Henry Ford has often been quoted as saying about the Model T: “You can have it in any color so long as it is black.” He may actually have said that, but in his own autobiography, My Life and Work, he recounts having said, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.”
It was probably a good idea for Mr. Ford. More than 15 million Model Ts would roll off the assembly line before production ended in 1927. There was just no time for customization. It reduced factory hours, and it was the only way the Ford Motor Company was able to produce over 2 million cars a year. We’re thinking the Henry Ford approach in our line of business wouldn’t work very well.
Think Outside the Size and Shape
Close your eyes and imagine a variety of vinyl or poly packaging. You likely don’t get asked to do this often. Maybe you might be thinking: Small.
We get that. Many of the packaging concepts we create for clients are compact. They’re made to protect things like a fishing license, or to hold price tags on store shelves. In a mass-production world, creating highly customized packaging might seem like a costly investment. Especially because the die to create something with an irregular or large shape would be extremely expensive.
Open your eyes and imagine a collection of over 5,000 in-house dies. That’s what we’ve amassed after being in business for nearly 40 years. We have such a massive foundation of shapes and sizes that we hardly ever have to start from scratch.
You Envision It, We Make It
Back to Henry Ford for a moment. As much as this automotive titan will be forever remembered for mass production because of limitation, the truth is that he really did offer choice. Well, sort of. The prototypes for his Ford production models were designated by the letters “A” through “T.” They came in a variety of colors.
The original Model A, which was produced in 1903 and 1904, was a deep red. The Model F was a dark green with yellow running gear. The Model K was painted royal blue.
We take it further, much further.
Many of our customers are looking for clear packaging. It’s to protect what’s inside, and you want to see it. We’re able to customize even “clear.” What thickness works best for your packaging? The average is 8 mil, but we often work with everything from 5 mil to 13 mil – and even more.
Our range of color offerings is extensive. We can create vinyl or poly packaging that’s opaque, tinted, and even fluorescent. We also can create textured packing. Shiny isn’t always the best way to go, which is why we’ve created frosted, matte, and even orange-peel surfaces.
It’s your brand. It’s your name. Our job is to help you create packaging that promotes what sets you apart from your competitors. Henry Ford’s approach wouldn’t work for that. When we say we can make any size, we mean it. And we’ve already got 5,000 examples of customization under our belt to prove it. Get in touch today to see how we can put our experience in customization to work for your business!
Want to Learn More?
Contact the Vinyl Art Team at 800-569-1304
Rob Slattery | Executive Sales Director | robs@vinylart.wpengine.com
Tim Hitchings | Vice President | timhitchings@vinylart.wpengine.com
