The "It's A Wrap" Story

Grebinger Gallery's white panel van.

It was an ordinary day.  Watching Paul shrinkwrap ... a big white panel van in the parking lot of Grebinger Gallery in Neffsville, Pennsyl- vania.  I work part-time for Keith, the owner of Grebinger Gallery where we mat and frame artwork of just about any size and style.  Keith was a former student and yearbook photographer of mine at nearby Manheim Township High School.  

Paul adds a strip of burgandy vinyl to the bottom of the van.

When I retired from teaching I asked him if he needed any help at his fledgling gallery and frame shop and I have been with him for the past 18 years.  His large Chevrolet Express panel van is used for deliveries as well as transporting his framed artwork to shows and exhibits in the nearby area.  Recently he and his wife Cindy decided that the van might do more than just make deliveries if it could be wrapped with an ad for the gallery.  And, that's what Paul is doing in the parking lot of the gallery.  Company that is doing the job is called Signarama of Lancaster, PA and is a local company that is backed by the support of the world's largest, full service sign manufacturer: Signarama of the United Franchise Group.  

Using his heat torch to adhere and shrink wrap the vinyl.

The company has a wide range of designing and production capabilities including illuminated exterior signs, banners, auto wraps, window graphics and much more!  Paul first moved the van under a few trees before he began his wrap.  I asked him if it was necessary to be done in shade and he said, "Yes, since I sweat a lot and I'm not happy when I'm sweating."  The truck wrap is done on a vinyl material that when heated will adhere to the truck.  The customer must submit either a sample of what they want or send it by email to the company which is located at 1748 Columbia Ave. in Lancaster.  The printer that prints the wraps is a 60" inkjet printer that uses UV ink to prevent the ink from fading.  At times it may be necessary to splice sections together if the wrap is larger that the 60 inches.  He showed me how he wraps the vinyl on the van and then I asked him what his largest job was in the past few years.  His largest was a job at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.  

The final result sitting in front of the gallery in Neffsville.

He did a large wall in the college hockey rink that was in the snack area and at the one end of the rink did a large sign that was 22 feet high and 132 feet long.  Featured pictures of some of the all-star hockey players from the college as well as the name of the mascot of the college:  "Home of the Bantams."  My work day was over and Paul was still busy working on the vinyl wrap when I left.  Knew the van would look totally different when I arrived for work the next day.  Check out the few photos I took of the start of the wrap and what the truck looked like when finished.  Neat job!  It was another extraordinary in the life of an ordinary guy.