Maidstone vehicle graphics specialist RGVA has produced Olympic themed truck sides for retail furniture business DFS.
Each of the 400 truck bodies and 89 trailers was fitted with TraxxOne aluminium frames to hold PVC based banners. These feature images of cyclist Laura Trott, gymnast Matt Whitlock and swimmer Adam Peaty, Olympic competitors that DFS has sponsored as its brand ambassadors.
The banners are made from TraxxBanner, a 450gsm 1350Dx 1350D material that features a virgin PVC face on a backing fabric made from recycled materials. “When it was Mira tested on their destruction track and in their climate chambers, it set new standards for banner safety and performance on truck sides,” says commercial director Richard Cox. “Every part of the production process is fully accountable, documented and compliant with the ISO 14001 environmental standard.”
The artwork was divided as equally as possible across the three competitors, Cox explains, with a bias towards athletes in their home territoties.
The material is printed on RGVA’s EFO Vutek HSR Pro printers, welded around the edge for easy insertion into the TraxxOne frames. It is the largest campaign in Europe to use the system and took seven weeks to complete.
Teams from RGVA visited the 60 DFS sites across the UK to add the frames and banners as well as applying a more conventional 3M Scotchcal vehicle film. DFS supply chain director Adam Salden adds: “RGVA and DFS worked very closely to ensure that no veicle was ever taken out of service during the process, meaning that there was no impact on our daily operation. It was an example of greate teamwork.”
It might yet be repeated. Should any of the ambassadors win gold, there is the possibility to mark the event with new artwork, fitting a new banner taking just 15 minutes with the frame system.
Says Cox: “If DFS wanted to do so, from receipt of approved artwork we could have a trailer installed with a Gold winning livery within 24 hours. Admittedly, this would not be typical every day service and would need a little pre-planning to ensure printer time was booked, welders ready and fitters on standby, oh and a trailer available.”
That though is the essence of the Olympic dream.
Adam Peaty is one of three Olympians that RGVA has created banners of for DFS delivery trucks. The banners have been mounted to the side of the vehicles using the TraxxOne frame system for rapid replenishment should the need arise.
