Why We Love Tags, And You Should Too!

Tags come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and materials. They are used for hundreds of different applications that are a part of our everyday lives. One of the main reasons why NB&T loves tags, is because they can be completely customized to meet your identification needs. A few other reasons why we love making tags for our customers is because with proper identification, you can:

  • Quickly identify hazardous material
  • Keep employees safe
  • Comply with regulations and laws
  • Save time
  • Save money
  • Appear professional to customers
  • Keep accurate records
  • Have proper asset management
  • Protect your pets
  • Conduct accurate research
  • And more!

If you need help figuring out which type of tag is best for you, we recommend browsing through our website, checking out past blogs for helpful tips, or calling and talking to one of our sales representatives. Let NB&T be your #1 solution for all your identification needs!

stainless steel barcoded asset tag black asset tag power pole tag rosette rabies tag on dog

What Level of Asset Tracking Do You Need?

Every company has its own way of tracking their assets and inventory. Whether it be by paper or electronically, NB&T can provide a tag solution that will work for you and your system. Follow this simple flow chart with a few basic questions to find out what method of engraving (stamping or laser etching) is best for you. From there, you can see all the tag materials available.

What’s on the tag:

asset tracking tag guide

 

stamped asset tag

Stamped Tag

laser etched asset tag

Laser Etched Tag

hybrid asset tag

Hybrid Tag

 

What material:

Each material is different and has its own specific benefits. We recommend keeping the environment of the tag in mind while choosing your material. Please note that some materials may only come in certain sizes. 

Aluminum: .016” – Plain (silver), flexible, available in limited sizes and up to 6 digits embossed.
Aluminum: .040” – Black UV Stable, guaranteed to last outdoors and in harsh environments for years.
Aluminum: .050” – 1/2 hard temper. (Plain or colored available*)
Aluminum: .064” – 1/2 hard temper. (Plain or colored available*)
Asset Labels: Military-grade 3M™ 7847 polyacrylic matte black stock.
Brass: .014” – Plain, flexible, available in limited sizes and up to 6 digits embossed.
Brass: .036” – Alloy 260 70/30 – 1/2 hard temper
Brass: .040 – Alloy 260 70/30 – 1/2 hard temper
Brass: .064 – Alloy 260 70/30 – dead soft temper
Polyurethane: A durable, yet flexible material, will last outdoors better than vinyl.
Stainless Steel: .031”
 – Type 430 2BA finish (Shiny, attracted to magnet, slightly corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .030” – Type 304 2B finish (Dull, not attracted to magnet, non-corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .048” – Type 304 2B finish (Dull, not attracted to magnet, non-corrosive)
Stainless Steel: .048” – Type 430 2BA finish (Shiny, attracted to magnet, slightly corrosive)
Vinyl: .020″ – A durable, yet flexible plastic material.

*Aluminum Colors: Red, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow, Purple, Turquoise, Gold, Black, White, Plain (Silver)

****SPECIAL MATERIALS MAY BE AVAILABLE. CALL TO INQUIRE****

The Ultimate Barcode Cheat Sheet

Barcodes on tags are a great and easy way to identify assets, inventory, products and more. Different codes hold different types or amounts of information. Check out the barcodes that we offer below to decided which one is best for your application.

QR Code (Quick Response Code)

  • qr code2D Barcode
  • Can contain up to 4,296 alphanumeric characters
  • Typically leads to a website
  • Developed in 1994
  • Can be scanned with a smart phone or 2D scanner
  • Great for promotional uses, walking trails, tree tags, memorial sites and more.

 

Data Matrix

  • data matrix2D Barcode
  • Can contain up to 2,335 alphanumeric characters
  • Great for encoding large amounts of information on a small amount of space
  • Most secure barcode there is
  • Developed in 1989
  • Can be scanned with a smart phone or 2D scanner
  • Great for industrial uses, asset tracking, and any application that requires the tag to hold a lot of information.

