Dinner with Rob Ivers
I arrived in Orlando yesterday for the ISA sign show which starts in just a few hours. Rob Ivers, a legend in this industry, suggested that we grab some dinner before it all started. I think one of my favorite things about coming to these sign shows has been the chance to talk to some of the legends. I really like to understand how things work, the history and there is no one better and enlightening me than Rob Ivers. This guys has been in the biz since the 70's and has seen it all. Rob will be on of the head judges at the wrap contest this year. I'm now off to get the Prius ready for the demos today. I will be doing 3 demos using Avery's new 1005 Supercast film. The graphics were printed by a Mutoh Valuejet. Todd LaBrie, owner of Carwraps, will be talking about the Carwraps Business Builder that comes with any Mutoh purchase for 2010. For more information on this program go to: www.mutohcarwraps.com.
Gettin’ ready for the first workshop of 2010
One week from today I fly out to Painesville, Oh to teach the first of 6 hands-on workshops for Mutoh and Avery-Dennison for 2010. This first workshop is at Avery-Dennison headquarters which I'm very excited about. The reason for this is that Avery has offered to give the participants (and myself) a full tour of their facility. I always love these behind the scenes tours and its a great chance to learn about how the material is made. For the workshops, both beginner/intermediate and the advanced, we will be using Avery's new 1005 Supercast film that was officially launched on March 1. I'm pleased to have Crystal Baus of Mutoh and Todd LaBrie of Carwraps at Avery for the workshop. They will be on hand to answer any questions about printers and the Carwraps Business Builder that comes with the purchase of Mutoh printers for 2010. For info on the workshops go to: www.mutohcarwraps.com.
Merry X-mas Mom
For X-mas this year, my mom asked me to wrap her car so that it looked like wood. I thought this would be a good chance to experiment with a new combination of film/overlam. For the Mutoh workshops/signshows for 2009 I used Avery 1005 Easy Apply RS film with a 2.0mm overlam. I like a thinner overlam for it helps the film conform better to bumpers and recessed areas so, for my mom's wrap, I used Avery's glossy 1.3mm overlam. The thinner overlam really made a big difference in how the film conformed to curves and recessed areas. It was also just as easy to handle as the 2.0 overlam, an added bonus. I highly recommend this combination of film/overlam (1005 Easy Apply RS/1.3mm glossy overlam) and will it for all my sign shows and workshops in 2010. I would like to shout out a few thank you's for helping make this wrap happen. For the design, Todd LaBrie and Chalong Nanthamong of Carwraps created the file/art work. Randy Anderson and Ken Parsley of Mutoh did the printing/shipping. Lance Hutt, Molly Waters and Ron Winter of Avery coordinated/supplied the Avery film and overlam. Rob Rule and Kyle of Signs Now in Boise for letting me use their space and helping out when needed. Now my mom is the coolest 72 year old driving around Boise. Merry X-mas and a Happy New Year.
SEMA – Great way to end the year
SEMA 2009 just came to a close and what a great show. Since it was a car show I didn't know what kind of response people would have to my demos and the Carwraps Business Builder that Mutoh launched at this show. To my very pleasant surprise it was the best show of the year both in the size of the crowds and how people really get the program and are excited by it. I did my 2 demos a day with the help of Sandra Schreuder, one of my favorite installers who was in town from the Netherlands. She came here with her boyfriend, Niels Langedijk, co-owner of Squeezy, the premiere installation company in the Netherlands. For the demos I used Oracal film that was printed on a Valuejet. Todd LaBrie, owner of Carwraps, would take over the mic when Sandra and I would wrap the passenger side. Todd LaBrie would explain in detail about the Carwraps Business Builder that now comes free with a Mutoh printer. Essentially it is: for one year, any new Mutoh customer gets access to the HD installation videos I created, Todd LaBrie's design videos, discount for hands-on training and then, after a testing period, the printers/installers get listed on Carwraps which is America's #1 website. This will generate leads for the customers. This separates Mutoh from every other printer out there in that their customers get a great printer, they will learn how to design/install and get leads. A business in a box. Cool stuff.
