Protect or Repaint?

During the 1980’s, urban culture began to find new ways of expression in music, dance and art. Tagging became an art form as the talents of the early Generation X’ers combined spray paint and public spaces to promote just about everything. Needless to say. tagging is a nuisance in the vast majority of instances, and over the past 20+ years coating companies have created an array of defenses to (as David Horowitz put it) Fight Back!

The purpose of this monograph is to provide an abridged, but accurate description of the options available to retailers in terms of anti-graffiti coatings.

Serve and protect

Coatings have a function that is more important than color – substrate protection. Coatings do this by providing a thin film (measured in thousandths of an inch) that provides a barrier between the environment and the substrate. This small film is the only thing used to fight graffiti – so it has to be tough, right? Sometimes. Lets explore the types of films used.

Type 1 Permanent

Spray paints are low viscosity solutions laden with hydrocarbon solvents. These

solutions are sprayed onto a surface and the paint converts from a liquid to a solid by means of solvent evaporation (for further explanation, see Monograph titled Film

School). A Type 1 Permanent Anti Graffiti coating’s method is resilience. The film

created by Type 1 coatings are typically 2 component, networked films which dry by

cross-linking. The net result is a film that is both impervious (to combat the low

viscosity penetration of spray paints), as well as chemically resilient. Paint removers can be applied directly to the spray paint with a rag, and removed but the Type 1 coating will remain in-tact. A common assumption is that these coatings make graffiti “fall off” the wall – this is untrue. The system simply works like a dry erase board and is ideal for protecting murals and specialty surfaces like decorative stone.

Type 2 Sacrificial

Type 2 coatings work completely differently. Instead of providing a film that is

networked, hard and chemically resilient, it provides a film that is easily removed!

When spray paint is used over these coatings, a property owner will simply

pressure clean the affected area using tap water. The mechanical force applied by

the water stream will remove the Type 2 coating along with any graffiti that is

sticking to it. After cleaning, the Type 2 coating will need to be re-installed. This is

both time consuming and can be expensive, however is an ideal system for

concrete, stone or brick surfaces where a Type 1 (impervious) coating will not

allow the necessary vapor migration to occur. Think of it like a wax film.

Type 3

Type 3 is a reality check. Since both Type 1 & Type 2 coatings require a technician visit to remove the graffiti, it is often less money to simply paint over the graffiti with an attic stock of the original coating. Often times, poor record keeping result in technicians painting over graffiti coatings because they are not aware of their presence – this negates any value in either Type 1 and 2 systems.

CASE STUDY

What do you do when your brand becomes such an icon that people literally steal the  sign right off the wall?

Project Summary

A national retail client has their signature storefront letters positioned within reaching distance on the mall wall.  These letters are secured with 2’’ spacers that protrude out of the wall. Unfortunately, letters are being consistently ripped off (literally and figuratively) from the walls by teenagers damaging the storefront branding.  The client requested Resicom’s assistance in not just repairing the missing letters at various locations, but more importantly creating a solution to secure the letters against theft while preserving the aesthetics.

Scope

The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Find solution to secure storefront mounted letters to deter theft and vandalism.

2. Work within mall limitations and parameters since project scope is storefront inside mall.

3. Provide verification to corporate headquarters that project has been executed according to standards.

Challenges & Solutions

We understood that the execution of this emergency situation would require ingenuity and innovation.  Our office based project manager took advantage of our mock retail facility space to engage in systematic trials to secure the letters.  The results and options were then relayed to the client, and the chosen solution was provided in a project scope to the technicians performing the labor.

The constraints of the project that were overcome included:

1. Work needs to be done after or before mall hours to minimize customer disruption.
   • The Preventative maintenance was scheduled for overnight after-hours with the mall operations manager.
   • Our technicians arrived prior to store closing to introduce themselves to staff and security, and then briefs everyone on the general project scope.
2. Improved attachment of storefront letters must be consistent with current aesthetics.
   • Technician evaluates whether damage exists on wall where letters have been pulled off, and makes necessary painting and patching repairs.
   • Technician removes existing spacers off of the posts on the back of the letters using an allen key.
   • Once the spacers have been removed, technician applies a clear silicone bead to the back of each letter.
   • Using the existing wall holes for alignment, the technician adheres letters flush to wall.
3. Work needs to be completed within 1 week of receiving project.
   • Verification photos (before and after) and detailed project compliance information is sent to client as soon as work is completed prior to deadline.

Summary

Resicom was able to draw upon each of our differentiators.  Our commitment to innovation provided the outlet to devise imaginative trial and error methods to solve this challenge.  We leveraged our communication and technology, providing the client with exacting information as requested.  Our structure supported the disciplined and experienced technicians and project management ready to tackle the challenge.  No matter the emergency, Resicom relishes the opportunity to tackle challenges with creativity to restore our client’s normalcy.

CASE STUDY

A national retailer had a flagship location was about 4 years old with an 80’ x 26’ marketing piece that needed to be updated. The design of this store did not take into consideration space needed to change the marketing pieces. We were hired in a consulting capacity and were then hired to execute the project. Here is a brief description of how we solved this project. 

Scope
The scope of work needed to develop this solution included:

1. Meet with the client and listened to their needs.
2. Consult with store on time-frame allowed for this change-out.
3. Analyze how the marketing piece was originally hung.
4. Create a system so this marketing piece can be changed more easily and often.
   1. Carefully take down and package the existing marketing piece for unique re-use and recycling
   2. Remove, analyze and repair the top bracket for re-use (take down and install).
   3. Install the new marketing piece better than the original – no wrinkles or waves.
   4. Put old marketing piece in the new piece’s shipping tube

Challenges
The constraints of this project included:

1. Change-out needs to be completed with-in 3 days.
2. Availability to complete this was the one day the store had a scheduled overnight.
3. A key was needed to unlock the mechanism – which no one has used/seen in 4 years.
4. Remove the existing bottom weight while working in the tight glass box.

