By Melissa Donovan
When you happen upon a vehicle wrap, for someone with no knowledge of the graphic arts industry, it can be easy to appreciate the graphic and walk away. On the other hand, if you have even a basic understanding of what goes into the process of creating a wrap, you fully respect the effort that went into designing, printing, and installing the graphic.
A combination of talent between the install team and printing/production crew, as well as the designers, yields a stunning result. Add in the materials used and there is a lot of behind-the-scenes action associated with vehicle wraps that the average passerby wouldn’t consider.
Redline Design of Tampa, FL produces wraps on a weekly basis that are appreciated by many wrap aficionados.
Above: General Formulations’ GF 830 AutoMark Cast was used and complemented by General Formulations’ GF 242 Optimark Cast overlaminate on this firetruck for Latite Roofing.
Basements to Buildings
The origins of Redline Design begin in 2000, where many wrap shops have their beginnings—in a basement. Justin Good was a one-man show, designing, printing, and wrapping. He credits those early years as educational in more ways then one.
“I was completing a lot of sign vinyl applications like wrapping roofs—using materials in a way they weren’t intended for, but that made for a better understanding of today’s air release films, for example how they stretch,” explains Good.
Fast forward to 2010, a move to Tampa, FL and the company’s first location outside of Good’s basement. He started offering wide format printing, but outsourced to a wholesale provider. After realizing he sent $20,000 worth of print work out to the wholesaler in a year, Good began researching buying his own printer. The process led to the purchase of an Epson SureColor in 2012.
In 2020 Redline Design moved into the facility it finds itself in today. The building encompasses 12,000 square feet and houses a staff of seven. The print provider offers designing, printing, and installing of commercial wraps, color change wraps, decals and stickers, as well as paint corrections on vehicles. 99 percent of its customer base is in the Tampa area.
As the business moved locations, Good simultaneously made the transition from his Epson SureColor to an HP Latex 560. “Epson stopped making parts for the SureColor and I was interested in HP’s latex technology,” he explains.
The 64-inch HP Latex 560 printer was the right choice in 2020 and continues to be a positive investment into 2025. In the five years Good has owned the device he says there has only been one warranty issue. He appreciates how easy it is to switch out the printheads and how well the latex ink works for car wraps.
In addition to the HP wide format device, a Graphic Finishing Partners, LLC (Gfp) laminator and two cutters from Graphtec America, Inc. round out the shop’s hardware list.
Care Matters
Reflecting back on the early days of Redline Design and Good’s personal experience with wrap films, he says he’s really played with and installed the majority of media that’s out there. While it’s so important that the media in question performs adequately—if not above and beyond what is required—the customer service from the company it is sourced from is equally important.
This is why Redline Design uses media from General Formulations for a majority of its work. “Customer service is important, and General Formulations cares. When we have questions, we get answers almost immediately from them,” says Good.
It’s used the company’s films for the past two years, on everything from flat trailers to McLarens and box trucks; cars that are so clean they look brand new to others that are very abused and used. The material holds up no matter what or where.
Recent Work
Some recent jobs undertaken by the Redline Design team underscore the range and depth of the projects it encounters as well as the vast capabilities of General Formulations’ media.
For example, General Formulations’ GF 830 AutoMark Cast with DRIFT Technology, a 2-mil high gloss white cast film with a slideable and repositionable gray adhesive system, is commonly used. It was printed to with the HP Latex 560 and laminated using the Gfp laminator with GF 840 AutoMark Clear Laminate to create a wrap on a Honda Civic Type R.
Owner David Beaton asked for a wrap that resembled Disney Pixar’s Lightning McQueen from the Cars franchise. “We are all big kids at heart and what better way to enjoy it than driving around in a Lightning McQueen livery,” notes Good.
Another example, a vehicle wrap for customer Morgan Kochanowski who owns a Toyota Supra. As of press time, Redline Design had wrapped the vehicle three times. “He allows us to run with our ideas to create for him whatever we want, as long as the design incorporates a dragon,” explains Good.
The most recent installation involved General Formulations’ GF 830 AutoMark Cast printed on the HP Latex 560 device and protected with KPMF Gloss Blue Pearlescent Overlaminate. The car was accented with color change film Oracal 970RA Premium Special Effect Cast in Gloss Intergalactic Blue from ORAFOL Americas, Inc.
A final example, Latite Roofing reached out to Redline Design for an eye-catching wrap on a firetruck. The roofing company utilizes a firetruck for its work and Good says it wanted to “bring the fire with them when they show up for a job.”
Again, General Formulations’ GF 830 AutoMark Cast was used and complemented by General Formulations’ GF 242 Optimark Cast overlaminate.
Successful Results
The three jobs discussed here are a good representation of General Formulations’ media capabilities. From firetrucks to race cars, the material succeeds. Credit must be given to Good and his installer team, as well as the hardware used in house. Combined the results equal success for Redline Design.
Sep2025, Digital Output
