Drytac’s Polar Grip Air polymeric self-adhesive PVC film is the ideal solution when graphics need to be there to stay, whatever the conditions, for up to seven years with a matching laminate. The Ask Agency recently used the vinyl and Weathershield Matt polymeric PVC overlaminating film to produce an eye-catching set of interior graphics for the historic Stonar School in Wiltshire.
Established in February 2025, Ask Agency is the brainchild of experienced industry professionals Peter Copper and Jason Lewis. The Stonar School project was one of the first to come across the desk of Copper and Lewis. Copper had held initial talks with the school 18 months ago while working for another company, and following the launch of The Ask Agency, he got back in touch to see if his new business could be of assistance.
Founded in 1895, Stonar School in Atworth, Wiltshire is an independent day and boarding school, with sculptor Laura Ford and fashion designer Georgia Hardinge among its former pupils. The school was seeking a partner to produce interior graphics to not only inspire students but to also serve as a statement piece to illustrate its approach to education.
‘When we first launched Ask Agency, Stonar was one of the first clients I contacted, and they were only too pleased to work with us,’ Copper said. ‘They didn’t have the budget to be able to re-plaster the entire Beaufort building, so wanted a piece that could be applied direct to the walls and be versatile enough to work around multiple pipes, electrical conduits and other obstacles, and still have the ‘wow’ factor.’
To ensure this desired finish, material choice was of critical importance. Copper and Lewis had already spoken with Mark De Lancey, Regional Sales Manager at Drytac, about working together through the new business, and were aware of Drytac’s solutions. Having also enlisted the help of Jason Summers, Managing Director of Unify Designs, a local provider of signs and graphics, they identified Polar Grip Air paired with Weathershield Matt as the ideal solution. The materials were purchased through Drytac’s exclusive UK and Ireland stockist, Premier, ensuring fast access and local support.
Engineered with air release technology, Polar Grip Air is easier to apply than traditional Polar Grip, allowing users to permanently apply graphics to surfaces such as metal, plastic, wood, glass and brick. When paired with a matching laminate, such as Weathershield Matt, it offers up to seven years of durability across both interior and exterior applications.
‘Having spoken to De Lancey about the Stonar project, we were very interested in learning more about Drytac and were invited to their HQ in Bristol for a tour,’ Copper said. ‘We were very impressed and when the project got the go ahead, we worked with Drytac to identify the best product for the application.
‘As the client wanted the protection of a lamination, and we were keen to offer something that would stand the test of time, we opted for the polymeric option of Drytac Polar Grip Air paired with the Weathershield Matt. This gave us an agressive, high-performance adhesive option to put our name to.’
Unify Designs printed and cut the graphics in-house working with its HP Latex 800 printer and EasyMount wide-format laminator from Vivid Laminating Technologies. While some of the walls were uneven and the placement of old pipes and electrical elements posed certain challenges, a combination of materials from Drytac and the immense knowledge of experts working on the project led to a successful installation.
‘The customer was over the moon with the results,’ Copper said. ‘Having been such a long process to get the graphics project finalised and installed, they appreciated the effort we had gone to in making their lives easier on the artworks, the multiple site visits we undertook, and the care and attention we took in not only working around the children, as it was installed on a school day, but also ensuring that the installation was completed before their May Open Day.
‘The feedback from the marketing team, the school’s Headmaster and from the students and faculty has been great, and we’re in line to help on future projects across the school.
‘I can’t recommend Drytac and their products highly enough. They are great on adhesion and easy to work on wall mounted projects; they take to the walls well, and the support we had from the team was unreal.’
MIDCOMP
+27 10 020 9999
consumables@midcomp.co.za
http://www.midcomp.co.za