 

Linear

  • linear barcode1D Barcode
  • Developed in 1960s
  • Can be scanned with a 1D scanner and most 2D scanners
  • Code 39
    • Can encrypt the alphabet, digits 0-9, and special characters: – “. $ % + –  / *”
    • Uses 9 elements per character (5 bars and 4 spaces)
    • Larger in size
    • Great for encoding short serial numbers
  • Code 128
    • Can encrypt all 128 ASCII symbols
    • Uses 6 elements per character (3 bars and 3 spaces)
    • More space efficient
    • Great for encoding long strings of information
  • Interleaved 2 of 5
    • Used for wing bands
    • Numeric code with up to 6 numbers on band sizes 3, 3.5, 4 (if you want 5 there will be a preceding zero) Up to 4 numbers on size 2.75
    • Can be scanned with a 1D scanner or a smart phone

A Look Back at 2016

It has been an exciting and busy time here at National Band & Tag this year! Besides growing our product lines, we also grew our business with the acquisition of Hasco Tag Company back in May. We are very excited to welcome all our new Hasco customers to the National Band & Tag family, and look forward to providing everyone with identification solutions in 2017!

employees 2016 web

While everyone is excited for New Year’s, first, let’s look back at some of the highlights of 2016:

New Products

  • 505 Ear Tags – This new metal, self-piercing ear tag is the perfect size for sheep, goats, deer, and swine. This ear tag is also used as a Scrapie ear tag for sheep, and is approved by the USDA.
  • Asset Labels – Made of a Military grade 3M™ 7847 polyacrylic matte black stock, labels can be laser cut into any shape or size up to 6” inches. They are completely customizable with logos, text, barcodes and more.
  • Flex-Lok – Hasco’s plastic ear tag line is still available through NB&T.
  • Napkin Rings – Custom napkin rings are perfect for weddings, holiday gifts, and more.
  • New Dog & Cat Tags – We have converted some of Hasco’s dies over and they now have new NB&T style numbers.
  • HIN Tags – Replacement tags should you lose the original or get a new HIN (Hull Identification Number)
  • 1242-22S – A new shorter version of the 1242-22 aluminum Butt-End Band

New Colors

  • Pink Vinyl – Vinyl plant and tree labels are now available in pink!
  • Turquoise Aluminum – Rabies tags, some industrial tags, and butt-end bands are all now available in turquoise!

New Family Member

Back in August we welcomed our 11th family member to the team, Ryan Haas has taken on a sales and account manager role here at NB&T and we look forward to seeing his work next year.

tag makers

Please note our holiday hours: We will be closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s (December 26th – 30th). Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Hybrid Tags

Hybrid tags are some of NB&T’s most unique tags because they feature both engraving methods – stamping and laser etching! We specialize in stamping sequential numbers and laser etching barcodes and logos.

Hybrid tags feature the best of both worlds to provide a completely customized tag. We can have both stamping and laser etching on the same side or do it front and back like the examples below.

What do you think about hybrid tags?

 

hybrid tag stamped and laser etched hybrid tag stamped and laser etched hybrid tag

Call or email for a free quote!

Pricing is based on the size of the tag and the amount of laser etching.

Customized Tags

NB&T has been stamping metal bands and tags for over 113 years. We specialize in stamping sequential numbering and laser etching custom, or non-sequential numbering. When you need every tag to have unique information on it, consider our laser etching service. Laser etching is an affordable alternative to stamping. The surface etching created by the laser is suitable in most environments and applications.

customization on personalized tags

Your list of assets can be etched into individual metal or plastic tags for high visibility, better security, safety, compliance, inspections or just getting things organized to help your employees be more productive! This is an electronic process, thus, we do need data formatted as a simple text file.  Here’s how to transfer your data.

Our .040” black anodized aluminum is UV stable and works great for long term outdoor applications. We also offer a wide variety of colored aluminum products and stainless steel for those special environments that require this metal. And finally, we also offer a wide variety of plastics which are flexible and can take a great deal of abuse.

Although most of the images created on these materials are high contrast (dark image on a light surface or light image on the dark surface), we can creatively adjust the images for a more striking contrast. There are many effects we can use to create the look you are after as well. Please take some time and browse the galleries on our laser etching page. We have created a large display of examples to help our viewers dream up their ideas!

