Photo Blog: Olinger/Glazer’s Kid Rock Limo Wrap

Can you think of a better way to arrive at a concert than riding in a limousine wrapped with the artist’s brand? That’s exactly what this Limo is and how it was used. I believe it was used “All Summer Long.” And no one was “Wasting Time,” as it really gets the “Picture” across! (a couple of Kid Rock hits, for those unaware).

Who is Glazer’s Distributors?

When this photo was taken in May of 2010, the Kid Rock Limousine was sponsored by Olinger Distribution. Which has become part of the Glazer’s family of companies. Glazer’s began in 1909 in Dallas, Texas. As Glazer’s Distributors explains, “Today the company distributes and markets beverages in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Mississippi. As well as Missouri, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Arizona, Tennessee, Alabama and the Virgin Islands. Glazer’s has grown dramatically through the years by acquiring distribution rights from a variety of suppliers. And by building a strong reputation in the industry for customer service.”

Can Vehicles be Wrapped for Special Events?

Wraps are most often associated with longer term company branding and calls to actions, which may remain on a vehicle for several years, but that isn’t always the case. Because wraps and decals can be used for special events. There are adhesive vinyls manufactured for short term use, along with magnetics and materials designed to be re-used. Before your next event, check with a certified large format graphics provider for short-term vehicle graphics ideas. If you want to just say, “Lay it on Me,” we’ll do our best to give you some “Outstanding” ideas.

So, Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.

Photo Blog: Detour American Grille Catering SUV Wrap

This Detour Catering vehicle wrap shares a wealth of information without being too “busy.” Rather than being overly complicated and losing the message, it effectively shares several messages and call to actions.

This is accomplished by using every bit of space available, including the windows. The company’s logo is prominent with “catering – to go” added. There are images of their fine cuisine, and if you look closely, you’ll also find QR codes, social media icons, their phone number and location, and vendors such as Coke.

What is an American Grille?

The Detour American Grille “Is a Detour from your normal day. With a menu designed by one of 65 Certified Master Chefs in the country, it has something for everyone from burgers, wraps and salads to fresh fish or a steak, Detour has everything you need in one location. It has a family friendly atmosphere that also is a great place to catch a game, unwind after a long day with friends, or just get away from the daily grind. Detour, ‘A New Direction in Fresh Food!'”

What Should You Share on a Company Vehicle?

If you’ve wondered what you should share on a vehicle graphic, this is a good example. The wrap tells us what Detour is, what the company does — and most importantly — how to contact them. The contact information includes social media, QR codes, location, and phone number. If you’d like ideas on how to tell your story on a vehicle, give us a call or contact us; we’d be happy to help you share.

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.

DIY: How to Wrap Your Fleet Vehicles

You can wrap your fleet vehicle, but to do it properly, it will take time, planning, and patience. How to wrap your fleet vehicles begins with how not to wrap your cars and trucks. Most vehicle graphics providers can share stories of the unprepared attempting to DIY wrap a fleet of vehicles that didn’t turn out so good. Unfortunately, the stories begin after the vehicles have been damaged and the owner wants the provider to fix them.

“We might not recommend you attempt to wrap a vehicle, but could you? Yes, however, to do so correctly, takes time, planning, and patience. We can share story after story of DIY (Do it yourself) vehicle graphic installations that we’ve been asked to “fix”. Many of these, do it yourself attempts, damaged the vehicles surface, by improper cutting, use of the wrong materials, or inadequate preparation.” — FAQ: Can I Wrap a Vehicle Myself?

You and your team can do this yourself, but take your time, follow the steps below, and contact us on what material is best for your application.

How to Wrap Your Fleet Vehicles

• Clean and dry the vehicle, removing all grease and film. Clean all hard to reach areas, and remember — leaving the smallest amount of dirt and debris may lead to the vinyl not adhering properly.

• Prime the vehicle. Most people are unaware of the need to apply a primer designed for this application, such as 3M Adhesive Products. Be sure to apply the primer in all the nooks and crannies.

• Detach equipment like side view mirrors, moldings, light casings, and trim.

• Check placement and measurements. Be certain all components of the wrap match up properly. Take your time. Remember the old saying, “measure twice, cut once.”

• Use a squeegee to apply the graphic. They’re readily available such as these Avery squeegees. Use smooth strokes to eliminate all creases and bubbles.

• Use a razor to cut away excess vinyl. However, be careful not to slice into the vehicle.

• Apply heat judiciously to help smooth the vinyl over complicated angles and curves. A small torch or lighter may be used by fanning the flame over the area for a few seconds. Do not hold the heat too long in one spot or use it on glass and plastic.

