In the world of fleet graphics, there are “big projects,” and then there are projects that redefine the limits of what a team can actually accomplish. For us, that project was the FedEx fleet rollout. We weren’t just wrapping a few dozen vans in our shop; we were managing a massive logistical operation that required us to live, breathe, and sweat (quite literally) the FedEx brand for four and a half months.
When the contract hit the desk for 4,520 Mercedes Sprinter units, we knew this wasn’t going to be a standard walk in the park. By the time the dust settled—and after a few shipping containers unfortunately tipped into the ocean—we had completed exactly 4,500 units. Here is the story of how we pulled off one of the highest-volume fleet installations in the country.
The Logistics of an Assembly Line
To hit the numbers required for a rollout of this scale, we couldn’t work from the comfort of our home base. We moved our operations directly into the client’s Specialty Outfitter warehouse. This wasn’t a static install environment; it was a living, breathing assembly line.
Our team of five installers was stationed in a dedicated section of the warehouse. The rhythm was relentless. Every hour, like clockwork, the outfitter’s team would pull completed Sprinters out and cycle fresh, naked vans into our bays. To meet the deadline, we had to turn 50 vehicles a day. That breaks down to 10 or 11 units per installer, every single day, for 18 weeks straight.
In this environment, you don’t just “apply a sticker.” You become a machine. You learn the curves of a Mercedes Sprinter so well you could wrap one blindfolded. I used to joke with the new guys on the crew: “The first fifty are the hard part. After that, it’s all downhill.” By unit 1,000, they realized I wasn’t just being witty—it was the truth.
Surviving the 116-Degree Warehouse
If the schedule wasn’t enough of a challenge, the North Carolina summer decided to join the party. Inside that warehouse, the air stopped moving, and the temperatures soared. We weren’t just fighting the clock; we were fighting an indoor climate that regularly hit 116 degrees Fahrenheit.
Installing vinyl at those temperatures is a specialized skill in itself. Vinyl becomes aggressive and “tacky” in extreme heat, meaning you have zero room for error. If you misplace a graphic in 116-degree heat, it’s staying there. Our team had to maintain surgical precision while essentially working inside an oven. It takes a certain kind of grit to maintain a “Lion Forward” mentality when your boots are practically melting to the warehouse floor, but that is exactly what we did.
Proprietary Colors and the “Cut and Weed” Method
A fleet like FedEx doesn’t just want their logo on a van; they want brand immortality. To achieve the longest possible lifespan for these graphics, we didn’t use standard digital prints. Instead, we used FedEx proprietary colors in a traditional “cut and weed” application.
By using solid-color films that are pigment-dyed through the entire material, we ensured that the vibrant oranges and purples wouldn’t fade after a year of sun exposure. This method is more labor-intensive—requiring precise weeding of excess material before application—but it’s the industry gold standard for longevity. When you see those 4,500 Sprinters on the road today, they look as sharp as the day they left the warehouse because we prioritized the right materials over the easiest ones.
4,500 Units and the “Lost 20”
People often ask why the final count was 4,500 when we were contracted for 4,520. In a bizarre twist of global logistics, we learned that a shipping container fell off a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean. Twenty of those Mercedes Sprinters are currently at the bottom of the Atlantic.
While we can’t account for the units that went overboard, we can certainly account for the ones that went through our bays. Out of 4,500 units installed under extreme conditions at a breakneck pace, we only had issues with two units.
Let that sink in: two units. That is a 0.04% defect rate. In the manufacturing and service world, that is almost unheard of. It is a testament to the precision, accuracy, and sheer installation ability of our team. We don’t just aim for “good enough” to get the job done; we aim for a level of consistency that protects our client’s investment and our own reputation as industry leaders.
Why This Matters for Your Business
You might not have 4,500 vans. You might have three. But the reason companies like FedEx and major outfitters trust us is that they know if we can handle the logistics of 4,500 units in 116-degree heat with a 99.96% success rate, we can handle anything.
We bring that same level of “Lion Forward” intensity to every project—whether it’s a specialized gaming trailer, a custom boat renovation, or a local service fleet. We have the technology, the experience, and the stamina to ensure your brand is represented perfectly, every single time.
Ready to turn your fleet into a high-performance marketing asset? Whether you have a fleet of 5 or 5,000, we’re ready to get to work. Reach out to us today, and let’s talk about how we can make your brand impossible to ignore.