When you buy customized tags from NB&T, we treat every order like they were your business cards. We want you to be happy with them! How can we layout the image to give you the best impact? The best way is for you to sketch or show us a picture of something you would like it to look like. The old saying a picture is worth a 1,000 words applies here! Looking for custom tags to spruce up your place or to show when something was serviced? Give us a try, our team at NB&T will be happy to help you.

Hundreds of tag shapes to choose from!
Every tag can be unique with your custom information!
Sequential and Non-Sequential Numbering are both available!
We also offer detailed logos!
And… Barcodes are our specialty!

QR Code Inventory Management

qr code stickers

QR Coded Stickers

Do you need to keep a single barcode on a particular asset, while also being able to edit the information that the barcode shows when scanned? Then try out our laser etched QR coded tags and labels! Our barcoded tags can help track inventory and assets, as well as hold information such as production yield, maintenance records, notes and anything else you want, because it is all on a webpage!

How it works:

  1. You set up a webpage for each asset and send us the URLs.
    • (Example: nationalband.com/tag-1 = the QR Code on Tag 1, which goes on Asset #1)
  2. We turn your URL into a QR code and put it on your tag, along with any other information you may want on it (logos, serial numbers, phone number, etc.).
  3. Scan the QR code with a smart phone and the web page you made will pop up. Once on your webpage you can edit and add any information about the asset as needed.

If you have any questions on how to make this work for your company, just send us an email explaining your process and what you need to [email protected]!

qr coded tag

QR Coded Tag

June is National Safety Month!

Join National Safety Council and thousands of organizations across the country as they work to raise awareness of what it takes to stay #SafeForLife. Observed annually in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the roads and in our homes and communities.

At National Band & Tag we support safety in the workplace and at home with proper identification for multiple industrial applications. Check out a few of our industrial tags below and how their uses helps keep people safe with proper identification.

  • Asset Tags – Used to identify anything of importance to a company, such as equipment, inventory and machinery. Asset Tags can be customized to be as simple or as complex as you need.
  • Elevator Tags – Used to identify monthly elevator inspections.
  • Lead Apron Tags – Used to identify lead aprons and other lead garments in hospitals. Shows which aprons have and have not had their annual inspection.
  • Plumber Tags – Used to identify shut off points in a home, such as the hot water shut off, main water shut off and gas shut off.
  • Valve Tags – Used to identify valve shut off points, pipe contents and flow direction.
  • Well Permit Tags – Used to identify wells, their permit number, and if they are safe, condemned, etc.
  • Wire Rope & Chain Sling Tags – Used to identify wire ropes and chain slings used for lifting and rigging, and what their work load limits are.

Have you seen any of these tags at work, at home, or while out in your community? To learn more about National Safety Month, check out: http://www.nsc.org.

May is National Electrical Safety Month

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is the premier non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace. Did you know, that over the last ten years, more than 30,000 workers have been injured in workplace electrical accidents? ESFI is the leading authority on workplace electrical safety and recognizes that each work environment presents different electrical hazards.

Here at National Band & Tag we believe in electrical safety in the workplace as well and we are here to help with a selection of proper identification for wires, cables, electrical hazards and more. We serve the electrical industry and keeping those in it safe with proper identification such as Utility Pole Tags to notify line workers of the cables on that pole, or wire markers to inform electricians of what specific wires are connected to.

metal wire markersWe serve electrical industries including, but not limited to:

  • Electrical utility services
  • Electrical engineering consultants
  • Electrical motor manufacturing and repair services
  • Electrical cooperatives
  • Electrical cord suppliers
  • Electric product manufactures
  • Telecommunications
  • Lighting companies
  • Electric distributors

Want to learn more about electrical safety at home and in the workplace? Then check out ESFI at: http://www.esfi.org/

Durable Stainless Steel Identification

stainless steel tags on liquid nitrogen tanksTags that stand up to harsh environments are needed in many industrial applications and whether it be extreme hot or cold, our 304 stainless steel tags can stand up to the task! Below is a picture provided by a customer of our stainless steel tags in their liquid nitrogen tank. They have been very happy with their tags because even when covered in frost, the large, bold, laser etched letters and numbers are still highly visible. This high visibility allows our customers to conduct their research and identify each box in the tank without having to reach in and pull it out.