• Use a razor or Xacto knife to cut around rivets and bolts.

What Not to Do

Here’s the other side of the coin. What to avoid. It may be more important to know what not to do than to understand how to do it when it comes to fleet graphics installation. How to wrap your fleet vehicles begins with how not to do it. Breaking any of these don’ts can lead to problems, headaches, and unnecessary costs. Please take the time to click any link if you’re uncertain of how to proceed.

Don’t install when it’s too hot, too cold, or too humid

“Graphics installation requires a clean and warm environment. When temperatures drop too low, vehicle graphics fail. Installing adhesive vinyl graphics below 60 degrees Fahrenheit leads to problems.” — FAQ: Can Vehicle Graphics be installed in the Cold?

Most adhesive vinyl suppliers recommend installation at a minimum of 70 degrees and no more than 50 % humidity. “Bringing an installation crew, tools, and materials to an outdoor lot in winter can be a costly mistake.” — Graphics Mistakes Fleet Managers Learn to Avoid.

Don’t ignore the substrate

“I saw a blog post the other day comparing painting a vehicle to wrapping a car or truck. The image on the post showed a severely rusted van being wrapped to look brand new. This is misleading. False promises such as this could give the vehicle graphics industry a bad name. Covering damage with vinyl doesn’t repair the damage; it only hides it for a short time. It won’t be long before the adhesive vinyl will not adhere to the rust. Surface damage should be repaired before applying graphics. Graphics don’t hide dents or adhere to rust.” Can Vehicle Graphics be applied over Body Damage?

Don’t forget to prep the surface

The surface of any vehicle must be completely cleaned and dried before graphic installation. Surface dirt, grime, solvents, or petroleum product residue can cause the adhesive to fail and the vinyl to bubble or come loose.

“Surfaces must be finished, clean, and dry. Organics, such as, animal and insect remains, food particles, and plant material, in most cases, may be removed with mild soap and water. Solvents may be needed to remove petro-chemicals, for example, wax, oil, or diesel. Understanding how solvents affect the material and following directions on the label will help prevent surface preparation failures.” — Vehicle Graphics Surface Preparation.

The surface must be completely clean and dry. It can’t have any grease, oil, or chemicals. Some solvents may be unseen by the naked eye yet will adversely affect how the adhesive vinyl sticks to the substrate.

“Don’t be tempted to skip this step. Any oil, grease, dust or waxy residues left on the surface will seriously affect the holding power of the film’s adhesive.” — 3M Vehicle Wrap Installation

Do remove equipment

If you’ve ever painted the interior of a home you’ve most likely removed light switches, socket covers, and wall hangings. So, think of applying adhesive vinyl graphics to a vehicle like painting an interior room – it’s best to remove the outlets and fixtures, rather than trying to paint around them. If you’ve tried to paint the kitchen, and left the fixtures in place, you learned that painting around them left something to be desired. It’s the same with vehicle graphics, equipment that can be removed such as, mirrors and license plates should be removed.

Know what tools to use and how to use them

“Using tools improperly can lead to disaster. Anyone can use a squeegee to apply adhesive vinyl to a surface, but there’s a right way and a wrong way. The wrong way will cause problems. Same goes for using heat or working around rivets, windows, doors, and equipment. We recommend using providers that are certified by PDAA (Professional Decal Application Alliance), which is administered by SGIA (Specialty Graphics Imaging Association), or UASG (United Application Standards Group), through 3M. TKO Graphix has both. You may be able to get away with using a credit card instead of a squeegee on a small decal. Very small. But not on a full or partial wrap. Use the right tools for the job.” — How Not to Install Vehicle Graphics

Start Small, Take Your Time

Another option that may be best suited for a beginner is to install decals, rather than an entire wrap. Decals can be very effective and attractive. By strategically placing decals on flat surfaces of a vehicle, you can avoid removing equipment, cutting around protuberances, and using heat around curves.

“Every vehicle graphic doesn’t need to be a full wrap. Partial wraps and plotter cut decals are often just as effective as a full wrap, and they’re less expensive. Decals use less materials, print quicker, and take less time to install than a full wrap. Time and material cost dollars.” — 7 Ways to Save Money on Vehicle Graphics

The Question isn’t

How to Wrap Your Fleet Vehicles, but should You?

