresh look mir-

Guelph, Ontario – Attention

rors General Formulations'

all automotive-wrap masters!

new branding, reflecting the

Tekton Performance Films and

SPARTA, MI — General For-

company's commitment to

ALLTAK proudly present the

mulations, the solutions lead-

innovation and excellence.

most anticipated event of the

er and global manufacturer

“This platform is not just

year: the 2024 CAMBEA Vir-

of pressure-sensitive media,

about a new look; it's a re-

tual Wrap Contest. Get ready

film, and laminates is thrilled

flection of our dedication to

to unleash your creativity,

to announce the launch of

providing our customers and

demonstrate your expertise,

their new and improved,

partners with the best possi-

and vie for the chance to claim

rebranded website: www.

ble experience,” says Michelle

the title of Wrap Champion.

generalformulations.com.

LaPreze, Director of Marketing From March 4 - May 31, 2024,

The new site marks a signif-

Communications, at General

professional automotive

icant milestone in the com-

Formulations. “With improved

wrap shops across the United

pany's 70-year history and

navigation, enriched product

States and Canada will con-

offers an enhanced user ex-

information, and a wealth of

verge in an electrifying show-

perience, providing easi-

technical resources, the new

down of skill and innovation.

er access to a wide array of

site is a true testament to

Hosted by Tekton Perfor-

products and resources.

our 70 years of growth and

mance Films and ALLTAK, the

The new website fea-

innovation in the industry."

2024 CAMBEA Virtual Wrap

tures several key en-

The new website is now live

hancements, including:

and accessible to customers,

Contest Details:

• Improved Product Navigation partners, and the public. For

Open to: Professional au-

• Enhanced Prod-

more information, visit www.

tomotive wrap shops op-

uct Information

generalformulations.com.

erating within the Unit-

64 l WrapFam Unleashed l April 2024

ed States or Canada.

hicle previously wrapped by

Entry Period: March 4,

the shop along with a brief

2024, to March 31, 2024.

description of the wrap job.

Finalist Submission Period:

Becoming a Finalist:

April 15, 2024, to April 29, 2024. Entries will be evaluated by a Voting Period: May 6,

distinguished judging panel

2024, to May 31, 2024.

based on specific criteria. The

Grand Prize:

top ten shops will advance to

The ultimate reward awaits

the finalist stage and be no-

the grand prize win-

tified by the administrator.

ner — a trip for two to São

Voting and Promotion:

Paulo, Brazil! The grand

During the voting period, fi-

prize package includes:

nalists can rally support from

- Entry for two into CAM-

their communities, friends,

BEA at Interlagos Festival

and followers. Each person is

August 8 - August 11, 2024.

allowed one vote, and voters

- Round trip coach

have the chance to win a $500

class airfare for two.

Visa gift card in a random

- Four nights of hotel accom-

drawing.

modations in a standard room.

Determining the Winner:

- Round-trip ground trans-

The final winner will be cho-

fers in São Paulo.

sen based on a combination

- $500 cash.

of judging panel scores and

How to Enter:

public votes. The shop as-

To participate, owners or au-

sociated with the finalist

thorized employees of pro-

submission with the high-

fessional automotive wrap

est score will be crowned

shops can visit CAMBEAvir-

the grand prize winner.

tualwrapcontest.com and complete the online entry

Contact Information:

form. Each entry must in-

For more information,

clude three photos of a ve-

including official rules

NORTH AMERICA VIRTUAL 2024

and inquiries, please visit CAMBEAvirtualwrapcontest. com or contact help@ raven5.com.

Gear up for excitement and join us as we embark on a journey of creativity, talent, and camaraderie at the 2024 CAMBEA Virtual Wrap Contest. Let the wrapping wars begin!

Have news to share?

April 2024 l WrapFam Unleashed l 65

REVERSE LOGO

Coming Next Month…

• Lettering Express Access

• Wrapping SXSW

• Impactful Business Margins

• Stadium Wraps

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