Pricing 12 Semi Trailer Wraps

[BargainSigns]

Greetings everyone!

We have an opportunity to wrap 12 semi-trailers. We naturally are in a bidding war with another company. How would you bid this project? What would you charge? We figure we'll use around 2.5 rolls of control tac and laminate on each trailer along with a full round of ink for each trailer (Mimaki JV3), not including labor.

These are the particulars:

12 OLD trailers, 48' trailers, heavy oxidation, old graphics that we put on have to be removed (been on 3 years used 851 Oracal), thousands of rivets, complete wrap two sides and the back roll-up doors, we are designing the graphic, using control tac and laminate and can get a multiple roll purchase discount.

Also would you offer a better warranty to "sweeten" the deal. If not what would you offer to "sweeten" the deal.


Thanks for your help. If you can think of anything I've not mentioned please let me know!

Marianna

 

[Si Allen]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm...old oxidized trailers with millions of rivets...and a bidding war against another shop?

Sounds like a difficult, very low profit situation to me.

 

[jscarl]

You might lose your tail on the labor end. I would bid right up there, and then maby offer a small discount for being a repeat customer. Explain the higher cost reason. Be honest with the guy. He will remember it.

 

[OldPaint]

bid for full price on 10........................AND DO THE LAST 2 FOR FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[miguelon.lizarraga]

bid for full price on 10........................AND DO THE LAST 2 FOR FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

Do 11 full price and last for free.

 

[National Sign Co. - Print]

you should be around $4,750.00 print and install per unit to be competitive.

that is about national market value for that kind of volume...

removals are hard to price without a complete survey. usually around $650 a unit....

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

you should be around $4,750.00 print and install per unit to be competitive.

that is about national market value for that kind of volume...

removals are hard to price without a complete survey. usually around $650 a unit....

So your saying the going rate for an 18 wheeler trailer is $6.18 per sq foot?

I personally don't have a printer, but the going rate for a quality print (outsourced) is $5.00 per sq foot (printed and laminated...but you can get it for as low as $2.99 sq ft)...

I think your too low... I thought going rate would be $9.00 - $12.00 sq foot, depending on what part of the country...

 

[National Sign Co. - Print]

sorry but the going rate for this kind of volume is $4.75 printed and installed. your talking 12,000 s/f of print for this job..

even at that price there are many shops who will do that kind of volume even cheaper.

if you think it is to low this kind of work is not in your arena.... nor will you ever get these jobs...

you cannot do this kind of volume on a Mutoh, JV3 or any Roland and be competitive. it will take you all day just to print one unit... let alone your ink and material costs... that is even before install labor and logistics.

 

[OldPaint]

Do 11 full price and last for free.

why i say do last 2 free.............IS YOU MIGHT GET all of em, chances are......you might get half....
so if they feel your doin 2 for free...............might get you the job.
in my years i have been asked to price 5-10 vehicles.........given the last 1 or 2 for free, and charging full price for all before...............is the best thing to do.
if you low ball from 1-10, and DONT GET MORE THEN 5.............you lost your arse.

 

[signhere]

Merritt Graphics has a great point BUT when you do trailer the files should be no higher than 75dpi using a JPG file. the printer will print faster. Don't ever say you can't do it because if you are like me and have friends in the industry you can work with them to help print the jobs. if you don't go after it then it's money you didn't make! depending on the time the customer wants them on and the structure of the trailers try using a lesser grade of material to cut costs as well. These are referred as "fleet wraps" and if done the right way you can make alot of money!
good luck!

 

[wonsngis]

Merritt Graphics has a great point BUT when you do trailer the files should be no higher than 75dpi using a JPG file. the printer will print faster.

I hope you mean that it will RIP faster. Printer speed is determined by the print mode that the operator has selected, not the source file size/resolution. Unless you're printing AS you rip.

 

[Pat Whatley]

You're losing the bulk of your profit if you're going to try to print that kind of volume on a JV3. Mike's right, you need to sub it out to a printer with the horsepower to crank the job out. Your prints will come out much cheaper than you can do them in-house.

There was a regional trucking company based out of a town about an hour from here that sends all their trailers to somewhere near Atlanta for wraps. They're paying less than $3500 and getting them turned around in one day.

 

[TheSnowman]

Oh man, I have a JV3, and I'd hate the thought of printing a tiny wrap on it. Sub that thing out to Merritt or some wholesaler if you get the job, have the prints mailed to you, then you don't have to store all that material, let it print, dry, lam, and store until it's done.

 

[Mikeifg]

2.5 rolls per unit? Better take in account any errors...If you have not done this type of work before good luck..

 

[Mikeifg]

Your Mimaki will take a week to print one unit @ 1440 dpi. these and you'll have to babysit the printer all night. I know I've printed 53' trailer wraps with my Mutoh and now I sub out that work.. Less wear and tear on the equip.... You'll have to take in account ink cost as well as production labor etc...

 

[Charlie J]

Your Mimaki will take a week to print one unit @ 1440 dpi. these and you'll have to babysit the printer all night. I know I've printed 53' trailer wraps with my Mutoh and now I sub out that work.. Less wear and tear on the equip.... You'll have to take in account ink cost as well as production labor etc...

Yes but isn't 1440 overkill?

 

[BargainSigns]

I did check with our local "wholesaler" and he wanted $50,000 to print and laminate the project. That's what prompted this post, it seemed really high and we hadn't factored in any installation fee's or the MASSIVE clean up needed on these trailers. Even if we tell the customer to bring them in clean i.e. no oxidation you know it won't be right.

We know of one VERY close competitor who just charged $10,000 to wrap a NEW trailer...last month. Even with a multiples discount there is such a difference in pricing?

Thanks for your attention. We'll sharpen our pencils a bit. Happy Monday!

Marianna

 

[GARY CULY]

if you have 1 [one]jv3.and 2.5 rolls per truck to print ..youll be there a loong time..and youll loose money bad ,,i know,i tried it on 3..if you want to get the job DONE...have all he printwork subbed -out to a huge place...to do that amount of print ...oh the cart cost for ink on o.e.m. will kill you...get the job ..order the prints ..install ..be done pssst..merritt

 

[TheSnowman]

Don't sub it to the "local guy". Sub it to a MM on here, and you'll be happy.

 

[cptcorn]

We know of one VERY close competitor who just charged $10,000 to wrap a NEW trailer...last month. Even with a multiples discount there is such a difference in pricing?

There's a big difference in the buying power behind 1000sqft and 12,000sqft. $10,000 for (1) qty is reasonable, but for (12) qty, not so...