This post is about how and why to wrap rivets. Let me tell you where it started. I met Terry Wells, the transportation manager for Knott’s Fine Foods, in the installation bay at TKO Graphix. He was there to pick up a 53-foot trailer we wrapped for his company. I introduced myself and asked him what he thought of the wrap. He was more than pleased. He was delighted. You see, he came to us after he’d had a less than happy experience with another provider. We know how to wrap rivets. The other provider didn’t.

A Happy Customer

Terry pointed to the rivets on the side of the trailer (there were hundreds of rivets) and said, “We choose TKO Graphix for our trailer wraps because the work another provider did three years ago is coming apart. See these rivets; the other people didn’t do a professional job like this (TKO Graphix work)” Here’s video of what Terry had to say, Knott’s Wholesale Foods Trailer Wrap

The Difference in a Professional Wrap

I discussed this with Terry, and he explained the previous vendor left what we call “tents” around the rivets. Terry even asked them about it, and they told him it would be okay. That’s not the truth. Tenting around rivets leads to problems. The trouble is dirt, and moisture gets behind or under the tent, which causes it to lose adhesion. Not only can it come off but it can cause the vinyl around the rivet to come loose as well.

How to Wrap Rivets

The proper way to wrap rivets is time-consuming and work-intensive, but there’s no way around it. After placing the adhesive vinyl, a rivet brush should be used to set the vinyl in place over the rivet. Next, installers use a knife or a hollow punch to slit around the rivet. Damage to a rivet, such as a scrape from a tree branch, only pulls the rivet graphic away isolating it from the rest of the wrap.

Who Is Knott’s Fine Foods?

“In 1947, in a small house on Curtis Street in Paris, Tennessee, a great idea was born. Cedric and Mildred Knott saw the opportunity to use Mildred’s personal recipes for salad spreads for making sandwiches, and deliver them to local businesses.

Cedric in his Kitchen in 1950 

Over the last six and a half decades, Knott’s Fine Foods has evolved into a full-scale production facility and distribution center.  All the original products that were produced in Cedric and Mildred Knott’s kitchen are still made in Paris, Tennessee less than a mile from their original home on Curtis Street.   Over several years, the company and its territories have expanded. However, we remain a family owned and run business with the third generation of the Knott’s family at the helm.” — Knott’s Fine Foods About

Are Your Fleet Graphics “Riveting”?

If you’d like to discuss a profession wrap for your fleet vehicles, Contact Us, we can share some great stories like this one from Knott’s Fine Foods. I promise we’ll keep you “riveted.”

How Can We Help You? 

If you’d like fleet graphics designed to capture attention, printed on state-of-the-art equipment, and installed by expert certified installers, we’re here to help.

Would you like a free estimate for your fleet or vehicle graphics? If so, you can Request A Quote.

TKO Graphix has been a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service graphic design, digital printing, screen printing, graphics installation, and removal of large format graphics.

We’re a fleet and vehicle graphics company, and since 1985, we’ve been helping businesses, large and small, brand their fleet of tractor-trailers, service trucks, and company vehicles. Whether you have a fleet of thousands or a few vehicles, we are here to lead you through the vehicle branding process.

TKO Graphix is a Certified 3M™ MCS™ Warranty graphics manufacturer. Our installation crews are 3M Certified and are employees of TKO Graphix, not sub-contractors.

When it comes to making your graphics a reality — it all begins with our design department services. From a concept on paper to road-worthy advertising for your vehicles, the TKO Graphix design team can help bring your vision to life. Our team specializes in creating fleet and vehicle graphics while keeping your brand consistent across all types of vehicles in your fleet.