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Watch him at work: This car wrapper traveled 9,000 miles to perfect his trade
By Sue Casement, 3M Storyteller and Monica Hanson, 3M Videographer-
It’s a long way from South Africa to Minnesota, but not too far for Vaughn Repsold.
He traveled almost 9,000 miles to perfect his vehicle-wrapping technique. -
The global market for vehicle wraps grew to $1.69 billion in 2015, according to a Grandview Research Study, and that growth trend is expected to continue. North America is the largest market, with some of the world’s top experts.
Vaughn traveled to 3M headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a mission to take that expertise back home with him. He learned the latest techniques at a world-renowned train-the-trainer program and became the first person in South Africa to receive accreditation as a 3M-endorsed trainer. He was already an expert installer and has even competed in world finals competitions. But, there’s always more to learn.
“You can always gain knowledge from other professionals,” he says. “There are advancements in the film technology, and new techniques are developed.” While he focuses mostly on vehicle wraps, he’s also learning techniques for signage and how to apply the film to a variety of surfaces, including brick walls.
“The program we have – as extensive as it is – is unique to 3M,” says Marcio Oliveira, Technical Service Supervisor, 3M Commercial Solutions Training Center. “There are others, for example, that offer vehicle wrapping only, but all of the stations with different types of wrapping and different films – that’s exclusive to 3M.”
Wrap like a pro
There’s more that goes into graphic wraps than meets the eye.
Building skills-
When you buy a car, you want to make it cool and reflect your style. Accessorizing car exteriors is a growing trend. Add-ons like LED lights, decals and car wraps are becoming more popular. But finding a skilled worker who can wrap your car or install your new sun roof is a growing concern.
SkillsUSA works to help build the skilled workforce through developing skills of its members. Each year, the organization hosts a competition in the United States, and then sends on the top competitors to a global competition known as WorldSkills.
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