These tags are one of our most popular tags, style 14, rectangular with rounded corners, 1” x 3” inches. We offer two different thicknesses in this material, .030 and .047. These particular tags also have a 3/16” x 5/16” slot so that they can easily swing around the handle.

What type of environment do you need tags for? We’d be happy to send samples and work with you to find the perfect form of identification for you!

18 Uses for Write-On Tags You May Not Have Thought Of

write-on aluminum tagsOur Write-On Tags can be used for a variety of applications ranging from heavy machinery to plants and trees to electrical wires. With the ability to be engraved with a pen on the spot makes these tags a perfect candidate for those who know they need to identify their assets, but aren’t sure what they want the tag to say yet. Check out these 18 different ways our current customers are using Write-On Tags!

  1. Labeling equipment
  2. Marking wires and cables
  3. Numbering inventory on a shelf in a warehouse
  4. Identifying valves and pipe contents
  5. Labeling large pieces of machinery
  6. Identifying plant species in nurseries and botanical gardens
  7. Labeling flowers and plants for sale at garden centers
  8. Numbering trees for research purposes
  9. Identifying products for different landscaping projects
  10. Labeling furniture for sale
  11. Labeling pottery with artist’s name
  12. Tool checks
  13. Labeling painting assets
  14. Marking fences and gates to be installed
  15. To number RV refrigerators that are ready to be shipped out
  16. Label large industrial fan parts
  17. Home organization designers
  18. Concrete products for construction jobs

Comment below, how do you use Write-On Tags? Share your pictures!

wrap around write on tag

watering can write on tag

copper write on tag

aluminum write on tag

Boat Hull ID Number (HIN) Tags

CLICK TO ORDER YOUR HIN TAG NOW!

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, “More than 13,000 Iowa boat owners will be receiving a letter soon alerting them that their boat hull identification number (HIN) does not comply with U.S. Coast Guard regulations and they have to verify their HIN with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in order to register their boat.” This mistake is from the old manufacturer issuing incorrect Hull Id Numbers (HIN) to boaters. So now, before a boater’s registration expires on April 30, 2016, they will need to contact the Iowa DNR and verify the HIN.

Boaters with incorrect numbers will be required to acquire new HIN tags for their boat, which is where National Band & Tag comes in! Just fill out our quick and easy HIN Tag Form here: https://nationalband.com/hin-tags/ and enter your new hull ID number (12 alphanumeric digits) as well as if you would like 1 or 2 HIN tags for your boat! Our heavy duty non-corrosive stainless steel tags will be custom stamped with your HIN and will last for years on your boat.

Resources:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/DNR-News-Releases/ArticleID/182/Select-Boat-Owners-Need-to-Verify-Hull-ID-Number-to-Register-Their-Craft

hin tags

 

Plumber Tags

main water shut off plumber tagLooking for a durable plumber tag? Do you need a plumber tag that will last? At National Band & Tag, we’ve created great looking, highly visible, semi-permanent plumber tags that come in numerous colors and styles.

Our aluminum Plumber Tags can be custom stamped or laser etched with your company’s info. They can also be packed a couple of ways — either with the spirals attached in a box, or with the spirals unattached in individual plastic bags. Whichever is more convenient for you! These tags are a great alternative to paper tags that tear and deteriorate.

We can make tags for main water shut-off, hot water shut-off, cold water shut-off, gas shut-off, hose bib, rear hose bib, and any other label you may need.

We also proudly contract with New Perceptions, which is an organization for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, to help us assemble our plumber tags when you order them with spirals attached. All their proceeds go to helping fund their not-for-profit.

For pricing and specs, click here. Call us if you have questions or would like to place your plumber tag order today! 859-261-2035

Tongue and Slot Tags

style 1638The slot and tongue pattern on these Aluminum Cable Ties is used to ensure that the tag stays on your wire, cable, pipe, tubing or hose. These tags range in size from the style 1638 at an overall length of 2” inches to the style 1607 with an overall length of 6”. Just wrap the cable marker around your hose, wire, tube, etc. and slide the tongue through the slot for a sturdy identification marker that won’t fall off.  These markers are largely used by the OEM electrical and other electrical industries. Manufacturers of aircraft, controls, cables, wire harnesses, motors, radiators and more have deemed this style of tag the perfect identification marker for their products.

style 1607Made from a .016″ plain aluminum material, these cable ties are both durable and flexible. We currently have a few colors available in specific sizes.

