At the time of his retirement, Signs of the Times interviewed RTape’s Jim Hingst about the vinyl graphics market and the state of the sign industry.
1. When did you first become involved with vinyl graphics professionally?
Nearly
35 years ago, I worked as a sales person for a large fleet graphics screen
printer. At that time, training was more thorough than it is today. Before they
let me loose on the public, I had to work in the plant with the estimators,
production artists, printers and die cutters. I also received a solid
foundation in vinyl films and adhesive coating at the company’s vinyl
manufacturing plant. When a month long training at both plants was complete, I
was assigned to work at a trailer manufacturer to learn how to apply vinyl
graphics.
Applying vinyl graphics all day long was hard, tedious work. After spending days of “lickin’ ‘em and
stickin’ em”, I decided that I would much rather sell fleet graphics than
install them. As luck would have it, my
first big sale was for $26,000 of labor, removing old graphics and applying new
graphics. Some luck! It was more work than the installers could handle.
To
keep on schedule and keep my customer happy, I spent my evenings on a scaffold.
That hands-on experience benefitted me in sales. Working with a variety of
applications gave me the knowledge and the confidence to provide customers with
better solutions than sales people without application experience. It also provided me with another source of
income as an installation subcontractor.
2. What was the general status of vinyl graphics early in your career in terms of variety and applications?
In
the early 1980’s, vinyl films were more difficult to install because the adhesive
systems were so aggressive. In performing hot weather applications, graphics
would often preadhere. That’s when the film stuck before you wanted it to
stick. In attempting to reposition the graphics, the graphics often deformed. In
many cases, you only had one shot to get the film down right. If you got it
wrong, as an installer, you were on the hook for the cost of the decal. Working
with these unforgiving films forced me to develop my application skills.
Today,
vinyl films are much easier to apply. Innovations, such as microsphere and low
initial tack adhesives and air egress films, allow novices to perform
professional looking applications. The latest generation of films and adhesives
also opens up a wide range of opportunities for all sign makers. Applications
to vehicles with rivets and corrugations as well as vehicle wraps are much
easier.
3. How do the distinctions between cast and calendered vinyl films compare from when you first encountered them versus now?
Years
ago you could literally spot a calendered vinyl from 50 yards away. The older
generation of films shrunk so noticeably they left a telltale adhesive ghosting
around an emblem. As the calendered vinyl graphics aged, they cracked. If that
wasn’t bad enough, colored calendered films either faded, chalked or changed
colors.
That
was then. Today’s generation of calendered vinyl is thinner, glossier, more
flexible and more dimensionally stable. Improved resins, plasticizers, pigments and
additives have also improved the film’s ability to withstand the elements.
An
expanded range of calendered film types gives sign shops a much broader
selection, which includes monomeric and standard polymeric vinyls, as well as blends and high-performance
polymeric films.
The
performance characteristics of today’s calendered films comes closer to that of
cast vinyl than in years past. For many applications, calendered films are a
good choice.
For
demanding applications, my money is still on cast vinyl. Cast films are more
conformable, which is critical in applications such as vehicle wraps. Although
calendered films have come a long way, the calendaring process nevertheless
induces mechanical stresses in the film that are not present in the casting
process. Because these stresses are present, calendered films are not as
conformable or dimensionally stable.
4. What has been the most beneficial technological development you’ve seen in your career?
I
was fortunate to work at a time when a major technology shift from analog to
digital occurred. That technology shift
impacted all aspects of the graphic arts market including design, production
art, printing and finishing.
When
I started, layouts for fleet graphics and building graphics were hand drawn. Screen
print stencils were usually hand cut. In some cases, film positives were
photographically produced in a gigantic process camera. There were no digital
printers or computerized plotters. Graphics were steel rule die cut or thermal
die cut. In some cases, large lettering was saw cut. In that process, stacks of
vinyl were nailed or “pinned” to plywood and cut out with either a jig saw or
on a band saw.
Most
of these processes, many of which I have performed myself, are a thing of the
past. In the sign market the digital revolution began when Gerber introduced their
first computerized plotter.
By
today’s standard the first plotter was very primitive. Nevertheless, this
affordable equipment allowed the small sign
shops the opportunity to produce vinyl graphics. For small and mid-size
graphics programs, the sign makers could now challenge the big screen printers
for a piece of their market. They could now produce vinyl graphics faster and
more economically. Compared to hand painted lettering, the sign maker could now
produce graphics that were consistent from one vehicle or sign to the next,
from year to year. What’s more, in many cases, local shops could better service
their customers than a screen printer hundreds of miles away.
5. What has been the biggest surprise you’ve seen in terms of the evolution of graphics applications?
One
of the more interesting applications is the development of pressure sensitive
films for unfinished concrete or asphalt. What’s different about these films is
their micro-fracture technology. As you apply the graphics, the film factures,
which allows it to conform to rough pavement. The fracturing of the film also
allows water to drain through the graphic instead of pooling on the top of the
film. That limits the risk of someone slipping on your graphic. These films are
also remarkably durable. I applied several of these graphics on a concrete
floor nearly a year ago, and they still look good.
6. What technological and applications do you foresee for the future? What would be your estimated time frames?
The
biggest opportunities for sign shops and printers are in environmental graphics
for the retail. That opportunity is
right here and right now. The challenge for print providers is creating the
demand for graphics for windows, walls, floors and displays. That takes sales
and marketing skill. Most retailers don’t recognize the need, so the smart
marketer needs to either identify it or create it.
Graphics
providers that are proactively seeking new opportunities rather than waiting
for opportunities to come through their door will promote a variety of benefits
to retailers. These benefits could include changing the décor of a store
overnight without disrupting floor traffic to provide shoppers with a more
inviting shopping environment. Or creating a uniform look for a chain of stores
in which the architecture and layout varies from one location to another. With vinyl
graphics these transformations are easier, faster and more cost-effective than
traditional construction projects.
