New Jersey Wrap Shop Fills a ‘Weird Little Niche’ With Big-Vehicle Wraps

This article on Big-Vehicle Wraps originally appeared in the September 2026 issue of THE SHOP magazine.

Editor’s note: The following case study was provided by Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions as an example of a unique profit path in the wraps and graphics market.

Sean Flanagan, owner of Always A Good Sign, knows about passion, commitment and challenge.

In his youth, it was soccer. He honed both his footwork and his work ethic in his backyard, played in travel leagues and won a state championship in high school. Flanagan went on to play at Lock Haven University, then professionally with teams in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

After hanging up his cleats, Flanagan devoted his energy to multiple careers: marketing for a travel company, working as a casino host and selling pharmaceuticals. In 2008, he partnered with his father to cofound Always A Good Sign.

The duo set up shop in a 2,100-square-foot space in southern New Jersey and soon joined the Signworld community, which helped them get set up with equipment and other necessities required to run a bustling sign shop. Signworld continues to be a resource—providing support, buying power and networking opportunities while allowing Always A Good Sign to work independently.

TELEVISION DEBUT

The shop’s first job, a non-paying gig, was for the TV show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Flanagan and his father provided site signage for one of the show’s episodes, including those posted around the construction set and surrounding area. The project helped the company get its name out into the marketplace and associate with a nationally recognized brand.

Flanagan always envisioned the business focusing on vehicles. So, as Always A Good Sign (alwaysagoodsign.com) grew, it shifted its focus from general signage to vehicle wraps. Today, the company operates out of a 4,200-square-foot building in West Berlin, New Jersey, with a team of 11 employees.

It’s known for tackling large, complex wrapping projects such as municipal vehicles, dump trucks, garbage trucks, ambulances, oversized food trucks and other nonstandard vehicles.

“We’ve just gotten into this weird little niche,” says Flanagan. “We’re the ones who do the oversized, challenging vehicles. They’re projects that really test your mind, like the dump truck with the oddly shaped fenders, or the home services van with the big, curved hood.”

It’s been a winning strategy. Always A Good Sign’s major accounts include a regional hospital system with an ambulance and support fleet of more than 150 vehicles; a food truck provider requiring 50-60 vehicle wraps annually; and other specialized fleets and agency vehicles in multiple states.

Big jobs like these put the shop’s printing equipment to the test. The company uses two Epson printers and two Graphtec cutters to help optimize its print-then-cut workflow.

Flanagan and the team also rely on Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions. Every vehicle project (weird or not) gets Avery Dennison MPI 1105 EZRS Digital Wrapping Film, which offers high-quality print performance across all digital print technologies. It also features unique Easy Apply technology with controlled initial tack and easy repositionability.

For a team of installers taking on a supersized food truck, for instance, that ease of use is crucial for getting work done efficiently and accurately.

“We’re working with 20- to 30-foot panels sometimes,” says Flanagan, “and the initial tack of the MPI 1105 is really nice because it means the film doesn’t ‘suck in’ and tack to the truck right away. So, we can move it if we have to, or we can pull it back without any issues.”

Always A Good Sign usually pairs MPI 1105 with Avery Dennison DOL 1360Z gloss or DOL 1380Z matte overlaminate. These high-performance materials conform easily and ensure graphics are protected with a choice of finishes ideal for signage, vehicle and fleet applications.

A COMMITMENT TO TRAINING

Commercial fleet projects make up approximately 70% of Always A Good Sign’s work. Most of the remaining 30% is signage. The formula generates recurring revenue streams from fleet churn, accident repair and new vehicle purchases.

“Customers are passionate about their vehicles,” Flanagan says, “so it’s always cool to see how excited they are when the finished product is out on the road, and then to talk to them and hear about what a great return on investment wrapping is.”

Flanagan has carried the Avery Dennison Certified Wrap Installer (CWI) designation since 2015. He’s taken advanced CWI classes multiple times and shares what he learns with his team.

He considers Avery Dennison trainers and representatives as key partners to his business, looking to them for technical support, product guidance and training resources that help the shop execute complex work consistently.

“I’ve probably gone through most of their training classes,” says Flanagan, “and I’ve had a couple of our employees go through some of them as well. It’s always a huge asset for me to be able to bring tips and tricks back to the guys in the shop, show them easier ways to maybe work on a certain panel or a certain part of a vehicle, or tell them about a new tool that they have access to. Avery Dennison’s certification is the hardest to earn. They offer some of the best training classes thanks to the people, the facilities and everything else they use.”

Flanagan also credits the classes for their networking value. Getting to know and trust installers around the country has been particularly helpful, as Always A Good Sign does a healthy share of business outside of the Garden State.

“Building those relationships across the country is so important for our business,” he says. “While we may be in New Jersey, not all of our work is in New Jersey. So, if we have a job in another state, we have that network of CWI installers we can reach out to and get assistance from. And our level of trust in that CWI is going to be a lot higher than in some mom-and-pop shop we don’t know anything about.”

LEARN & NETWORK

Continuous learning and networking are also central to Flanagan’s advice to new installers. He recommends not only in-person training experiences such as Avery Dennison CWI, but online platforms such as the Wrap Institute and Wrap IQ.

He also encourages new installers to pursue projects that truly interest them, even if they do seem “weird.”

Reflecting on his own, nearly two-decade career in the industry, Flanagan emphasizes his passion for the business.

“I feel like a big kid who just plays with stickers all day—oversized stickers,” he says. “It’s fun. I love coming to work every day. You’ve got to be passionate about what you do. If you’re not, don’t do it.”