mage is everything, as the saying goes. Haulage firms have
Page 41
Page 42
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
always sought to advertise their business through a well-kept fleet, but now, more than ever, they are pulling out the stops when it comes to corporate liveries. They might not want to be the next Eddie Stobart, who has gone as far as naming each truck after a girl and even operates a "lorry spotter” fan club due to his well-maintained fleet, but they're certainly not resting on their laurels either
But the livery business is changing. Computer-generated vinyl stickers, or decals, have largely taken the place of the traditional coach or brush-painting techniques, although many small to medium operators still prefer their trucks hand-painted.
Traditional approaches
John Cureton is a traditional signwriter and operates a one-man band in Mid-Glamorgan. Cureton began life as an HGV driver, but later had to choose between that and his first love, signwriting. Using a brush and enamel paint, Cureton does all his work by hand.
"It's definitely a dying art," he says. "I think a lot of these sticker people, although there's a market for them, have no eye for colour and little artistic flair."
Disciplines such as coach-painting, originally used on the old double decker buses, are also fading. "Coach-painting is like a secret art, you can't tell if it's by brush or sprayed on," says Cureton.
Although he's lost quite a lot of business to "stickers", Cureton says he has also won some back, with requests to take them ofragain.
"If it's treated right, hand-painted work can last for up to 20 years," he says.
One firm that likes the traditional touch is H Askey Transport in Sheffield, a family-run gen eral haulier that has been in business since the turn of the century 'People say to me, 'why don't you modernise your livery? But I think it's our style, people recognise us," explains joint director Alan Askey.
All the vehides are brush painted, varnished and have gold leaf applied—a policy started by Askey's father who was a coach-painter by trade. Today, this is carried out at Yorkshire Traction bus company The livery comprises the HA emblem, the Sheffield coat of arms and the Askey coat of arms. Meanwhile, the Sheffield coat of arms and the white rose of Yorkshire adorn the sides of the trucks. All the work is done by brush painting, as spray paint is too thin and not durable enough. The work is then gold-leafed and varnished over the top.
But staying traditional can have its problems, such as when your paint supply runs Out. "The fleet is all in Oxford Blue but we have actually used up the last of the stock from ICI, so have had to source an almost exact colour match elsewhere," says Askey. 'Most painting is done in 'two-pack paint', but we can't use that as it's got arsenic in it, which turns gold leaf black."
Askey says the livery speaks volumes about the firm. "It says we are a traditional, family service," he says. "It's a word-of-mouth business. Customers call us from as far away as Norwich and say that the trucks are 'a credit to you'. We've got 200-300 customers and once they find us, they tend to stick with us."
Another haulier that goes for the traditional approach is Andrew Black, of Andrew Black in North Berwick, East Lothian. With a fleet of more than 22 vehicles, the bulk of its work being in agriculture and cement, Black wanted a modern feel to his livery, but it also had to be memorable.
Black decided to use the company name as part of the design. He went for a picture frame effect, with black around the outside and red in the middle. A local signage firm was employed to do the spraying and lacquer work. Black also requested that the 'AB' be entwined with each other in a particular way.
"I was very specific about the design and now the signwriter knows exactly what we want. I can then use the logo on other corporate material like stationery and rosettes when we sponsor events at the Highland Games.
"We want to present an image and want people to be able to spot our wagons a mile away. If can make people look twice, I've done my job, that's my advertising," says Black.
Many modern signage firms offer a complete package to their customers, from the design to aftercare. The finished result is often the signage company's main form of advertising as well as their customers'.
Vityl decals
0-Signs in Tralee,
Republic of Ireland, offers full-colour, digitally printed graphics, as well as reflective vinyl decals. Marketing manager Liz Lyons says: "The customer explains what they want, and we come up with three or four designs based around that. Every job we do is an advertisement for us."
One of D-Signs' high-profile customers is McAuliffe Trucking, in County Derry. The firm services agricultural operations but specialises in dairy product distribution. The designs on this fleet of 20 vehicles come with a sense of humour. Helicopters, horses and cows adorn the cabs in striking digitally printed reflective decals, while a milk tanker is adorned with the eye-catching words: "Modvin Milk".
The liveries cost up to /5,000 per truck, but transport manager Declan Mangan believes it's money well spent "It lasts for the lifetime of the truck, so it's definitely cost-effective," he says.
"We also get a lot of new business just from people seeing our trucks out and about. If they see a new-looking buck, with a smart livery, they think it's a good quality service, and that's important when you're transporting food."
As the drivers look after their own vehicles, they are also invited to contribute ideas to the design. 'The driver has to wash and look after his own truck, so we think it's important that he's proud of it" The chain starts with massive graphics materials manufacturers like Bracknell-based 3M. It makes up self-adhesive film, colours and highly reflective materials. It then supplies to design and signage companies such as Supersine Duramark in
Lowestoft. Supersine Duramark marketing manager Johnny Hawkins says: "The process can start simply with a customer saying they want stickers on their lorries. I'll then look at the type of vehicle, recommend films and materials for durability, then we'll fit it and even do the after-care."
Supersine Duramark caters for any size business, but also has high profile customers such as British Gas, McDonalds, the Post Office and Dulux.
So what makes a company choose a striking livery that no one will forget? Cantrell & Cochrane, manufacturer of Club Orange drinks, and distributor of wines and beers for delivery throughout Ireland, has chosen a startling livery for its rigids.
Customer operations manager Sam Hands says the company uses paint, computer graphics and decals on its trucks. "We're saying to our customers and the public: 'Here's a nice, bright, up-to-date fleet delivering top quality products'. Changing the livery every year or two is a way of promoting the product and the company at the same time. It's a bit like running a billboard campaign," he says.