Roland R-World Online | Fall 2007

Roland DG Iberia is Poised for Victory
at the Lisboa-Dakar 2008 Rally

BARCELONA, SPAIN - The 30th anniversary of the Lisboa-Dakar Rally is fast approaching and Roland DG Iberia will be there for all the action as an official sponsor of the Roland DG Color Team. A difficult endurance test for everyone involved, this exciting event begins in Lisboa and travels a full 6,000 kilometers through Morocco and Mauritania to the finish line in Dakar.

Manel Aguilar in his workshop, wrapping the Roland DG Color Team car.

Last July, the Roland DG Color Team entered the Baja de Aragón in preparation for the great rally and placed well in the event. For this event, the driver and technical team worked day and night to prepare the official vehicle, a Bowler Wildcat.

Josep Maria Garrofé, official driver for the team and graphic designer, is in charge of creating the corporate image for the team’s vehicle for the Lisboa-Dakar Rally. This image will be showcased in the national trade press as well as on the sector’s most important Web sites.

To create the 4 x 4 graphics, Roland called on the designers at Mat-Wraps, a company that specializes in vehicle graphics. Mat-Wraps production director, Manel Aguilar, brings more than 17 years of graphic arts experience and 5 years specializing in vehicle graphics to his craft.

During a visit to his workshop, he spoke to Roland about the increasing competition throughout the digital printing industry and the need to develop specialized skills.

The GrafiWrap system allows professionals to print on white, self-adhesive film using a solvent printer and to protect prints with an ultra-fine, transparent laminate. The combination of these two materials creates a flexible 90 micron film that conforms to the vehicle like a second skin and is very easy to install. It is also highly durable and resistant to scratches, chemicals, dirt and UV exposure.

To keep up with the demands of today’s fast-paced market, Mat-Wraps has a Roland VersaCAMM SP-300 and SP-540, and recently added a SOLJET PRO III XC-540 for high-volume work. This line-up has given the company the productivity its business demands and will produce all the graphics for the Roland DG Color Team vehicle.

Technical service preparing the Roland DG Color Team car.

Mat-Wraps is a full-service vehicle graphics company offering design and installation services as well as professional training.

The Roland DG Color Team car after the Bajar Aragon Rally.

Mat-Wraps has teamed with Grafityp, also a co-sponsor of the Roland DG Color Team, to conduct training courses throughout Spain for users of the unique GrafiWrap vehicle graphics solution.

This system, developed and distributed exclusively by Grafityp in Spain since 2005, is being used to produce the vehicle graphics for Roland DG Color Team’s Bowler Wildcat. These graphics will be put to the test in January by the harsh environment of the Lisboa-Dakar Rally.

According to Aguilar, “GrafiWrap is the best tool for vehicles like this. Its flexibility allows easier installation over hoods and other complex curves and makes it possible to install the wrap using just one panel for optimum results. GrafiWrap is also very easy to remove.”

With advanced Roland digital printing technology, the GrafiWrap system, an outstanding technical team and experienced driver, Roland DG Color Team will enter the Lisboa-Dakar Rally with all the advantages. Cheer them on to victory in January 2008.