By Matthew Sims
For Pakenham’s Ben Hermon, his Ford F100 1955 pickup truck and its current award-winning wrap showcased not only the current skills within the team at Pakenham signwriters and vehicle wrap provider Benher Signs but also the evolution of the industry and the growth of his own skills and passions.
The team took out first place in both the Australia/New Zealand and Asia-Pacific competitions in the Wrap Like Royalty contest, placing them in the top three entries globally in the Fantasy Wrap category for their Signage Evolution piece.
Run by global company Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions, the Wrap Like Royalty contest pitted hundreds of cars across three different classes to determine the best wraps and print jobs in the global industry.
Alongside signmaker Leigh Rust, Mr Hermon and his team put in 800 man-hours over three months to put together the impressive display, with one side looking old and weathered with traditional signage, while the other side is slick and modern, showing the many ways the approach to signage has changed throughout the years.
Mr Rust said the project was the largest and most arduous job the team had undertaken to date.
“It’s gone through a few revamps over the years,“ he said.
“Each of the car’s looks have allowed use to really push our boundaries.
“We wanted to show the evolution of how the industry has changed over the years.“
Mr Rust said when he started signmaking, everything was done using brushes, but now most of the design and painting was done using digital technology and required creating multiple layers of vinyl to create the most realistic look.
“We’re able to bring those skills into the new industry,“ he said.
“There’s a lot more planning in digital.“
Mr Hermon said the team were ecstatic with reaching the top three globally in the Fantasy class.
“We’re really happy with how it’s all come together,“ he said.
Mr Hermon said they were looking forward to continue to grow their business, with creating commercial wraps for business vehicles among their most popular requests.
“People want to have their vehicle as a business tool,“ he said.
“We’re just keen to take the business to the next level of quality.“
Avery Dennison Graphic Solutions senior product manager Matthew Francis said the judges were amazed at the level of detail in Benher Signs’ entry.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,“ he said.
“We couldn’t be more proud of the team here.
“What this demonstrates is the capacity of wrap installation.“
