| Client | Arnold Electric |
| Location | Chicago, IL |
| Vehicle Type | Transit Vans (multiple) |
| Previous Graphics | Die-cut vinyl lettering & decals |
| New Service | Full Fleet Wrap — Rebrand |
| Material | Avery Dennison MPI 1105 |
| Finish | Matte |
| Warranty | 2-yr workmanship + Avery 5-yr material |
The Challenge
Arnold Electric had been running their fleet with die-cut vinyl lettering for years — the old-school approach where individual letters and logos are cut from single-color vinyl and applied separately to the van's painted surface. It was the standard in the industry for decades. It's not anymore.
The problem with die-cut decals on a working electrical contractor's fleet isn't just aesthetics. It's physics. Individual vinyl letters applied to a painted surface each have their own edge — each edge is a potential lifting point. Chicago winters, road salt, pressure washing, and the constant vibration of a van on Chicago's streets work on every single edge. After a few years, corners peel, letters shift, and the overall appearance reads as dated and unmaintained — which is exactly the wrong signal for a company asking clients to trust them in their homes and commercial spaces.
Arnold Electric came to us ready to move their entire fleet to full wraps. The rebrand needed to look professional, read clearly at highway speed on the Kennedy and on local surface streets, and hold up to the operational demands of an active electrical contracting fleet.
Why Avery MPI 1105 Matte
The choice to go matte wasn't just aesthetic — it was strategic. Matte finish wraps don't show road grime and minor surface contamination the way glossy wraps do. For a working fleet that's on job sites, pulling into tight commercial parking structures, and accumulating daily road film, matte is more forgiving between washes. It also photographs cleanly, which matters as Arnold Electric's vans show up in project documentation, client references, and social media.
Avery Dennison MPI 1105 in matte finish gives a true flat surface with none of the waxy sheen that cheaper matte films develop over time. The color holds under UV without shifting toward purple or grey, which is the failure mode for inferior matte films after 18-24 months of Chicago sun exposure.
The prep process was critical. Die-cut decals leave adhesive residue on the paint surface. Before any new vinyl goes down, every panel had to be cleaned with adhesive remover, then wiped with isopropyl, then inspected for paint condition. Any residue under a full wrap creates a visible bump — on a full-panel matte wrap, surface prep is as important as the installation itself.
The Result
Arnold Electric's vans went from looking like 1990s electrical contractors to looking like a modern, professional service company that takes branding as seriously as they take their electrical work. The matte finish reads confidently at speed and in tight parking situations. The full-bleed design carries their logo and contact information at scale — no more individual letters that can peel, no more misaligned decals after a wash.
Full fleet consistency was the other outcome. Every van in the Arnold Electric fleet now looks like it came from the same brand program — because it did. A client who saw the van at a commercial job site and then called to schedule residential work gets the same visual impression. That consistency is what builds brand recognition in a service market.
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Related: Electrician Vehicle Wraps Chicago · Van Wraps Chicago · Fleet Wraps Chicago · Matte Vehicle Wraps · Wrap & Decal Removal · Portage Park
Time to Retire the Die-Cuts?
Full fleet rebrands from $4,700/van. Free pickup. Decal removal included in quote.
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