So, should you DIY wrap your fleet vehicles? Are you ready to apply vinyl graphics on your cars and trucks? It’s not rocket science, but it will take some thought, preparation, and time. And it’s not something to rush. It’s artwork and it’s being applied to one of your largest investments – your vehicles. If you’d like to learn more, or if you decide NOT to risk a DIY mistake that can cause costly damage to the surface of your cars and trucks, Contact Us.

Fleet graphics can be a work of art. Your truck is the canvas – we supply the medium.

Here’s a helpful video from 3M about wrapping a vehicle.

Photo Blog: Red Gold Tomatoes Trailer Wrap

We like Red Gold. A lot. What’s not to like? They’re an Indiana based company with a great story. They have colorful and fun trailer wraps. You can’t miss them, and we’ve been privileged to help them with both truck graphics and signage. They’re a growing progressive company who uses advertising, social media, and vehicle wraps effectively to build their brand. Like I said — we like Red Gold.

It Began as a Patriotic Endeavor

When Pearl Harbor was attacked and America joined WWII, Grover Hutchinson, a retired cannery operator, came out of retirement to form a new cannery. He thought the best thing he could do was help feed our American servicemen and women, so that’s what he did. With the help of his daughter, Frances, they restored a fire damaged canning facility in Orestes, Indiana, founding the Orestes Canning Company, which later became Red Gold Inc. Hutchinson invited local farmers to plant tomatoes. The business began modestly, offering two products — peeled tomatoes and tomatoes puree. The rest is history.

Brand Solidarity

Whether it’s sponsoring donations to Food Charities, advertising on big and small screens, or offering recipes on Pinterest, Red Gold meets and broadcasts their employee created mission statement, “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world.” In doing so, we think they’ve become a great company. World-class companies offer world-class products. Are you world-class? Does the world know it? Contact us — we’d be happy to help you tell the world.

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.

FlexPAC and TKO Working Together as a Team

We first worked with FlexPAC in 2009, and we’ve helped them with several projects since. This video shows a few of those projects, including vehicle wraps and interior / exterior signage from TKO Signs. It also shows team work, FlexPAC and TKO working together as a team.

In this video, Chris Theisen, Director of Digital Communications for FlexPAC Products and Consulting, mentions partnering and sharing as one of the reasons TKO was chosen to help with their graphic needs. It’s a great example of how organizations can help each other without expecting a payback. Whether Chris and FlexPAC ever used our services or not, we’d continue to support their marketing and social media efforts. It’s what we believe good companies do — they help each other. This goes for FlexPAC, as well. They want to HELP organizations, not just sell product and equipment. It’s relationship building, and it works. Just like FlexPAC and TKO working together as a team.

Founded in 1985, FlexPAC is a family owned and operated company, which distributes industrial packaging supplies, janitorial products, equipment, and safety products. Their business strategy isn’t to attempt to be “one size fits all,” but to tailor their services to solve problems, using customized solutions. They not only offer product and equipment, but in-house service with experienced technicians. There are three FlexPAC locations, Indianapolis, Elkhart, and Quad Cities IA/IL.

If you’d like to learn more about FlexPAC and what they can do for you, contact them.

Photo Blog: Gopher Pools Box Truck Wrap

During last summer’s 2012 drought, I posted a rain dance on Twitter. I’m not taking credit, but it rained a few days after. As I write this, it’s 35 degrees outside my office. It’s also April 1st — April Fool’s Day. So, like my rain dance, today’s photo blog attempts to remind Mother Nature what season it is. It’s spring. Time for Daffodils and Robin red breasts, Redbud trees budding, and sunny afternoons — not cold and snow.

What better way to reminisce of warm evenings and sunny days than this Gopher Pool truck wrap? Gopher Pools is a 30 year old family owned business from Paris, Illinois. They install in-ground and above ground pools and spas, and they offer full-service and maintenance. Check out the beautiful colored lights and fountains, which can be added to their pools.

Mother Nature, are you listening? Time to plant gardens, hang the hammock, and fill the pool. Can we put our snow shovels away? Please?

If you’d like to learn more about wrapping your work vehicle, let us know. We would be more than happy to… spring into action.

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.

Photo Blog: Wheeler Motor Sports

There’s snow on the ground at TKO Graphix in good ole’ Plainfield, Indiana. But that doesn’t mean auto racing isn’t in full throttle. For me, the season begins in Daytona, with speed week culminating in the Daytona 500. Last week, the Indy Car Series got rolling with James Hinchcliff of Team Andretti, winning the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg; NASCAR Sprint Cup has now ran five races with the sixth scheduled for April 7th in Richmond, Virginia, and Formula 1 has completed two races.