I'm looking forward to relaxing tonight and tomorrow then flying to Sign Warehouse for the sold out hands-on workshop which is sponsored by Mutoh and Avery. After all the hardwork this year, its nice to see things start to really come together. Viva Las Vegas.
Getting ready for SEMA and the Sign Warehouse workshop
I'm getting everything ready for my next trip to the States. From Nov.3-6 I will be doing demos for Mutoh at the SEMA show, the world's largest car show. In the booth I will be wrapping either a race car or a Ford Mustang with Oracal film. Joining me for a few days in the booth will be Niels Langedijk, co-owner of Squeezy, the premiere installation company in the Netherlands. Sandra Schreuder, Niels' girlfriend, will also be helping out. She's one of the best installers I know so having both of them there will be super cool. They will have lots of tricks to show. After Vegas I will fly to Texas for the workshop at Sign Warehouse from Nov. 9-11. Todd LaBrie, owner of Carwraps, will teach design for the first day and I will teach installation for the remaining 2 days. The class sold out very quickly which is a great way to end the last workshop of the year. Mutoh is finalizing the schedule for next year so I'll post it as soon as it comes out.
SGIA sign show – New Olreans – Done
I am back at the hotel after finishing the 3 day SGIA show here in New Orleans. I did 2 demos a day in the Mutoh booth putting on Arlon's film.
This was a very enjoyable show for me on many levels. One, people are really starting to get this instructional platform that is on www.carwraps.net and with Mutoh printers. Two, a lot of the legends from the installation side of the industry were here like Peter Cree and Rob Ivers. It was nice to be able to meet all of them after hearing about them for years. Being able to talk to vetrans of the industry and swap ideas and techniques is a rare treat.
Getting ready for the SGIA show in New Orleans
I'm getting things ready for when I have to leave on Tuesday for the SGIA show in New Orleans. The sign show runs from Oct. 7-9. I will be doing demos in Mutoh's booth twice a day. In the morning session I will talk about the tools I like to use then in the afternoon session I will wrap the driver side of the car in 25 minutes while Todd LaBrie, owner of Carwraps, talks to the crowd about the training platform at www.carwraps.net. I have 2 new videos that will be added to the Techniques and Tips training series I created - removals and vinyl cutouts. Exciting times for what I've heard is an exciting city. Looking forward to it on many levels.
3 New Videos and Finalizing Production of New DVD
An exciting day for me. I finish editing 3 new training videos - Vinyl Cutouts, Removals and Post Install Tips. I will be doing this with Danny Hollander, the superstar editor/cameraman who made the previous videos for Techniques and Tips: Vehicle Graphic Installations.
We will also be working on reconfiguring the online videos into a DVD. I find the editing/creative process of making videos and DVDs to be very challenging and gratifying. I never realized how much effort, time and thought goes into making videos. It looks so simple but, believe me, its not. I'm lucky to have Danny on my side.
Print Expo 2009 in Chicago a Turning Point
Afternoon Speedwrap Demo
I did demonstrations in Mutoh's booth to promote the new HD online streaming videos, Techniques and Tips: Vehicle Graphic Installations. Their home is on the Carwraps webisite - www.carwraps.net. Over the course of the 6 day show, I noticed a tangible turning point for this project.
We (Carwraps and myself in conjunction with Mutoh) launched this project about a month ago. Since it was a new project, people took some time to understand the focus and message of the instructional platform.
At one point during the show, I could just see that click, both in the audience and with people from the industry. The wheels are really starting to turn. Exciting stuff.
ISA Sign Show – Las Vegas
Mutoh Demo
From April 16-18, Justin did demonstrations in the Mutoh booth at the ISA sign show in Las Vegas.
In addition to the demos, Justin, along with Niels Langedijk, co-owner of Squeezy Sleeve, the premiere installation company in the Netherlands, wrapped a Toyota Prius in 1 hour, 29 minutes to show the Speedwrapping system in realtime.
Around 200 people crowded around the Mutoh booth to watch while Todd LaBrie, owner of Carwraps talked about the process along with his new webinars that he is doing with Mutoh in May (www.mutoh.com).