Vehicle wraps offer car owners a unique way to customize their vehicles, whether for personal flair or to market their businesses. A new report from Grand View Research, Inc. shows the global automotive wrap films market is poised to reach $10.8 billion by 2025.
As vehicle wrap graphics grow in popularity, the products and services associated with them have improved in quality, and auto shop owners have begun to explore the value of offering these services to customers.
Commercial vehicle wraps
In 2015, heavy-duty vehicles contributed 17.5 percent of global vehicle wrap market revenue, partially due to the large size of graphics needed for vehicles of this class.
Automotive wraps are often used by companies and other organizations as a means of advertising. Wrapped company vehicles usually display a business's name, a short list of popular services and contact information. As the vehicle travels for normal business purposes, transporting employees or making deliveries, it also serves as a moving billboard.
The public sector often wraps busses, subway cars, etc. to advertise local businesses, both a boon to the regional economy and a means of drawing revenue that transit authorities can put toward maintenance without raising fares. Vehicle wraps may also provide safety information to commuters.
Personal vehicle wraps
Vehicle wraps aren't reserved for commercial reasons. More and more consumers are opting to personalize their trucks and cars with custom vehicle wraps. As Digital Print Media pointed out, Google Trends shows a 4,800 percent increase of searches for "wrap vinyl" between January 2004 and April 2018.
Compared to painting, wrapping vehicles has multiple benefits for passenger cars. Wrapping doesn't damage the original paint applied to the vehicle during manufacturing. Additionally, wrapped vehicles can be altered by a professional to give them a renewed look should the car owner choose to change the design later on.
Wrapping a car is also often more cost-effective than painting, according to Wards Auto. New technologies, improved products and greater availability of materials and equipment have all served to lower the cost of getting a vehicle vinyl wrap. Auto buyers who are seeking out cars with a particular design may find it easier, and more affordable, to locate the right car, then wrap it in the desired color or pattern.
Preparing for increased vinyl wrap demand
Businesses that provide automotive wrap services may see an influx of consumers hoping to change the appearance of their trucks or cars through a vinyl wrap. To give them high-quality results, shops must be adequately prepared.
Training is essential to ensuring all employees involved in vehicle wraps deliver professional wrap jobs. Cutting-edge design software, state-of-the-art printers and high-quality vinyl, too, all contribute to impressive craftsmanship – as does the right heat gun. Heat is essential in applying the vinyl. Using a heat gun such as the Proheat 1600 or the 1615 STC can make the wrapping process easier, safer and more effective. These heat guns monitor the surface temperature as the vinyl is applied, which ensures the materials don't overheat or burn.