Would you be interested in colored aluminum cable markers? If so, comment below what color and size you would like to see!

What Colors of Aluminum Do We Have?

One question that we receive at National Band & Tag often is about our colored aluminum and what shade it is. You’ll see a chart of the colors we offer below, however, keep in mind that different computers and devices show colors differently. This means a blue tag on your smart phone might look a different shade of blue on your desktop computer.

aluminum colors

Dog, Cat, and Industrial Tag Aluminum Colors

Also, when we purchase our material, there is a certain amount of shade variation from one order to another. One batch of red may not be the same shade of red as another. It usually stays within a certain color range, but we cannot guarantee that the red tag your received last year will be the same exact red you get this year.

The most accurate way to see a color is to request free samples of the styles you are interested in. Our free samples come from overruns of current orders so it is coming from our current material stock. Colors can vary by products as well and by what we have in stock. Please contact a sales representative at 859-261-2035 to find out what colors are available or what can be ordered.

Our aluminum colors for dog, cat, and industrial tags include: plain, red, blue, green, orange, yellow, gold, black, white and purple.

Our aluminum colors for wing bands and poultry products include: plain, red, light red, blue, light blue, green, light green, yellow, orange, light orange, pink, light pink, purple, light purple, brown, light brown, tan, black, gray and white.

aluminum colors for poultry bands

Poultry Bands Aluminum Colors

Industrial & Commercial Industries We Serve

We manufacture a variety of tags for multiple purposes, one of those being the industrial and commercial market. There are hundreds of different industries out there, but below are just a few that we cater to. The majority of these industries are required to accurately identify certain objects by law or regulations set up for the safety of the workers. Other industries have realized the time and money that can be saved with proper identification of assets and inventory.

Industries that we serve:industries we serve

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Appliance manufacturers
  • Athletic Equipment
  • Audio Visual – Media
  • Communication Equipment Manufacturers
  • Computer And Electronic Hardware
  • Construction Equipment
  • Contract Manufacturers
  • Defense
  • Education
  • Electronic Control Systems
  • Electronics
  • Elevator Installers And Manufacturers
  • Energy
  • Equipment Manufacturers
  • Food Processing
  • Furniture Manufacturers
  • Gas Station Equipment Manufacturers
  • Government (Federal, State And Local)
  • Healthcare
  • Industrial & Municipal Plumbing Systems
  • Industrial Appliances
  • Lifting & Rigging
  • Lighting Systems
  • Manufacturing
  • Measurement/Gauging Equipment
  • Medical & Dental
  • Military Vehicles & Equipment
  • Oil & Gas
  • Outdoor Lawn Care Equipment
  • Petrochemical
  • Power Generation
  • Printing & Publishing Equipment
  • Pump Manufacturers
  • Recreation (Including A Wide Range Of Clubs)
  • Recreational & Commercial Vehicles
  • Rigging and Lifting
  • Sanitation Systems
  • Schools
  • Security Systems
  • Tanks And Vessel Manufacturers
  • Telecommunications
  • Transportation
  • Underground Mining Equipment
  • Utilities
  • Valve Manufacturers
  • Warehouse/Distribution Centers
  • Waste Processing Systems
  • Woodworking Machinery Manufacturers

We provide specific tags for certain industries such as chain sling and wire rope tags for the rigging and lifting industry. Also available are general tags such as name plates, asset tags, barcoded tags, anti-pilferage seals, electrical cable markers and more that multiple types of industries use.

What type of tags does your industry call for?

A Look Back at 2015

happy 2015!National Band & Tag Company has had a wonderful 2015! We have introduced new products throughout the year as well as new features for our existing products and more. Check out the links below to see what you might have missed!

