We recently completed a six-vehicle graphics project for SUEZ and Somerset Council, applying new educational messaging panels to a fleet of specialist food waste collection vehicles.
The vehicles, manufactured by Italian bodybuilder Irdie and fitted to DAF chassis cabs, are designed specifically for food waste collection and play an important role in Somerset’s recycling operation.
Rather than focusing purely on branding, this project was all about communication, helping explain what actually happens to food waste once it’s collected from households across the county.
The graphics show how food waste collected in Somerset is turned into clean green energy and fertiliser through anaerobic digestion, helping residents better understand the recycling process and the environmental benefits behind it. Somerset Council has also highlighted that recycling food waste helps reduce disposal costs and keeps unnecessary waste out of general refuse streams. Each vehicle featured large educational side panels supplied using Somerset Council artwork, alongside messaging designed to encourage residents to make better use of their weekly food waste collections.
Due to the specialist nature of the vehicles, extra care was needed during installation. A number of manufacturer and operator safety decals had to be removed before wrapping work could begin. These were carefully photographed, documented and reapplied over the finished graphics to ensure the vehicles remained fully health and safety compliant once completed.
All six vehicles were wrapped on-site in Bridgwater in a single day to minimise downtime and get the fleet back into operation as quickly as possible. For the side panels, we used a durable Arlon polymeric material, a product we’ve used successfully on hardworking waste and municipal fleets for many years due to its proven long-term performance in demanding environments.
The finished vehicles look clean, bright and informative out on the road, helping turn everyday recycling collections into moving public awareness campaigns.
