AN ARRIVING B727 L WINGTIP WAS DAMAGED DURING ARR AT THE GATE. A CATERING TRUCK INFRINGED UPON THE ARR AREA. THE MARSHALLER WAS STILL GIVING THE COME-AHEAD SIGNAL WHEN THE CATERING TRUCK AND WINGTIP CONTACTED. ACFT DAMAGED.

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WE WERE JUST COMPLETING OUR FLT FROM SMF TO ORD. WE HAD LANDED AT ORD AND WERE TAXIING TO OUR GATE VIA THE 'N PORT.' AS WE ENTERED THE N PORT OF OUR TERMINAL; WE STOPPED PERPENDICULAR TO THE LEAD-IN LINE OF THE GATE IN ORDER TO ALLOW AN ACFT TO TAXI AWAY FROM OUR GATE. AFTER THE OTHER ACFT DEPARTED THE GATE AREA; WE CONTINUED TO TAXI AND BEGAN A R TURN TOWARDS THE GATE. THE PARKING AREA APPEARED TO BE CLR OF ANY OBSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER; I POINTED OUT TO THE CAPT THE PRESENCE OF A CATERING TRUCK OFF THE L SIDE OF OUR ACFT. THE CAPT ACKNOWLEDGED SEEING THE TRUCK; AND WE PROCEEDED TO TAXI VIA MARSHALLER'S COMMAND (COMPANY MECH). WE TAXIED SLOWLY INTO THE GATE AREA ON THE YELLOW TAXI LINE USING THE MARSHALLER'S GUIDANCE. AT THIS POINT; THE CATERING TRUCK WAS NO LONGER IN MY FIELD OF VIEW. A FEW FEET SHORT OF THE NORMAL PARKING POINT WE FELT A VIBRATION AND SLIGHT AIRPLANE SHUDDER. THE CAPT STOPPED THE ACFT AND SET THE PARKING BRAKE. A FEW SECONDS LATER; OUR MARSHALLER LEFT HIS POS AND WALKED OUT OF VIEW UNDER THE L SIDE OF OUR ACFT. THE LAST COMMAND WE RECEIVED BY THE GUIDEMAN; BOTH PRIOR TO AND AFTER THIS VIBRATION; WAS THE PULL-FORWARD SIGNAL. WE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT OUR COMPANY RAMP CTLR IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE RAMP CTLR WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. A FEW MINS LATER; THE JETWAY PULLED UP AND OUR PAX DEPLANED THE ACFT NORMALLY. AFTER COMPLETING OUR PARKING CHKLIST; WE EXITED THE COCKPIT AND DISCOVERED THAT A CATERING TRUCK HAD CONTACTED AND DAMAGED OUR L WINGTIP. MY RECOMMENDATIONS: PROVIDE BETTER TRAINING TO CATERING TRUCK DRIVERS AND ALL GND PERSONNEL. PAINT 'CLRWAY' LINES IN THIS GATE AREA. IT'S ONE GATE OF ONLY A FEW WHICH DOESN'T HAVE THE RED LINES ON THE GND. USE WINGMEN TO ASSIST GUIDEMAN IN PARKING ACFT; NOT JUST PUSHING ACFT BACK FROM THE GATE.