What could possibly be better than that electrifying and energising jolt of endorphins after a nice, long run?! Considering only a select few people actually enjoy this form of physical activity, some other motivation, after up to a gruelling 42 kilometres in this case, would probably be much more appropriate. Perhaps seeing an attractive and glorious finish line, in the form of a blow up arch, would be more appealing?
A man named Jason from the organising committee for the annual Alice Springs Running Festival called to ask the team here at Inflatable Anything to provide just that extra bit of motivation for their 2016 walks, fun runs, half-, and full-marathon events. We could not wait to team up with them to promote habits that lead to happier and healthier lives!
Looking to Level Up
The previous blow up arch the client was using for these events worked out perfectly fine for their overall purposes of course, but it just didn’t quite capture what they were ultimately going for. The plain white material didn’t stand out enough against the Northern Territory backdrop for their liking.
This community-focused festival meant to promote the benefits of movement, regardless of ability level, deserved so much better, and we couldn’t have agreed more. Since it was basically just a replacement, the client already had a crystal clear idea for what they wanted in its place. The perfect Alice Springs Marathon blow up arch called for the same basic structure, but standing at 3 meters high and 5 meters wide, with stabilising 1 meter long T feet, in a more vibrant and inspiring colour—blue. Now, it was just up to us to bring this idea to life!
An Elite Unit
The blue sewn-PVC was standard enough for our company, and really cut down on the overall costs for this blown up arch, but the quality of this material provided some great added benefits that were a bit perfect for this kind of event. Out of all the materials we use, polyvinyl chloride is one of the most durable, thanks to the polymer’s resistance to tearing, temperature extremes, and UV damage. It’s also a favourite for many products because of how light-weight, easy to store, and portable it tends to be. Using PVC for a blow up arch really gives it a nicer, glossier finish as well.
There are multiple benefits and disadvantages to sewing PVC as opposed to welding it that we had to consider for this project. Although a welded seam is generally more durable and leak-proof, sewing can give a unit much more flexibility, which is ultimately what the client prioritised. This blow up arch had to be built to last!
Rounding that Final Lap
This particular unit was still not complete, though. Most events solicit sponsorships, and this was no different. We were requested to also include the option to Velcro on custom made banners to the blow up arch, to advertise them to the community they best serve.
We know from experience that the best printing quality would be on our polyester fabric, due to its density in the fibres. However, we know this organisation wasn’t looking for any old Band-Aid level fix. They wanted to provide the very best, long-term solutions for their community. Instead of just the event name promotional and current sponsors’ banners, we also went ahead and produced matching blue polyester banners, in the off-chance that future running festivals secured fewer sponsorships.
A Test of Endurance
The ease of communication between ourselves and the client, in addition to our expertise in problem-solving and constructing inflatables, ensured that the entire process went smoothly and quite quickly. Before we knew it, we were already moving swiftly through our quality control protocols and preparing our product for shipment and prompt delivery.
Despite having the foresight to invest in extra PVC banners, in the end, the starting / finishing line arch came in under budget and made its way safely to the client right in time for that year’s festival.
In the years since, this blow up arch has been used over and over again, and we here at Inflatable Anything are so pleased about how well our product served this client and this community! As anticipated, the organising committee continues to come back to us year after year for their new set of custom banners, because they know they can trust our standards of quality and care.
Contact our experienced team today to take your next event the extra mile!
