Embrace gets wrapped up in a sustainable solution from Kavalan

Wide Format Solutions

Embrace Building Wraps in Cheltenham provides a comprehensive project management, print, installation, maintenance, and removal service for large format scaffold wraps, building wraps and printed graphics for site hoardings. Working closely with high profile retail brands, leading construction contractors and development specialists, Embrace noticed an increasing interest for environmentally responsible solutions as industries work towards sustainability goals, aligning with its own commitment to protecting the environment and reducing waste. ‘Our goal is to reduce reliance on PVC and move to more sustainable printable media solutions as the sector’s leader in environmental positivity,’ explained managing director Greg Forster.

The company recently completed one of the world’s largest printed scaffold wraps at Selfridge’s department store in Birmingham, which is one of the UK’s largest outdoor art installations, as well as a range of other large scale projects.

The PVC free product used by the company needed to withstand wear and tear. ‘Our materials need to be very hard working,’ explained Greg. ‘It can’t tear, it needs to be weldable and have Keder edges. We carry out robust testing, and so we needed to test the Kavalan product to ensure it is going to deliver the same quality of print, manufacture and longevity as its PVC counterparts.’

Embrace Building Wraps concluded that Kavalan delivered the same visual appearance and manufacturing process with heat and vibration welding, and the material also passed all a UKAS certified fire test in both in its natural state off the roll and with the company’s chosen cured inks. After successful testing, it was happy to put the material to work on projects with its prestigious partners. Greg explained, ‘If we can use it on a project, we will use it! We offered the PVC- ree alternative and everyone said yes. We are delighted with it, and so are our clients.’

After being approached about an exciting project that involved the regeneration of The Sandhurst Block on the former army barracks in Bordon, with a vision for an installation that celebrates generations of the future, nature, and community, Embrace knew that using Kavalan would be a perfect fit. Following an open call, the winning design includes a vertical garden in the centre of the block, inserted between two giant building wraps. The building’s two wings are also wrapped, and printed site hoardings run around the perimeter of the site, forming a ‘secret garden’.

Embrace planned, printed, and fitted the building wraps either side of the green living wall, and installed are ten 18 square metres and two 12 square metre PVC free wraps attached using Keder rail systems. On the left and right building wings are two of the UK’s largest digitally printed PVC free building wraps using the substrate – both measuring 400 m2.

Greg continued, ‘We were the only organisation to go in there and say, we can offer you a PVC free product, which paid dividends because the customer was really happy with the idea and it helped us secure the project. It is something that is becoming increasingly important to our clients.’

The icing on the cake comes in the form of the Kavalan Eco Calculator, which allows users to enter their product of choice, their preferred unit of measurement and the quantity, and automatically generate the eco savings result. ‘It is a great add on to show our clients, who in turn can add that to their own messaging,’ said Greg.

Embrace Building Wraps was also responsible for the PVC free printed scaffold wrap at Newson’s Yard in London’s Belgravia, for client Grosvenor Estate, resulting in a striking, high quality printed piece of art that expertly disguises the scaffolding on the historic building. Kavalan was also deployed to conceal refurbishment work on the site of leading independent jeweller Allum and Sidaway in Salisbury. The eye catching creative was dripping with gemstones and embodied the luxury and opulence of the brand.

Greg continued, ‘Kavalan is much easier to load up on the print machines, onto the vehicles ready for install, lifting up on the scaffold and hoisting into position. And the same goes on the removal process.’

‘Anybody with a sense of responsibility should realise that if there is an alternative material that performs the same, if not better, and leaves a smaller footprint, it s not rocket science to make the change,’ concluded Greg. ‘If the material is comparable and does the same job as PVC, it is a no-brainer, isn't it?’