To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the RBC Heritage Classic at Harbour Town Golf Club in Hilton Head Island, S.C., the PGA and the Local Heritage Classic Foundation wrapped the iconic Harbour Town lighthouse in plaid. As fans of the Heritage Classic know, plaid is symbolic of the plaid jacket awarded to the tournament winner, and the pattern has become an integral part of the event.

The lighthouse, easily recognized by its three red bands, had never been wrapped before, and a team of vendors assembled to make the lighthouse’s transformation a reality. ORAFOL Americas, Inc., a Georgia based company specializing in industrial tapes, manufactured the vinyl for the wrapping. The Kennickell Group, a Global Print Fulfillment company, printed the plaid pattern on the vinyl for the wrapping, and Who Did That, Inc., a professional decal and vinyl installation company, installed the vinyl.

For a seamless installation, Who Did That, Inc. called on Sunbelt Rentals to provide the right equipment solution. Mark Bland, a Sunbelt Rentals sales representative who lives in the nearby town of Beaufort, S.C., met the customer at the golf club to scope out the job site.

Situated between the golf club and a group of oak trees, the lighthouse was not in an easily accessible area, offering very little room for a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) to easily maneuver.

Bland spent the next few hours recording the height of the lighthouse, measuring the height of the trees, and charting the distance between the lighthouse and various spots where a MEWP could sit.

In such a confined area, the goal was to situate the MEWP where it could reach as many sides of the lighthouse as possible. The MEWP would have to offer enough height and flexibility to maneuver up and over the oaks. Cutting them for more direct access was not an option, considering the trees are a cherished symbol of South Carolina lowcountry.

Furthermore, the gravel path leading to the lighthouse was situated along a sea wall. Heavy equipment traveling along the path had to stay in continuous motion. If a 44,000-pound MEWP stopped to reset its course, the sea wall would settle beneath the extreme weight.  So, in addition to selecting the MEWP that offered the most flexibility, Bland was also tasked with charting its course from the truck to its final resting spot.

After scoping the grounds, Bland came up with a solution that utilized two machines for the installation. Bland suggested the customer start with a Genie Z40/23NRJ to wrap the three back panels of the lighthouse. Once those were complete, Bland recommended a JLG 1250AJP for the rest of the install, which offered the necessary height and flexibility for the vendor to access the remaining panels. 

With the equipment selected and its route mapped, the customer was able to quickly install the plaid vinyl, while only moving the 1250AJP twice. Bland was there the day the Sunbelt Rentals truck delivered the equipment and helped the customer move the MEWP safely over the sea wall to its initial spot.

The collaborative effort among our team and our customer, with the additional help of ORAFOL Americas, Inc., The Kennickell Group, and Who Did That, Inc., resulted in a successful, well-dressed lighthouse admired by many for the meaningful 50th anniversary event.