Project Overview
We completed a full printed vinyl wrap for a custom-built steel trades trailer owned by Rata Builders — a distinctive project with a highly stylised steampunk artwork theme.
The trailer is a large box-style build measuring approximately 4m long × 2m wide, with a 2.5m tapered trapezoid nose section reducing down to around 1.2m at the front.
This geometry meant the wrap had to be carefully templated, panelled, heat-formed and aligned to maintain artwork proportions across sloping faces, curved edges and panel breaks.
Artwork was supplied externally, but required extensive modification and re-engineering to suit the trailer’s proportions and sectional layout. Once finalised, we output approximately 24 linear metres of vinyl (1.37m width) before sectioning into install-ready panels for accurate flow across the surface.
The wrap extends from the top of the wheel arch upward (diamond-plate excluded), covering both sides and the entire tapered front area — including the sloping roof face above the doors.
A gloss-laminated steampunk palette forms a continuous industrial illustration with mechanical textures, bronze metal tones, and riveted steel effects. Life-size style typography reading BUILDER spans each side in a stylised format, providing maximum roadside presence.
Brief & Challenge
The tapered trapezoid nose required exact panel mapping to avoid artwork skew and image distortion.
The roof-face angle meant alignment had to carry across multiple faces at changing angles, and join management was critical around upper seams.
Working around existing edge breaks without excessive stretch was a defining technical requirement of the install.
What we did
We engineered a panel-flow system that preserved artwork scale across the entire unit.
Each section was scribed, test-held, then heat-formed into recesses to retain visual continuity — particularly around front slope and side-to-roof alignment.
The result is a highly cohesive wrap with no sudden visual breaks, clean seam placement, and accurate retention of the original design language.
• Full printed wrap across vertical + tapered trailer surfaces
• Modified and re-proportioned supplied artwork to maintain flow
• Printed MPI2015 + DOL2000 gloss laminate for clarity and UV longevity
• Sectioned print into controlled install panels for distortion control
• Heat-shaped vinyl around slopes, edges & forward taper
• Installed entirely in-workshop over a two-day process with two technicians
• Lower diamondplate region intentionally left unwrapped for durability
Materials
• MPI2015 Print Film
• DOL2000 Gloss Laminate
• Heat conformity equipment
Processes
• Artwork adaptation + scaling
• Panel mapping + seam strategy
• Heat forming + body line conformance
• Multi-surface tapered installation
Outcome
The completed trailer now acts as a mobile billboard, generating attention onsite, on motorways and at residential builds.
Since branding, the client has reported increased enquiry, strong visual recognition and consistent comments from both homeowners and contractors.
This project showcases how custom themed artwork + full wrap coverage can evolve a trailer from a utility asset into a memorable, high-impact identity piece.
Related Services
Full Vehicle Wraps: https://www.signageworks.co.nz/other-services/full-vehicle-wraps
Fleet Branding: https://www.signageworks.co.nz/other-services/fleet-branding
Ute & Van Signage: https://www.signageworks.co.nz/other-services/ute-%26-van-signage