ILT is a company specialising in air filtration and air purification technologies, serving industrial and commercial customers across Europe. Its fleet of VW Crafter vans plays a prominent role in its day-to-day operations – yet the branding had remained unchanged for several years. The time had come for a refresh.
We were commissioned to completely redesign the livery for the vans. The guidelines were clear: to modernise the fleet’s visual identity, ensure high visibility on the road, and ensure the design strictly adhered to ILT’s current brand guidelines. As a starting point, we were provided with existing photographs of the vehicles and the brand’s style guide.
The starting point – that is, the materials we received
Before we set to work, we carried out a thorough analysis of the existing graphic design. The previous design was based on a relatively flat composition, in which the ILT logo and contact details were positioned in a conservative manner on the side panels. Whilst it was functional, it lacked visual impact and did not make full use of the van’s surface area as a medium for the brand image.
In addition to reference photographs of the vehicle, ILT provided a comprehensive style guide covering the colour palette, approved typefaces, logo usage guidelines and brand tone. This guide formed the basis for all subsequent creative decisions.
The design process – iterations and exploration
Our process was deliberately iterative. Rather than presenting a single concept, we developed a number of directions – exploring different approaches to surface coverage, colour balance, typographic hierarchy and the use of graphic elements. Each series of concepts was designed to answer a specific question: how prominent should the graphic be, where should the eye be drawn first, and how can we ensure the car is instantly recognisable even at high speed?
Early concepts tested an approach based on partial coverage, using ILT’s blue colour on the lower part of the bodywork and clean, white panels on the upper part. Subsequent iterations moved towards fuller coverage, using graphic elements drawn from ILT’s visual identity to create a wrap that felt dynamic without being overloaded.
The most important design decisions taken during this process included:
- Positioning of the logo and slogan: Great importance was attached to the placement of the ILT logo and the brand slogan ‘Reine Luft, garantiert’ (Clean air, guaranteed) on the opposite rear doors – so that both elements were clearly visible and did not clash with one another.
- Contact details: The website (ilt.eu) and telephone number were treated as secondary information and presented in dark grey rather than black – which helps maintain legibility whilst avoiding visual clutter on both sides of the vehicle.
- Panel design: The bodywork of the VW Crafter is characterised by distinct, embossed grooves running along the sides. The graphic design has been adapted so that key elements of the logo and text do not overlap directly with these grooves, thereby maintaining the visual consistency of the graphics once applied.
- Fleet numbering: The markings for service vehicles (‘Servicewagen’ and vehicle number ‘01’) were centred on a common baseline on both sides of the vehicle, ensuring a consistent and orderly appearance for the entire fleet.
- Modifications on the driver’s side: The driver’s side panel does not have a sliding door and therefore lacks a handle strip – the graphic has been specifically adapted to this configuration, rather than being a direct mirror image of the passenger side.
Approved project
The final design covers a significant portion of the vehicle, making full use of the Crafter’s large, largely flat side panels. The ILT blue colour forms a solid foundation for the design, and the brand’s visual language extends across the entire bodywork in a thoughtful, rather than overloaded, manner. The rear of the vehicle has been treated as a separate composition – the logo, advertising slogan and vehicle number each occupy their own clearly defined areas, legible from a distance.
Following approval by the ILT team, all graphics were prepared in accordance with the production specifications: in the correct size, taking into account bleed and the colour profiles set for large-format printing.
Manufacture and assembly
Once the design had been approved and the files prepared, the order was passed on to a professional vehicle wrapping contractor. This stage marks a crucial moment in any fleet visual identity project – the designer’s role shifts from leading the creative process to ensuring that the production partner has everything necessary to faithfully execute the wrap.
The installer worked from our print-ready files, applying the wrap using high-quality cast vinyl to ensure a perfect fit to the van’s curves, edges and panels. The result is a finish that retains its quality both in direct sunlight and when viewed from various distances – from pedestrians on the pavement to motorists on the motorway.
Outcome of the work
ILT’s branded delivery vans are now a prominent and trustworthy presence on the roads. The new livery means that the ILT brand goes beyond mere branding to become an active marketing tool – every journey undertaken by a delivery van is an opportunity to showcase the brand’s expertise and reliability.
This project is a good example of how a well-thought-out vehicle design goes beyond simply placing a logo on the door. It requires an understanding of how the graphics interact with the body panels and architectural details, how the design is perceived at different scales and speeds, and how to balance creative ambitions with the practical constraints of print production and installation.
