Smart Car Wrapping

Using company vehicles to advertise what the company does is not a new idea —

many companies get their name and phone number painted on their trucks, or use magnetic signs to let folks know about their business.

But fairly new technology lets businesses — or anyone who wants their ride to stand out — encase their vehicle in art advertising their message.

“Wraps” have been used on 18-wheelers, buses and race cars for several years, according to Eddie Hundley, owner of the Sign Center.

“Race car drivers can put them on for a race today, then peel them off and put another one on for a race tomorrow,” Hundley said.

He said he heard about the process about two years ago and purchased the equipment necessary to create the special signage.

The material used for this process is tougher and more long-lasting than normal automotive decals. It can be removed quickly, without hurting the vehicle’s paint, and lasts for about five to seven years before it begins to look faded or ragged.

“When you take these off, the paint under it is usually in better shape than the paint on the rest of the car,” Hundley said.

Application is also easier than for traditional decals, taking less time to apply because bubbles are not as big a problem.

“They smooth out better in this material,” Hundley said.

On Friday, Hundley and his staff were applying decals to an Emergency Management trailer. They used the wrap material for the circular logo decals on the sides, and more traditional decals for the letting and stripes.

The logo was printed on the material, which was then laminated for extra strength and a protective paper was placed over the image to protect it during application. Its position on the trailer was checked, and double-checked, then the backing was peeled off and it was pressed into place.

The final step was peeling the protective paper off and running over the decal with a sponge to make sure there were no bumps or bubbles.

The Sign Center has done wraps for cars, trucks and motorcycles as well as for commercial vehicles. One employee has a motorcycle covered with a wrap that even covers the windshield.

That material is similar to tinting, but passengers can see out through the design while people outside the vehicle can’t see it. In this area, it is most often seen on buses, but can be used on other vehicle glass as well.

Hundley said it was difficult to give an average prices for this type of work, since it all depends on how much area is to be covered and whether his staff is doing the design work - and how complicated the design is. He recommends stopping in or calling to discuss the different possibilities for dressing up different vehicles.

The Sign Center is located at 123 Wooding Ave., Danville, and can be reached by calling (434) 793-7446.