A brand-new, carbon-neutral vinyl graphics solution that could help fleets reduce their environmental impact is now on the market from Hex Graphics.
Designed to be fully recyclable, Vinyl360 addresses the often-overlooked carbon footprint associated with the production and application of commercial vehicle graphics, which generates vast amounts of waste and CO2 every year.
Mark Wood, graphics manager at Hex Graphics, explained: “Fleet livery is a pivotal component of commercial fleets and thus a fundamental consideration in a truly environmentally focused vehicle. Efforts to generate streams through which to recycle PVC, the most common material used in vehicle branding, have been ongoing for many years – finally, with Vinyl360 we can offer our customers a solution.”
Vinyl360 provides a complete lifecycle service through recycling existing materials, supported by a supply chain that gives a second life to 100% of waste – nothing goes to landfill or incineration.
The two-stage system repurposes waste, both at the beginning phase when a new commercial livery is being applied, and at the end-of-life phase when graphics are decommissioned and replaced.
Once stripped down, the waste vinyl and lining paper is separated, compacted and sent to specialist recycling centres in the UK. It’s then given a new lease of life in products such as notebooks and even items used in fleet operations such as plastic safety barriers and traffic cones.
Mark Wood continued: “We have worked hard to ensure no part of the process is wasted. Working closely with our supply chain, we now have a system to separate and compact both the PVC and associated lining paper waste in-house. From there, bales are sent to specialist recycling centres to be transformed into secondary products. These products can then also be recycled multiple times, resulting in even further reductions in waste to landfill.”
It’s already being used by two major fleets, which have so far saved more than seven tonnes of PVC face film and backing paper from entering landfill.
Vinyl360 has also been developed to deliver high levels of dimensional stability and excellent colour reproduction, making it a reliable and durable solution in a variety of commercial applications.
Developed in partnership with premium vinyl manufacturer Metamark, the materials are said to offer the highest standards of quality and consistency. Vinyl360 also has an official eight-year operating life and six-year manufacturer’s warranty.
