Sticky Side Down

My son, Julian, is approaching three years old, and loves to play with stickers. In the parlance of our industry, we use the term "decals," though the difference does not seem to make much difference to him. Recently, he was about to place one of his stickers onto s piece of paper when he looked at me and said, "sticky side down." Good advice.

His words got me thinking that for many in our industry, "sticky side down" ia all that a great number of people in our industry know about vinyl installation. It is easy, right? The answer to that question is yes...and, no. To me, vinyl installation is a lot like playing the drums: Anybody can bang on the them and make some noise, but it takes a great deal of practice and experience to make "Sing, Sing, Sing" swing. It takes a master.

The recent placement of PDAA, the Professional Decal Application Alliance, under the broad umbrella of SGIA, serves to connect masters in graphics installation, those who have had their abilities tested and certified, with those who have graphics to install. PDAA Master Certified installers have the knowledge they need to install on flat surfaces, curves and complex curves with aplomb. Whether they are independent installers, or they work in-house for a graphics producer, they know what they are doing, and they can do the job right the first time.

But that's not all. It goes much farther than that. In a recent discussion with a representative of a major manufacturer of pressure sensitive vinyl, I heard a viewpoint that served to broaden my view of the graphics installation. The next step in my thinking goes beyond the skills needed to wrap a VW Beetle free of errant bumps, image distortion or wrinkles; and it goes far beyond how quickly the job can be done. It has to do with materials awareness.

For those who believe that "vinyl is vinyl," and that every product out on the market is pretty much the same, I offer that the world of adhesive vinyl has grown by leaps and bounds over that past couple of years. This includes the introduction of a growing arsenal of materials that allow imaging companies the chance to diversify their offerings and access new, interesting and profitable new markets. Those companies that will succeed, even dominate, these new markets are those that not only print the image, but also can ensure the print buyer that the print can be installed beautifully, and will stay on the surface - whether it is a window, a brick wall or a car - for its intended duration without peeling around the edges, popping out of concave areas, shrinking, or simply falling off.

A truly qualified installer, one who has used and been tested on the widest variety of materials, is the best possible resource for installations that look as good after a year or two or more as they did the day the job was done. That is the advantage that PDAA's Master Certified installers bring to our community, allowing SGIA members to provide their clients with total imaging solutions - design through installation. SGIA is thrilled to have PDAA on board, and to help SGIA and PDAA members alike make their businesses stronger and more profitable.

Submitted by: Dan Marx, SGIA