GLIMMA partnered with Aura Brand Solutions to deliver a world-first rail livery solution for Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), designed to tackle the unique challenges of the desert environment. The project involved applying a high-resilience exterior wrap to a SAR power car as part of a live-service trial to assess material performance under extreme operating conditions.
The newly branded power car entered passenger service on January 22nd, with a triple-layer vinyl wrap developed using cutting-edge 3M film technology. This specialist construction was engineered to resist sand erosion and maintain visual quality over time – two critical factors for SAR’s fleet operating across the desert terrain.
Installing the new livery required a complete strip of the previous wrap, removal of adhesive residue, and careful surface preparation. GLIMMA’s team then applied the base graphics, followed by a top protective layer designed to shield against abrasive sand and UV exposure. Roof panels were repainted and also wrapped using specialist 3M protective film to complete the installation.
This technically complex project was 18 months in the making, with extensive coordination between GLIMMA, Aura Brand Solutions, SAR’s fleet team, and 3M. The trial will validate the effectiveness of the new material in real-world service conditions, supporting a potential rollout across the full SAR fleet.
“We are delighted with the result of this work and look forward to validating its higher wear and greater resilience in our service trial.” — Rashed Al Harbi, Senior Fleet Manager, SAR
“The project’s logistics have been challenging, but working in partnership with our sister company GLIMMA allows us to deliver complex projects globally. The finished product looks incredible, and I’m extremely proud of the team involved.” — John Bekalo, Head of Rail, Aura Brand Solutions
