Someone is always trying to corner the market somewhere..... somehow, but it's really sad to see it happen from a company, we've all come to trust. We've all given nothing but great reviews and shining honorable mentions everywhere and to everyone. I've always recommended 3M or in the early years Gerber vinyl. To think, we all helped knock their biggest competitor out for them..... A V E R Y Well, things could change.
Various manufactures over the years have screwed this industry.... usually out of lack of knowledge and/or deceit. For the most respected company probably in the world to take this view, only means they are going to become our competitor and see something in the future that we aren't anticipating.
This is kinda like the Heckingers, Home Depots and Lowes syndrome that knocked out about every Mom & Pop hardware store across the country. It's like the WalMarts and other Grocery Food chains that have again.... knocked out just about every corner grocery store in your town.
Make your money while you can, because this will be a tough one to battle. Wraps and partial wraps only represent 10% of our truck lettering because in our area, it's tough to get the many wraps some of you others are getting. We do many fleets and many small contractors in our area.... so this 3M proposal will not affect us at all. However, it is only the ground work to make an industry, once revered by most as an art-form and talent required trade, to become just a run-of-the-mill business. It will soon be the commodity many of you speak about. For years, this industry has been dummied down to where a monkey can do this and we're just about there. I, for one, will die with a brush in my hand, but many of you might wanna start looking for something else for your future.
It's not going to happen overnight, but many of us have been talking, PM'ing and discussing this very action for a few years. Like some of my colleagues and friends have noted.... we have about 5 good years left with maybe 10 until its over.
To Betsy and the rest of you at 3M..... thanks for the ride !!