Wrapping Up Wrap Quest ’07

As the name suggests, WrapQuest was about one thing and one thing only: a love of vehicle wraps.

How else would the Professional Decal Application Assn. (PDAA) get representatives from 3M, Arlon, Avery, FLEXcon, LG Chem, MACtac and Oracal to share their expertise for two days in Pompano Beach, FL? Why else would the PDAA open the event to non-members? And why would signmakers like Dallas Fowler of Louisville-based Digital EFX Wraps, who has wrapped more than 500 vehicles, show up?

As Fowler explains, it was all about exchanging ideas. Product specialists from one company would give tutorials and introduce the uninitiated to their product line, knowing that everyone would be checking out another company’s vinyl in a few minutes. Installers well-versed in wrapping semi-trailers were schooled in how to wrap cars, and vice-versa.

“A shop in Florida might do some things we haven’t seen,” Fowler said. He surmised it’s best to be trained on as many vehicles as possible so you’d rarely have to turn away a customer.

Largely organized by master-installer Rob Ivers, WrapQuest sprouted from previous PDAA meeting with one vinyl manufacturer, where members taught each other tricks of the trade. With a positive response, the PDAA decided to expand it. The bigger, the better, after all.

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The event, held October 21-23 – right before the 2007 SGIA Expo in Orlando – drew 130 attendees, thanks to print ads, as well as vinyl manufacturers who spread the word among their clients. Opening WrapQuest to non-members resulted in several new PDAA members.

“Not everyone’s on the same page when it comes to wraps,” said Fowler. “[Ivers] is trying to bridge the gap so the trade doesn’t die out, because customers are burned by bad wraps. There are people right now who don’t know how to wrap and they give jobs away for half the price of what it could and should be.”

PDAA President Nathan Franzblau was gratified that “competitors would all come to the same event and gave their expertise for two days, for free.” (Although the manufacturers didn’t demand a fee for their services, attendees paid a small service fee to fund the event).

At WrapQuest’s conclusion, attendees could take the PDAA’s masters competition. Fowler anticipated a cakewalk, but said the test was a little harder than he expected, but well worth it. The test starts with simple sections of vinyl, but soon ask you to lay large pieces over complex curves. “If you can’t lay vinyl, it’s gonna show real quick,” Fowler laughed.

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Those who pass the test get special designation on the PDAA’s website; which enables customers looking for local installers to find the shop most suited to their needs.

There are plans for more WrapQuests. One will likely be held later this year, but details are under – sorry – wraps for right now.