Smart Graphics reports shift to greener wraps
With the increasing adoption of electric and hydrogen technologies to power commercial vehicles, vehicle wrapping specialist Smart Graphics has reported a concurrent demand from clients for environmentally friendly graphics options.
In addition to cost savings, adopting environmentally friendly vehicles bring fleets into line with company-wide environmental initiatives to enhance corporate social responsibility, Smart Graphics points out; and graphics can play a part in this, too.
The company describes polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as the graphics industry’s “own version of diesel”; most vinyl used in wraps and livery has been PVC-based based due to its cost-effectiveness, reliability and durability, it says, but after a vehicle changes hands or is decommissioned at the end of its life, such graphics have tended to end up in landfill where they would contribute to environmental degradation.
“With the emergence of electric fleets, we are beginning to see customers asking for environmentally friendly graphics for their vehicles,” said Paul Bellard, general manager of Smart Graphics.
“Despite the move towards more environmentally friendly fleets, many fleet owners fail to complete the ‘environmental package’ by opting for conventional graphics, it is clear that we have a duty to help to make buyers aware of their options for more environmentally friendly graphics.”
Traditionally, PVC based materials have been the ‘go-to’ in terms of vehicle graphics and wraps due to availability, cost and a lack of promotion of credible environmentally friendly alternatives, the company contends.
John Harkness, marketing and customer services manager at Smart Graphics, added: “In addition to the advances in electric vehicle technology, there have also been massive parallel leaps in terms of PVC-free graphics, with companies like 3M and Avery Dennison leading the way.
“At Smart Graphics, we have a full suite of non-PVC materials available. Despite the additional cost of environmentally friendly graphics, we are noticing a shift towards matching environmentally friendly vehicles with non-PVC materials after we explain the advantages.”
