National Band & Tag Co. A Family Owned and Operated Business Since 1902	2009 Decade Winner Tri-State Family Business of the Decade 2005 Winner Tri-State Family Business of the Year Award by University of Cincinnati Goering Center for Family Business
The Founders Joseph Haas     1878-1967 & Sons Fred E. Haas, Sr.   1901-1971 Elmer J. Haas, Sr.   1903-1969	The Retirees Donald J. Haas Retired 1995 Fred E. Haas, Jr. Retired 2004 Joseph D. Haas Retired 2008 National Band & Tag Company Mission Statement National Band & Tag Company's mission is to provide to our customers the best source for identification tags, to produce a top quality product at the lowest possible price with the best service. We will expand our sales base by continuing to concentrate on our existing markets, as well as developing new markets that are compatible with our current manufacturing capabilities and by pursuing new technology related to the identification field. This will build a strong, profitable business to perpetuate the company for the benefit of the family, future generations of the family, and our dedicated employees.
The Family Today Eric A. Haas President (Seated 2nd) Faye Haas Wendel Secretary/Treasurer, Personnel (Seated 3rd) Kevin A. Haas Vice-President, Laser, R&D (Standing 5th) Fred E. Haas,III (Trey) Operations (Standing 4th) Joe D. Haas, Jr Purchasing/Office  (Standing 3rd) Brad C. Haas Production  (Standing 2nd) Sean C. Haas Production (Standing 1st) Christine Haas Schwalbach Administrative Assistant  (Seated 1st)

    

National Band & Tag Company was founded in 1902. On August 15, Joseph Haas of Newport, KY, much like other pioneers of that period, opened a small shop in an abandoned barn at 71 Hooper Street in Clifton, KY. Haas intended to manufacture poultry leg and wing bands. He knew little about poultry farming, but had been informed that breeders were improving their flocks and it was necessary to use some sort of marker to distinguish one fowl from another. Visualizing the possibilities of a new industry, Haas went to work designing a few patterns of bands, crude at first, but with recommendations from customers and experimental projects, he was able to come up with bands that worked. Ads were placed in Poultry magazines, and although he had no competition, orders were slow. By 1914, the business began to grow. In order to keep up with the increase in business he moved to 720-722 Orchard Street, Newport, KY. Other animal identification tags were added to the product line, including livestock tags marketed under the Hasco name.  Over the years more property was acquired around this site and today National Band & Tag occupies almost the entire block between Orchard and York and 7th & 8th Streets.

Now in the 4th generation of the family, the business employs around 50 people and sells animal identification products all over the world. Perhaps the most unusual product is National's Chicken Sunglasses. These small glasses with red lenses were designed to be held on the chicken's beak with a cotter pin through the nostrils of the bird. As a cannibalistic animal, chickens are provoked by the sight of blood and will peck at each other, eventually killing off much of the flock. These red lenses prevented chickens from seeing the red blood and calmed their behavior.   These have not been manufactured for many years and we do not have any available for sale.  These glasses are now considered a collector's item.

This is from a page from our catalog from 1940.  We no longer make these and they are not available for sale.

Click here for a 1947 Paramount Newsreal about the chicken glasses!

Products today include a complete assortment of Poultry leg and wing bands, Bands used for Conservation - Duck Bands, Raccoon, Ostrich; Zoo animals, Research animals, Livestock Identification, as well as a line of Industrial Tags and even Plant Labels. Many of our tags, while designed for a particular animal use, can be used for other purposes as well. One example is using our dog tags as City Vehicle tags attached to the license plates. Our latest endeavor is Laser Engraving Bar Codes on our tags in order for our customers to take advantage of the efficiencies that computerization brings to their projects.

Click here to watch the Hometown Series Video produced by WCPO about our company - (Large file - about 8MB - may take some time to download)

National Band and Tag Company
721 York St., P.O. Box 72430
Newport, KY 41072-0430
Phone: (859) 261-2035 Fax: 800-261-TAGS (8247)
E-Mail: tags@nationalband.com