PVL: Preview Vehicle Livery
High conspicuity emergency vehicle livery
technical :: Materials
There are 3 main brands of conspicuity (retro-reflective) material generally available and used by the emergency services and (where lighting regulations permit) may be used on highways, escort and recovery vehicles amongst others.
The materials are identifiable by the distinctive markings within their construction as shown in the illustration below:
Both the 3M and Nikkalite products require edge sealing to prevent water ingress into the cell-structure, Reflexite does not.
Conspicuity materials were generally developed for road sign application and therefore intended for flat surface applications. They will not conform to complex curvatures or swage lines or recessed panel edges. For vehicle application, we carefully template the intended vehicle area and break the coverage into smaller parts to ensure that the material adhere properly - this is why you often see large panels broken into smaller sections or see splits where swage lines occur.
Engineering Grade Reflective & Fluorescent materials from Nikkalite, 3M, Avery and other manufacturers are supplied in a range of colours for applications where conspicuity materials are not legal, too costly or unsuitable for other reasons.
We have produced a FREE, downloadable guide to the products available and the relevant colour codes, available here. Alternatively, if you require physical samples of the materials to help with your requirements, please contact us.