From a single vehicle to an entire fleet, there is no doubt that professionally designed and applied vehicle graphics not only portray your company in a positive light, they are also one of the most effective forms of promotion. Imaginative and striking vehicle media not only has a vastly longer shelf life than paper based advertising, it is also has a much wider audience. On average a busy vehicle can be seen by up to 3000 people every hour.

 

Vehicle graphics can create bold statements about your company and using a wide range of materials the end result can have impressive impact. Reflective vinyl for example, can bring a vehicle to life at dusk or into the night, and using the latest full colour technology, anything from photographs to complex logos can be applied to a vehicle quickly and efficiently. The image need not even stop when it comes to a window, with the advent of materials like Contra Vision where graphics can be visible from the outside, but transparent when looking from the inside out.

 

If you need a temporary or removable type of sign then magnetic signs can be produced which are easily fitted in seconds and can be transferred to any vehicle.

 

Are there any limits?

In short, no there are not really any limits only the budget! We can supply and fit every type of vehicle graphic from a straight forward design with only one colour to a full printed vehicle "wrap". The examples below show some of the variations in complexity, many more can be seen in the Gallery.

How permanent are graphics?
Many customers ask about the ability of vehicle graphics to be removed or altered. In general the graphics we supply are relatively easy to remove and should cause no damage to the paint underneath as long it is in good condition. The ability of graphics to be removed depends largely on the quality of the film used in manufacturing and since we only use top quality films it is rarely an issue. Cheaper makes often leave large amounts of adhesive behind and are more brittle.

There are some types of material such as mirror finishes and retro-reflective film which seldom come off cleanly. With these films we suggest using a two layer design where the special film is fitted over the top of a standard one thus eliminating the problems. For further information on removing vinyl graphics see the Sign Making Vinyl reference section on the menu to the left.

The long term durability of our standard films is up to 7 years and if treated with care will normally outlast the use of the vehicle. It's important not to use abrasive cleaners or products containing solvents. In general washing is no problem although pressure washers should be used with care, particularly avoiding concentrating a fine jet onto the edges of the graphics.

How much does it cost?
Well that depends on a quite a few things but as a very rough guide, a simple single or two colour small van might be approx £160+vat fitted, a more complex or larger van approx £240+vat, designs with large digital printed parts approx £550+vat and full colour wraps approx £1750+vat. Obviously there are many factors affecting the cost and so we price each job individually.

We carry a huge library of full scale vehicle profiles from cars to coaches which enables the production of artwork showing how the finished graphics will look.

The artwork for vehicle graphics can be created to match an existing design or it can be a totally new look. If you have ideas yourself then we will happily try and incorporate these for you. Take a look at some of the samples in the Gallery to give an idea of what can be achieved.

What's a digital print?
Digital printing is now common place having seen an enormous growth in the past 5 years because of both public awareness and better technology. Put simply digitally printed signs or graphics are produced using large inkjet printing machines and waterproof inks which print anything you like onto the finished article. This technology means it is now perfectly possible to have photographs or complex shaded designs on vehicles (or anything else for that matter).

There are some points to be aware of though - firstly the cost is significantly more than solid colour vehicle graphics. Secondly, the maximum outdoor life expectancy for these prints is only 5 years because of fading in the sunlight, chemical attack etc. Lastly many companies produce these digital prints but the quality is wildly different depending on the materials/inks/hardware which are used in the production. This leads to a potentially much shorter lifespan of the final job and can leave your vehicle looking tatty in quite a short time. We only use the most suitable materials for digital prints and most of the vehicle graphics we supply are protected by a clear over laminate which extends the life dramatically.

What's a vehicle wrap?

A vehicle "wrap" is when we fit self adhesive digitally printed or plain coloured film over large areas of the body of the vehicle. It can be just a part of a van or it could extend to cover the entire vehicle.

This process creates stunning eye catching effects when applied correctly. You may have seen vehicles on the road which are entirely covered in photographic images - these are full wraps.

Fitting these graphics is a very specialised job and both preparation and material choice are critical. The film has to be stretched over many curved parts and heated into recesses on the vehicle.