In my humble opinion, food trucks are the best thing to happen to the vehicle-wrap market since air-release media. From tacos to smoothies to fish and chips, they reflect the entire diaspora of cuisine – and, designers typically create wraps that masterfully create atmosphere for the movable feasts that make crowds flock.
Lola Red Design Group (San Luis Obispo, CA), which has operated since 2009, has seen its vehicle-wrap business grow significantly in recent years. According to owner Elizabeth Howard, they comprised 30% of the shop’s business in 2013 – up from 22% in 2012. And, food trucks provide a prime mover in this market.
“The San Luis Obispo [SLO] Chamber of Commerce has embraced food trucks, and allows them to set up at many of its events,” she said. “The county’s health department is very strict in its food-truck inspections, but I haven’t heard of local governments interfering with when and where they can operate.”
Howard also noted that many regional catering companies have expanded their business into the trendy mobile eateries, which have provided more opportunities. Lisa Hess, the owner of SLO Coast Coffee, approached Lola Red about bidding on wrapping its mobile coffee truck – a 1961 International Harvester delivery van – for food-truck use.
“She [Hess] said we didn’t offer the lowest bid, but that we impressed her with our service and expertise,” Howard said. “It’s very rewarding to get a job for these reasons. In our small community, reputation is important for growth.”
Hess provided the initial concept idea, and selected the brushed-steel finish for the metallic vinyl. To complement the steel, Lola Red’s lead designer Anthony Herrera replicated the wooden, mobile coffee stands that Howard also uses for her coffee business. Using a stock photograph of wooden planks, he employed Photoshop software to expand the artwork into a horizontal graphic.
Given the Harvester’s age, rust and chipping were expected when Lola Red inspected the truck before beginning work. Hess had the vehicle repainted and removed most of the handles and other hardware to save installation time.
“We start our process by taking vehicle photos and measurements,” Howard said. “Then, we’ll scale our photos and artwork down to 5% of actual size for the set-up phase. This proportion allows us to provide a proof that demonstrates for the client how the graphics will lay over the vehicle contours, and can be printed on standard-size paper.”
Using Arlon’s DPF 6000XRP vinyl, the shop output the printed graphics on itsRoland DGA VersaCAMM VS-540 printer/plotter. The metallic portion comprises Avery Dennison Supercast 900 air-release material, which is overlaid with printed graphics processed on the VersaCAMM. They protected the graphics with Arlon’s 3220 gloss-finish, cast overlaminate, which was applied with a Royal Sovereign wide-format laminator.
Lola Red’s installation process included Wet-edge® squeegees, magnets, Number 11 X-Acto® blades, heat guns and wrap gloves.
“Initially, we had quoted a certain scope of work for the job, but, as we went along, we noticed that more wrapping would be required for a wow factor,” Howard said. “For instance, we hadn’t originally quoted wrapping the serving-window frame, but it stuck out like a sore thumb unwrapped and white. So, the metallic-finish wrap adds curb appeal.”