Solution
We understood that our client treated their marketing wall as a high priority and wanted it looking up to brand standard at all times. We also knew that the only possible solution was to completely meet every intention and purpose the client gave us. Our solution included:

1. Locate the key and keep in our possession until the change-out was completed.
2. Create a platform to work on above the tight glass box for proper removal of the bottom weight.
3. Tightly rolling up old marketing piece in small increments by hand to place in new shipping tube.
4. Top bracket was removed and drilled through at strategic locations for optimum effect and continued use.
5. Temporary adhesive was placed on the new piece for proper placement on areas to be drilled for top bracket.

Summary
There are instances when store design hinders on-going operations. We work with our clients to create approaches and processes that allow the store to be successful in executing its intentions. Thorough planning and preparation helped turn this challenge into a success.

CASE STUDY

A retailer introduced a new concept store. The initial roll-out was four stores, each of them high profile. Separate general contractors had been hired to build them. A problem developed at one location when the retailer wanted to institute their preventative maintenance program. When the client sent in their maintenance contractor to touch up, the specified paints did not match. This maintenance contractor told the retailer that they needed to repaint the store to the current spec because there was no way to figure out what material was used, therefore, there was no way that areas could be touched up. We were called in for a second opinion.

Scope
The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Create options for the client
   1. Find out what material was originally used so that a plan can be developed using off spec material
   2. Provide pricing to repaint the store up to the correct spec
2. Supply and store appropriate material per direction of client to maintain this store

Challenges
The constraints of this project included:

1. This was a high profile store that needed to be corrected immediately.
2. The relationship between the retailer and the general and painting contractors had soured and therefore the contractors were not cooperative.
3. Our client had no leverage to backcharge the original contractors to repaint the store. The money needed to correct the problem was not budgeted for, so it needed to go through a longer approval process.

Solution
We understood that our client was in a difficult situation and that we needed to create options for them. Our solution included:

1. Contacting the general contractor and painting contractor to get the necessary information. They were adamant about not helping us. We pleaded with them. No information was given.
2. Finding out more about the painting contractor. We found out where they were based and where they performed work.
3. Visiting all the nationwide and local paint supply companies within 20 miles of the mall and to ask if they have any paint spec for this job.
4. Finding a small paint store near the mall that had draw downs for all the surfaces. The material used was not what the retailer had specified. They were close color matches using different materials.
5. Ordering small quantities of all of the products to test them in the store on the surfaces that needed to be touched up.
6. Reviewing the specified material to look into sourcing it in case the client wanted to repaint it. We found out, unbeknown to the client, that this material was a specialty product that was produced and distributed out of only one location in the country, despite the manufacturer having many locations nationwide. We informed the client of this situation and the potential difficulty it presented on a go forward basis.
7. Testing the off spec materials to ensure they matched.
8. Providing costs on both options to the client.

Summary
Clients and vendors need to have a partnership type of relationship. In a true partnership, each side will dedicate themselves to helping the other. We could not accept that our client was out of options. There was no way of finding out what paint was used was not an acceptable situation for us, regardless of the soured relationship between the client and their original vendor. We tried first to reason with the painting contractor. Once that did not work, we did a little reconnaissance work to find out where he purchased the material. In the end, we were able to give our client the information to make their decisions. We were able to give them options.

CASE STUDY

A retail chain was replacing display nesting tables in all of their 130 stores from wood to metal and glass. The stores did not have the storage space to house the new and existing fixtures at the same time.

Scope
The scope of work needed to execute this project included:

1. Verify which stores were to get which quantity of tables, nesting 3 sizes of cube shaped tables.
2. Arrange for trucking company to deliver in regional batches.
3. Coordinate with the store to have merchandise removed and ready to merchandise new fixtures.
4. Remove and dispose of old fixtures and packaging while freight company was delivering new fixtures..
5. Ensure that trucks had lifts to lower fixtures from truck.

Challenges
Some of the constraints of this project included:

1. Most stores lacked storage space to house the new fixtures.
2. Some stores wanted to keep a few of the old fixtures, which would have caused a space issue in the stock room.
3. Some malls loading zones were occupied by other delivery trucks.
4. The delivery company truck drivers had been driving all night and were fatigued in the morning when the exchange was to take place.
5. In a few instances, the mall security office did not communicate to the morning shift that this was to take place, delaying the process.

Solution
We understood that all parties involved needed to work together to keep the project going smoothly. Our solution included:

1. Communicating with all involved parties, giving them contact info, procedures, etc. to ensure the project went smoothly.
2. Working as a liaison with the mall, store managers and security to ensure they were flexible.
3. Coordinating with store managers to ensure deliveries would be properly received.
4. Coordinating with the freight company to provide in store delivery where necessary.
5. Assessing responsibility for damage – all replacement costs of broken glass components were shared by the freight company and the fixture provider, since it was difficult to determine who was at fault.

Summary
Fixture replacement projects depend on great organization to run smoothly. By rolling out an organized, well communicated plan, we were able to achieve success. We also recognized that regardless of the amount of planning, each store delivery could be met with unique challenges, therefore we created a 24 hour hot line for the stores to call for guidance, helping keep the project on track.