New Products

  • Split Ring Chain Sling – Joining our chain sling tag line up, this tag is made of galvanized steel and has a split in the ring that can be welded shut.
  • Plumber Tags – Now available laser etched with boxes that can be written in with a sharpie.
  • Size 14 Bandettes – Our largest sized plastic bandette with a 7/8th inch diameter.
  • Wire Bundles – Customized to the length you need between 3” to 20” inches. Available in 304 stainless steel or galvanized steel.
  • Black UV Cable Ties – These cable ties will stand up to UV exposure, are 18 inches long and come in a 50lb bag.
  • 3/16th hand stamps – Our largest sized hand stamp for letters and numbers so that you can stamp tags yourself.

New Product Features

  • The letter Ñ ñ stamp is now available to be stamped on any band or tag.
  • Laser etched corners and borders can be added to almost any tag to give it a more decorative look.
  • Laser etched inverted logos are a new creative way to show off your company’s logo.
  • Yellow backing on the Write-On Tag (Style 2702) has been removed, the cardboard backing is biodegradable.
  • Zip 892-3 Wing Band, the 1,000 band minimum has been lowered to a 100 band minimum.

New Services

Are there any new products, features or services you would like to see from National Band & Tag in 2016? Just let us know in the comment section below or call us at 859-261-2035!

 

We’d also like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and many blessings in the New Year!

Cable Ties – Wrap Around Styles / Tongue & Slot Styles

cable tiesNeed to organize cables or wire? Need a way of tying them together? Are you required to label cables? Do you need cable markers for security or safety purposes?

We sell Aluminum Cable Ties that come in many styles and sizes to fit your needs. These cable ties come in a tongue and slot pattern or in a wrap around style. The tongue and slot pattern ensures that the tag stays on the wire, cable, pipe, tubing, or hose in use. The wrap around style works just as well, however, these tags utilize fold down flaps instead of a slot and tongue.  These tags can convey the purpose of the wires or a message of caution to ensure safety and so people exercise caution when they see these marked cables. Not to mention, they also keep all your cables, wires, pipes, tubes or hoses very organized.

Check out our Cable Ties and call us today for free samples!

Nameplate Tags In Use

IMG_3062One of our customers, Yellow Springs High School, has a very interesting use for custom laser etched nameplate tags. They sent us the story as well as a photo to show us how they use our product!

Case Study:

“Mr. John Day and Mr. Shawn Jackson, history instructors at Yellow Springs High School, and students taking U.S. History participated in a class project to create a Yellow Springs Historical Trail commemorating people and events from the town’s past. Students researched local history under the theme of “War & Peace” and studied the impacts Yellow Springs had on American History. Topics ranged from Martin Luther King Jr.’s Commencement Speech at Antioch College in 1968 to Marion Ross, an Antioch College student turned Union soldier who won the Congressional Medal of Honor (posthumously) for his participation in a raid to steal a Confederate train.” 

Along the trail, students, as well as the general public, can use their smartphones to learn. They simply come to a trail marker, scan the QR code, and instantly have information at their fingertips. It is a current, relevant, interactive way of learning.

This is just one brilliant example of what our customers use our nameplate tags for. There are others that you can read here.

We love hearing how our tags are in use! How do you use yours?

Blank Tags

hand stamps

Hand Stamp Set – Great for engraving your blank tags!

Did you know that at NB&T any tag or band we make can be produced blank?  On our website, you can view over 150 tag shapes and sizes that come in multiple materials and thicknesses. Buy our blank tags and custom stamp or laser etch them yourself. Blank tags can be used for everything from art and jewelry projects, to identification of equipment, to color coding trees. Need your own stamping set? Check out our Hand Stamps, great for putting serial numbers, dates, and more on your tags.

Want to quickly engrave your own tags as you need them? Try our Write-On Tags! The aluminum tags have cardboard backing to give you a hard surface to “engrave” on. Use a pen or sharp pointed object and write normally on the aluminum to create a readable, engraved look.

Multiple industries need blank tags for multiple reasons. What will you use them for?

 

blank tags

These are just a few of the 150 styles of tags we have. Need a different shape? Click the image to view more options. Still don’t see what you need? Call us! 859-261-2035