Hands-On gets it done at the HP Wrap-Camp hosted by PressOn Automotive…

It’s a long time since wrapping could have been regarded as a niche specialisation, strictly reserved as the exclusive realm of a handful of companies capable of doing it. These days, wrapping is in almost universal demand. That’s both a testimony to the attractiveness of wraps in general and the rocket-like growth in demand that’s produced.

Popular or not, wrapping isn’t something that distils to three-hundred pages between the covers of an instruction manual. Put that ‘manual,’ materials and something to wrap in front of a would-be wrapper, and it’s unlikely that the result would be anything saleable. That’s because wrapping is a subject that’s learned as much through the hands as the head. There’s no substitute for learning hands-on, under the scrutiny of an acknowledged expert in the field.

The expectant, experienced, and would-be wrappers who attended PressOn Automotive’s hosted HP Wrap-Camp recently were delivered a great immersion in the very latest materials and techniques related to automotive wrapping. Paige Walton from the Metamark Academy taught attendees how to get the best results from Metamark’s flagship digital cast wrapping film MetaCast MDC, and she delivered an immersion into the world occupied by wrapping’s closely related cousin - PPF or Paint Protection Film application.

Anyone who can claim to have a reasonable degree of wrapping skills could negotiate the needs of a paint protection film job. The art of paint protection film application though is centred not on transformation, but on practically invisible coverage. Paint protection film application is a step beyond wrapping in terms of technique and involves novel handling disciplines and some new tools and fluids too.

Paige went though the gamut of needed skills demonstrating paint protection films from Metamark’s portfolio of automotive products. The end results delivered never fail to amaze. It’s as though the vehicle in question has had an otherworldly gloss layer put upon it that’s better than any factory paint finish could be. In addition to that benefit, the paint and bodywork enjoy a degree of protection that shrugs off stones and the like that would otherwise chip paint  and any minor issue like swirl marks and fine scratched simply heal themselves.

Metamark’s contribution to the Wrap-Camp was well received and meshed well with HP’s technology on show at the event. Metamark has an extensive range of media qualified for use in HP Latex hardware and which yields MD-Class results using all version of the ink.

This report wouldn’t be complete without raising a very public vote of thanks to our hosts, PressOn Automotive. PressOn itself has been a key figure in the commercialisation of wrapping over the years and its latest venture is sure to help create a bigger and more energised market still.