Three days, six identical Ford Mustang GTs, 48 professional vehicle wrap installers and one chance to be named America’s Best Installer. That was the challenge put forth by the Lowen Corporation, in partnership with the International Sign Association (ISA), at the 2009 ISA International Sign Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Organisers of the first annual Lowen Certified Wrap Off knew they needed the best, from installers to judges to prizes, to make an impact at an expo with nearly 1,600 exhibit booths and 18,000 participants. For the highest-quality vehicle wraps, organisers turned to HP, the official printer of the Wrap Off.
“This event wouldn’t have been possible without our HP Scitex TJ8300 Printers. We wouldn’t have been able to produce the high-quality graphics needed with such a quick turnaround,” says Sergio DeSoto, vice president of sales and marketing of Wraps and Media at the Lowen Corporation.
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Standout speed |
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Speed was crucial for the installers, who were judged on who could wrap a car in the least amount of time with the fewest errors. It was also vital when it came to producing the vehicle wraps. Using the HP Scitex TJ8300, the Lowen Corporation can print up to 4,305 square feet per hour, (1) meeting tight deadlines – including those for the expo.
“In less than two hours, using all three of our HP Scitex TJ8300s, we were able to print over 7,000 square feet of graphics. That allowed us to ship them to the show on time, ready for installation,” says Roger Borth, general manager of Lowen Color Graphics.
The speed of the HP Scitex TJ8300 was one of the main reasons the Lowen Corporation originally chose the printer, and why it plans to acquire a fourth. “We decided to go with the HP Scitex TJ8300 because it’s the largest, fastest volume press on the market,” explains Borth.
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When creating vehicle wraps, speed isn’t the only factor to consider. High-quality prints are also necessary to make these moving advertisements or designs effective. The HP Scitex TJ8300 provides a wide colour gamut with six HP Scitex inks and prints exceptional output at up to 600 dpi.
“The quality from the HP Scitex is outstanding,” says graphic designer Brad Adamic, who created the design on the vehicle wraps for the Wrap Off. “I’ve worked with prints from many different companies, and I haven’t seen quality like this before.”
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And the winner is … |
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Only one person could be named America’s Best Installer, and that honour went to Dustin Shelley, owner of It’s a Wrap Graphics in Newnan, Georgia. But plenty of companies can take advantage of the growing vehicle wrap market using HP Scitex TJ8300.
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(1)On 165 x 370 cm (65 x 145- inch) sheets.
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