Are you considering all of the options you have when it comes to updating your fleet graphics? Part II of II.

April 10th, 2012

Logos and Trucks and Decaling??Oh My!

Today?s post is by Mark Davis; Sr. Vice President of Operations and CTO at SafeSourcing.

Picking up where I left off yesterday, here are some of the factors that are required when planning an eProcurement event to source fleet graphics.?

The Changes ? It may seem like the most obvious point to consider so let?s begin with the changes themselves.? These can be extensive and include a change in company name as well as graphics or they can be simple such as slightly adjusting a font or color scheme.? Either way, having the Marketing department onboard and intimately involved in this project will be critical.? All artwork and specification changes will begin with an approval here so it is critical to keep them in the loop and understand their timelines.

The Canvas ? Once you have an understanding of where the Marketing team is in their timeline you can begin working on the next most important piece which is your canvas; or the trucks, tankers, or vehicles that will be receiving these changes.? Two things become critical at this stage; developing the rollout plan and defining the sizes and shapes of the items to be rebranded.? In many cases the rollout will occur over time with new trucks starting first and trucks that can be acid-washed or polished easily to be prepared for the new graphics, but this will need to begin to be laid out as the project begins.? Having detailed specifications of the vehicles and pictures, where possible, will also be an important first step for your vendors to provide you with their pricing and proposals.

The Peel Affect ? Mother Nature can wreak havoc on many things that are designed to live their lives outside, and in no more applicable place does that apply than in the vehicles businesses use every day.? Rain, snow, cold, heat, high speeds are all things that affect the wear and tear and the quality and the coloring of the graphics you put on those vehicles.? While it will be important to collect details surrounding the expected fading that will occur it is also an important time to explore options for the graphics itself.? Vehicle graphics have historically but cut out as close the shape of the logo or image as possible but this can create a ?peeling? affect that is undesirable.? As a result some companies have gone to printing on a clear background that fits the shape of the door, tank, trailer exactly and only the graphics show through with no intricate cutting involved.? This slightly increases material costs but drastically reduces the peel affect and is a method that should be considered when laying out this project.

Manufacturer VS Installer ? Inevitably once the details surrounding the manufacturing of the new graphics is decided, determining how those graphics will be installed onto the vehicles to get the longest life will also need to be factored in.? Ideally this would take place concurrently with the manufacturing as many of the manufacturers will also provide the service for installation.? Breaking these two services apart, however, will allow you to look at suppliers who can only handle one piece as well as those who can handle both.? This will allow for the opportunity to select the best possible value combination for your company for your new graphics.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

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