For Us, It’s Gold and Blue

In states that lack professional football and basketball teams, the fortunes of their major university’s athletic teams carry heightened importance to fans. In West Virginia, where “King Coal”’s decreasing importance as an energy source created chronically challenging economic conditions, the West Virginia University (WVU) Mountaineers’ success has served as a source of pride. (Sadly ironic, the Mountaineers’ finest hour on the gridiron, an upset win over Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl, was promptly overshadowed by the Sago mine explosion, which claimed 12 West Virginia miners’ lives the same day).

WVU officials have entrusted The Sign Factory (Morgantown, WV) to provide vehicle graphics since 2007, when it bedecked a concept vehicle the school’s engineering department was entering into a competition. Although The Sign Factory must bid competitively for each job, it’s become the primary decorator of school-owned SUVs, trucks and other vehicles that transport or accompany the Mountaineers on road trips.

Brandy Gibson, the shop’s senior designer, said working for a large institution requires tighter deadlines and more approvals than comparable projects. She continued, “We’re required to be licensed by the university and its outside licensing company in order to produce its logo and trademarks. And, as with any large institution, payment procedures can become quite a bit more complicated. We generally require a 50% down payment, with the balance paid on completion, but the school’s policies don’t always allow such a deposit. So, payment sometimes requires some effort to track down.”

On the flip side, the Sign Factory has enjoyed more “Autoskinz” (its term for its wrap-division products) business through word of mouth to other WVU departments, and bolstered its reputation among other would-be regional customers.

For the full wraps the shop produces, it designs graphics using Photoshop and then uses SA Intl.’s FlexiSign to size panels for printing. For partial wraps, the design team using Flexi or Illustrator to develop graphics and Flexi to size panels and add cutting contours.

To prep vehicles, the Sign Factory’s standard procedure includes Rapid Tac Inc.’s Rapid Remover to, when necessary; remove adhesive residue from prior graphic applications; Rapid Prep water-based, solvent cleaner; and Rapid Tac application fluid.

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Sign Factory outputs its wraps using 3M Controltac with Comply air-release media, which it decorates with its Mimaki JV3 solvent-ink printer, which is paired with Adobe’s PostScript® 3 RIP. 3M’s 8519 luster-finish overlaminate is its most common topcoat of choice, which it applies using Seal’s 62 Pro heat-assist laminator.