Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/637632
2 0 1 6 • WRAPS • 51 V ehicle wraps have always been eye-catching and attention grab- bing, even when the industry was just beginning, no matter if it was a city bus, a trailer or your uncle's work truck. And today—with innovative product technol- ogies, graphic design/printer advance- ments, new installation techniques/ better tools, continued high-profile exposure and the simple fact that wraps are very effective—wraps are more popular than ever. Wrap projects and new business opportunities continue to see signifi- cant growth and crossover in both the commercial and personal vehicle mar- ket spaces. The future remains exceed- ingly bright for graphic providers and installers; and even with the industry's increased growth, there still remains a significant untapped market for addi- tional business. The Commercial Space Composed of business owners—both large and small, first-time entrepreneurs to marketing gurus—the commercial space of the graphics industry has long dominated the numbers when it comes to wraps and other graphic applications. The wrap industry has experienced sig- nificant growth, and we have reason for optimism. According to a 2014 study that 3 M conducted with small business own- ers, 36 percent of small business own- ers don't use storefront branding, and 46 percent still don't use their vehicles for advertising. And when you exclude simple magnetic vehicle signage that often only covers small areas of a vehicle, that number spikes all the way up to 74 percent. This presents a large segment of business owners and decision-makers who don't use graphics that graphic pro- viders and installers can leverage into additional business. And don't forget about the customers looking to have a second, third or more wrap done after a few years. Vehicle wraps have long been the dominant application type in the graph- ics industry, but there has been a steady expansion in other wrap applications, like boats, building and wall wraps, to a wide assortment of everyday objects that have dramatically increased sales opportuni- ties for shop owners. A unique example of trending graphic applications is a recent project by a group called Real Change Movement in Southern California. The nonprofit orga- nization commissioned nine wrapped parking meters for its Meter Donation Program, designed to grab the attention of passersby in order to increase aware- ness and donations to alleviate homeless- ness in the area. Leased vehicles are also becoming a common target for color- change vehicle wraps, as wrap film has the added benefit of helping preserve a car's original paint and exterior. These new applications and countless oth- ers present an opportunity for graphic providers and installers to dramatically increase the scope of their business, and Three fleet vehicles wrapped in 3M Controltac Graphic Film with Comply v3 Adhesive IJ180Cv3 and 3M Scotchcal Gloss Overlaminate 8518 by Brand ink for Twin State Equipment.