Vehicle livery is one of the most cost-efficient ways to promote your business. Our high performance graphics will make your fleet stand out, reinforcing your brand nationwide and reaching millions of new and existing customers.

Driving brand awareness

Businesses looking to livery their fleet or implement a brand campaign can expect to be faced with a big choice of graphic products that can vary wildly in performance and price. Buyers will hear graphic life expectancy statements, often without any definition of what a graphic failure might mean, and without a warranty to back up the promise.

What does graphic durability mean to your brand?

For most people graphic durability is about how long their brand stays looking smart. Over time the appearance of graphic materials will deteriorate through weathering and ageing. The effects of sun, wind, rain, atmospheric pollutions, mildew, temperature extremes, chemical agents, light and oxygen will all take their toll.

What are the risks of a poor graphic choice?

The sun’s rays consist of a broad spectrum of radiation, from long wavelength infra-red heating rays to short wavelength higher energy U.V. burning rays, which cause most of the damage. U.V. will cause not only colour loss through fading, but also physical degradation of the graphic material and adhesive. Such degradation might commonly include fading, discolouring or yellowing, crazing, loss of surface gloss, hardening, brittleness and cracking, loss of adhesion and lifting. All such phenomena will destroy the appearance of the graphic.

Even in the UK, south-facing signs and exposed liveries are particularly vulnerable to sun and care must be taken specifying the right materials and inks. Certain coloured materials and inks are more stable than others, and the brightest most vibrant colours are often the most prone to UV fading. Colour-matched inks with high levels of toner can also be vulnerable.

Manufacturers deal with the effects of solar degradation by adding stabilisers to their products. These UV absorbers usually provide protection against both surface and UV light photo-degradation but they are expensive ingredients and can make a big difference to livery cost.

How Stewart Signs removes the risk

Before adopting a material range, Stewart Signs with their supply partners, will always test materials and inks for outdoor durability and then monitor products in use. Graphic samples are mounted on the factory roof weathering deck in south-facing frames angled at 45° to the sun, and then inspected annually for colour change or other signs of deterioration. We also monitor the performance of graphics in service with clients, to check they are reaching the required performance standards.

Provided we know the environment, the substrate and the required service life, Stewart Signs can recommend the most appropriate and best value graphic solution for your fleet. With this product knowledge and approach there is no reason for a graphic failure or loss of brand image, which is why Stewart Signs is able to warranty all their outdoor graphics.

If you are worried about the look of your graphics or want to know more contact us