7. To what extent have you seen the vinyl graphics market impacted by digital imaging or any other technology?
Flatbed
printers have started to have some impact on the vinyl market. It makes no
sense to print on any pressure sensitive when you can print directly to a sheet
of material. You not only eliminate the cost of the film, but you skip a
production step.
What
has limited acceptance of flatbed printers by most sign makers has been the
cost of the equipment and the floor space required. Once the economic recovery
becomes more robust, more money will become available for investment in this
equipment.
Many
of the larger commercial offset printers, that have the money and the space,
have already invested in flatbed printers, flatbed plotter/routers and the
grand scale printers. These large
printers already have an existing clientele, many of whom need signage and
displays. They have staffs of professional sales people. And they have the marketing
apparatus in place to effectively promote their services. Once these printers
better understand the opportunities, the material options and the applications,
they will challenge the traditional sign shop for their business.
8. How have vinyl films been affected by disposal
and other environmental concerns?
Pressure
sensitive vinyl films cannot be recycled. Scrap material usually ends up in
landfills. Pure PVC is a non-toxic inert material and is not a health threat. Most of this material does not degrade. Once
it is in the ground, it’s there for years.
The
biggest concern, that the environmentalists have, surrounds the additives in
plastics, such as plasticizers and stabilizers, which can leach out of the
plastics and contaminate the soil and water.
I
understand this concern and why many major retailers may want to look for
alternatives to vinyl.
For
all practical purposes, leaching of chemicals from scrap vinyl is minimal.
While disposal of vinyl in landfills may not be desirable, it’s generally
acceptable. In my personal opinion, it is neither a health nor an environmental
issue.
9. What, if any, replacement technologies
do you see for vinyl films?
It
is unlikely that an alternative material will replace vinyl anytime soon. That
won’t happen so long as the prices for these alternatives remain high. The cost
to convert to another material might also require manufacturers to invest in
new plant equipment, which most likely would add to the price for a non-PVC
product.
Still,
vinyl alternatives are gaining some ground in certain segments of the graphics
market, not necessary because they are
greener. Instead, the attributes that alternative media provides, such as
texture, delivers something vinyl cannot. For wall graphics, which is the
fastest growing segment of the wide format market, these alternatives include
woven polyesters and polypropylenes… Synthetic papers are starting to displace
vinyl in the production of promotional window posters and have some potential
for use as wall coverings.
The
driving forces for change will come in part from legislation in this country
and abroad as well as governmental regulations from agencies, such as the EPA. Demands from the general public, news outlets
and activist groups, such as Greenpeace, for vinyl replacements are another
factor. But the prime mover for change will be big business.
Companies,
such as Walmart, Google and Nike, have championed greener policies within their
organizations and have demanded more environmentally friendly product
innovations from their suppliers. The initiatives of these corporate giants
will, in my opinion, eventually lead their market rivals and eventually the
smaller companies to follow suit.
10. What external factors could potentially alter the price of vinyl film products?
Like
any other product, the price of pressure sensitive vinyl films are affected by raw
material and manufacturing costs, market demand and government regulations. At this time, an abundant supply of gas and
oil should help in minimizing increases. As the economic recovery gains
traction, demand for PVC products in other market sectors, such as
construction, could drive prices higher. Regulations from governmental agencies
impose additional costs on manufacturers, which would negatively impact the
price of vinyl products.
Vinyl Application Videos
Squeegee Technique. Nothing is more basic in vinyl application than the squeegee. But some squeegees work better than others. And there are right ways and wrong ways to use this simple tool. This video clip reviews squeegee selection, squeegee care and squeegee technique. Click to Link
Wet Applications. Dry applications are typically recommended for most vinyl applications. For those exceptions to the rule, this instructional video explains the right way to perform a wet application. Click to Link
Application of Window Graphics. Installing vinyl graphics on glass can be challenging, because the adhesive aggressively grabs onto this high energy surface. Repositioning graphics on window is generally difficult, if not impossible. This instructional video explains how to dry apply window graphics right the first time. It also describes the necessary steps required for surface preparation. Click to Link
Transferring Frosted Window Graphics Films. Because frosted window films are highly textured, transferring cut vinyl graphics can be problematic. This video provides direction in selection of the right application tape and how to apply these films quickly, easily and without problems. Click to Link
3-Step Surface Prep. This instructional video describes how to properly clean the surface of a vehicle before applying pressure sensitive vinyl graphics to a trailer or doing a full wrap of a car or van. This three step surface prep involves detergent washing, solvent cleaning and a final wipe down with IPA. Click to Link
Vinyl Application Over Rivets. Applying vinyl graphics on vehicle surfaces with rivets is challenging for most sign makers. Vinyl failures to these surfaces are all too common. This video demonstrates some tips and procedures, used by professional decal installers, which will make these demanding applications easier and more trouble-free. Click to Link
Vinyl Application to Corrugations. Learn how to apply vinyl graphics to corrugations in a relaxed state. Forcing films into the valleys of corrugations puts too much mechanical stress on the film. Sooner or later, the vinyl will lift or tent in valleys. Click to Link
Applying Air Egress Vinyls. Vinyl films with air egress release liners have almost eliminated bubbles and wrinkles from applied graphics. Air egress release liners with their highly textured surface structure are problematic. Not much will stick to these liners other than the vinyl film. At RTape our best premask solution for air egress liners is a special Conform® tape called 4761RLA. Click to Link
About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.
Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer. Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.
Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for publications, such as Signs Canada, SignCraft, Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 325 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published. Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon.
© 2016 Jim Hingst
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