Why talk about the big three racing series while showing a racing hauler from a smaller series like Wheeler Motorsports? The top series may be the most exposed, but there are more, and they’re all populated with dedicated athletes and teams giving 100% to their craft. Whether it’s attending a NASCAR event, or a Saturday night at your local ¼ mile bull ring, there are lots of folks offering exciting entertainment. Here’s a few additional racing series:

Drag racing – NHRA
Stock car racing – ARCA Racing Series
Road racing – Grand AM and Road racing
Sports car racing – American LeMans and SCCA
Open wheel racing – USAC

Are you a racing fan? Do you know what it means to be a gear head? What type of racing gets your motor running? Let us know in the comments below.

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.

Wrapping a Hurst Beans 53’ Trailer

This time lapse trailer wrap video condenses more than 4 hours of work into less than 2 minutes. It’s six certified vinyl graphics applicators, installing a full wrap on a Hurst Beans 53’ trailer. And that’s before the trailer was de-identified (the removal of old graphics). The trailer also received prep work, including spot sanding, painting, and sandblasting.

Where Do You Start?

The wrap begins with preparation. After removal of all graphics, the trailer is thoroughly cleaned and dried. The next step is confirming measurements and lining up the panels. The time lapse trailer wrap video shows that the wrap is not one complete graphic. It’s a series of panels. Once the panels are lined up, the protective pre-mask and the backing are removed. After checking the alignment of the panels, squeegees are used to remove air pockets and ensure seamless adhesion of the decal. Heat is applied to further smooth the application. The attention to detail in areas, such as rivets, equipment, and edges could make the difference between a wrap remaining appealing for years, or peeling away in a short while, due to bad weather, road chemicals, and the sun.

We hope this video shows the expertise, knowledge, and hard work certified and qualified vinyl graphics applicators put into their work. We’re certainly proud of the dedication and effort our crews put into the job. If you’d like to become a vinyl graphics installer, check out the United Applications Standards Group, or contact us about installation training and employment opportunities.

If we can help your company with fleet graphics don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

FAQ: How Can I Safely Remove Decals From My Trailer?

So, how can I safely remove decals from my trailer? Removing adhesive vinyl graphics from a work truck or trailer presents a few challenges. It’s similar to decals from a car, but the scale changes things – especially if it’s an entire fleet of work trucks or trailers. Because most methods of decal removal involve solvents and chemicals used to dissolve the adhesive; unfortunately, any solvent strong enough to dissolve the adhesive is capable of adversely affecting human health and the environment. So, you ask how can I safely remove decals from my trailer?

What Not to do

It can be hazardous to use harsh solvents in the large amounts needed for fleet and truck de-identification. Ammonia is one of the agents used to remove decals, which, if not used properly in a controlled environment, can cause severe damage to skin, lungs, and eyes. Other common and potentially harmful solvents used in graphics removal include acetone, found in nail polish remove.

FAQ: How Can I Safely Remove Decals From My Trailer?

Is there a safe alternate method to safely remove decals from my trailer? Yes, there’s an environmentally friendly solution – STEAM. The key to steaming off decals is to get the temperature correct: too hot, and you may damage the finish. We suggest you experiment first on a small, unexposed area of the vehicle. We try not to be too self-promoting on this blog, but we’re proud that we don’t use harsh chemicals for graphics removal. So, we use steam, and would be happy to tell you all about it. Because using environmentally unfriendly chemicals when it’s unnecessary gets us – all steamed up! GET A FREE QUOTE

TKO Graphix is 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. If you’d like to learn more and get a free quote, contact us today.

Share this Article on Social!

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

FAQ: What All Does TKO Do?

We’ve recently been asked this question quite a bit. The answer is — we offer many products and services with customer convenience in mind.

The TKO family of companies includes:

• TKO Graphix — designs, manufactures, and installs vehicle graphics, banners, and more.
• TKO Signs — designs, fabricates, and installs custom built interior and exterior signage.
• Marketing Solutions — offers a variety of promotional products for thousands of items ranging from golf balls and watches, to pens and apparel.
• SCS (Specialty Cleaning Services) — we have six bays for de-identification and cleaning of trailers, and 40 acres for storage. At SCS we offer sandblasting, painting, side skirt installation, and preventive maintenance.

We hope to help our customers save time and money by offering services, which otherwise, can require working with several providers miles and days apart. The logistics alone to de-identify, clean, sandblast, paint, and wrap a trailer can be daunting. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you, please contact us.

What customer convenience products and services does your organization offer your customers?

Like what you’re reading? Subscribe to this blog or join us on Twitter and Facebook, and let’s continue the conversation.