In-house versus outsourced graphics

Vehicle wraps and fleet graphics make up about half of our business income. The other half is signs, graphics, banners, and engraving. Vehicle wraps require design services, printing graphics, and finishing services that require a laminator and often a cutter. Not to mention the production table and necessary supplies.

Since we also offer other signage, printing our wraps in-house makes sense for us. But does it make sense for your situation? There are pros and cons to printing your graphics in-house versus outsourcing these graphics. It’s important to weigh your options as you venture into the sign industry or expand your current services into vehicle wraps.

In-house pros

If you already have a sign shop set up with equipment and software, and you’re already trained on the equipment and programs, then printing your vehicle wraps in-house makes sense. Investing in a printer, laminator, application table or production table, design software, and RIP software are your highest upfront costs. If you’ve already made this investment, then printing wraps in-house is the way to go.

Printing your graphics in-house also means you have more control over color output and the quality of the printed graphics. We do printed color samples for most of our wraps prior to production. Being able to do this quickly in-house means we’re more efficient.

You also have more control over the turnaround time on producing the graphics when you’re handling the process in-house. This includes reprinting messed up or ill-fitting panels quickly. Having to wait for reprinted graphics halts your installation process and makes you reliant on the outside source.

By printing in-house, you’re also saving on the cost per square footage for vinyl, ink, and lamination. When you’re printing in-house, you can often maximize your square footage when setting up prints and you can also nest with other projects.

In-house cons

If you’re printing in-house, you have that higher upfront investment in equipment and software, which we discussed. Besides this initial investment are the ongoing costs to maintain the equipment.

Running a digital printer, laminator, cutter, and other finishing equipment requires experienced staff members with proper training. If you don’t have these skills yourself, then you’ll have to rely on another person to run the equipment and software, which not only adds extra labor costs, but can also put you in a bind if they’re out of the office.

Another consideration for producing graphics in-house is the need for sufficient space to house the equipment and produce and finish the graphics. When you’re just installing the graphics, you primarily need an installation bay or you can install on-site. If you’re also producing the graphics, you’ll need a clean production area in your shop with enough square footage to hold the equipment and any media inventory.

Outsourcing pros

Outsourcing your wrap graphics has its appeal since you have lower up-front costs on equipment and software, and the subsequent training necessary to run it. The professionals you’re purchasing your graphics from have made the investment into the equipment and training and have the specialized knowledge to produce
your graphics.

Outsourcing means you also have less labor involved since you don’t have to print, laminate, or finish your graphics. Once you have approval from the customer, you can upload your art files to your printer and move on to your next project or installation while you wait for the graphics to be shipped to you.

If the installation of graphics is your primary focus and that is where you’ve invested your time and energy into training, then outsourcing the graphics might be a logical option. Positioning yourself in your market as a reliable source for installing wraps you’ve sourced means your focus is on the workflow around installation. Streamlining your business around this service can mean you’re more profitable because of your efficiency.

Outsourcing cons

The biggest con to outsourcing your graphics is having less control. Since you’re not involved in the production process, you can’t oversee the colors as they’re printing. You also have less control over the quality of the printing, and there is a higher potential for miscommunication.

For most wrap jobs, we do an initial color sample before starting production on the entire vehicle. While you can still request a color sample from your supplier, the time delay can cut into your efficiency. And if the colors aren’t correct, you’ll be going back and forth with the customer and the printer to match the customer’s branding.

If you need to reprint a wrap panel during installation, it brings your installation to a halt, as you have to wait for the new graphic to be printed and shipped to you. Longer turnaround times because of outsourcing can slow your efficiency, which cuts into your overall profitability.

Another consideration is the cost per square foot of producing graphics in-house versus outsourcing. Even
with the initial cost of equipment, software, and training, having to purchase your graphics from another source usually means your price per square foot is higher.

Considerations

So, as you decide which option is best for you, it’s important to consider each factor that will affect your efficiency, overhead, and growth. And again, control over quality and turnaround times is a huge consideration.

Look at the volume of business you think you’ll be doing and if you estimate a high enough volume of business, consider in-house printing. This means you need to figure out your initial investment in equipment and software, and then decide at what volume of production you’ll start saving money on the price per square foot by producing in-house versus outsourcing the graphics.

Design & installation

If I were to draw a Venn diagram of in-house printing and outsourcing graphics, the relationship between the two would include at least three key items that you have to consider either way. Unless you plan to outsource design and installation, as well as the graphics, you’ll need to manage both items in-house.

Often customers will come to you with their branding already in place. They will provide you with digital copies of their logo and support graphics, and will often have a branding guide that spells out Pantone colors, fonts, and rules for how their artwork is to be used.

Many times, you’ll receive a logo but nothing else, or sometimes you will need to design everything from scratch. Regardless of the situation, you need a designer on staff who knows how to incorporate existing artwork, understands vehicle advertising, and knows how to design graphics specifically to fit a vehicle — considering both design elements and ease of installation.

Whether you have an experienced vehicle wrap installer on staff or you hire installers as needed, consider this service if you’re going to offer vehicle wraps. A good installer will install a vehicle wrap quickly and efficiently, and will also offer superb quality control that produces a vehicle wrap that will last long term. Poor installation compromises your entire wrap, even with great design and quality graphics.

Knowledge

The third item you have to consider is knowledge. Even if you outsource the design, graphics, and the installation and you’re primarily just overseeing the wrap projects, you still have to possess knowledge about the wrap process.

Know which media and laminate is the best option for the vehicle, application, and environment. Research suppliers to find the best source. Knowledge of material costs, market research on competitive rates, and being informed on installation techniques and what makes a for a good installation are essential.

If you’re planning to print in-house, then knowledge of equipment operation and service is necessary. Training on sign and design software is also imperative. In-house installation means that you need to know how to wrap a vehicle, what tools are necessary, and the best techniques for a properly installed wrap.

You also have to be knowledgeable about good wrap design, how to market and sell wraps, what information you need to gather from the customer, as well as post-wrap maintenance tips. There’s no perfect answer as to in-house or outsourcing graphics, but you should start by educating yourself on the process. This information will help you make an informed decision and will guide you as you venture into vehicle wraps.