In this SJA Exclusive, Eve Goode, Assistant Editor investigates the collaboration and partnership between Weldon, Williams & Lick (WW&L) and Nedap on the creation of a hang tag design portal which aids companies in the creation of unique hang tags for access control.

This Q&A includes answers from Ron Wilson, President at WW&L, Curtis Dennis, Head of Sales Operations and Strategic Accounts at Nedap and Nate Leech, Head of North and Latin American Commercial Strategy at Tuxen & Associates (Nedap’s partner).

Can you walk me through the process of how the online portal works?

Wilson: We’ve designed the portal to be as user-friendly as possible for all types of users, whether they’re a Nedap integrator, distributor or end user.

The order process begins with Nedap, where each implementation has unique encoding requirements that are determined upfront.

During the order process, customers decide whether they want to use a standard Nedap tag design or create a custom tag.

Based on their choice, the order is routed accordingly, allowing us to handle both generic and custom tags.

Once the order is completed, all tags are sent to us for production. Generic tags enter the production process immediately, while custom tags follow a different path.

When Nedap finishes processing a custom order, the design is electronically transferred to us, triggering a notification for the customer with a link to begin the design process.

In the design portal, users are guided through a series of simple prompts where they can upload their images, logos, set color schemes and adjust the placement of the barcode.

The portal provides real-time previews of changes, making it easy for users to adjust their designs.

Once the design process is complete, the user can download a proof of the tag to print and view it in its actual size.

They can go back and forth between the proofing and design process until they are satisfied, then approve the design for production.

Users can also reuse previously created designs, starting from the old design and making further edits if needed.

How does the use of hang tags and stickers allow for enhanced security and access management?

Dennis & Leech: Hang tags and stickers play a crucial role in enhancing security and streamlining access management by providing both functional and visual benefits.

Custom art tags, in particular, are designed with unique artwork, colors and logos that are difficult to duplicate, creating an added layer of security against unauthorized reproductions.

This customization ensures that only authorized users have access, reducing the risk of counterfeiting or fraudulent entry.

Additionally, these tags serve as highly visible identifiers, making it easier for enforcement teams to quickly verify permissions without the need for complex technology or time-intensive manual checks.

The distinctive designs act as a visual cue, allowing security personnel or parking attendants to identify authorized vehicles at a glance.

This combination of security, customization and visibility not only improves access control but also helps maintain order and efficiency in high-traffic areas.

By integrating these features into our hang tags and windshield stickers, Nedap delivers solutions that enhance both security and operational effectiveness.

How do you ensure hang tags are unique?

Wilson: Each tag is unique due to the encoding schemes we use and the tag’s individual ID. During the design process, if users try to assign overlapping tag ranges, our system will detect it and prompt them to make corrections.

While users have full control over the design itself and can customize it as they wish, there are some restrictions to ensure the design fits within the form factor of the tag.

Our design tools guide users through the process to ensure the final product is well-suited for its intended use.

While customers can reuse previous designs, we ensure the uniqueness of each tag by preventing duplication of tag IDs behind the scenes.

How does this solution affect operations and costs? Dennis & Leech: Nedap’s solution is designed to significantly reduce operational complexity and long-term costs, offering value through both our industry-leading RFID readers and the streamlined management of custom windshield and hang tags.

Our readers are renowned for their exceptional reliability and longevity, ensuring consistent performance over many years.

This durability minimizes the need for frequent maintenance or replacement, reducing overhead costs and operational downtime.

By choosing Nedap readers, organizations benefit from a lower total cost of ownership while maintaining a high level of security and efficiency.

Additionally, our online tag design portal simplifies the process of ordering, reordering and managing custom art tags.

Customers can easily design and submit orders with our intuitive tools, eliminating the back-and-forth typically associated with customization.

The system saves all design and programming details for each project, allowing for quick and hassle-free reorders whenever additional tags are needed.

This not only reduces administrative effort but also ensures faster turnaround times, empowering organizations to maintain smooth operations without interruptions.

Together, our reliable readers and innovative tag management platform provide a cost-effective, streamlined solution that enhances both security and operational efficiency.

What strengths did each organization bring to the collaboration?

Wilson: Nedap brought its expertise in providing end-user solutions, particularly in vehicle access control, with world-class hardware.

WW&L had a very clear understanding of its needs and the integration required with existing systems. This clarity made the collaboration smooth.

On our side, we brought our extensive experience as a custom security print shop. We have a lot of experience embedding RFID technologies and printing custom credentials.

We also have web-to-print capabilities, which were critical in automating the design and production process, something Nedap was missing in previous attempts.

Additionally, we have direct-to-consumer fulfilment capabilities, allowing us to send the finished products directly to the end users, simplifying the distribution process.

How will an easier step by step online portal benefit the industry?

Dennis & Leech: The online tag design portal is a first-of-its-kind environment that vastly improves a crucial portion of the overall tag ordering experience for customers, across both the parking and security industries.

In general, industry processes for ordering any kind of custom art windshield or hang tag have been fraught with red tape, mistakes in programming, long lead times and back-and-forth emails regarding art confirmations or programming details.

Our approach is to provide simple and straightforward design tools for customers, eliminating the hassle of time-consuming back-and-forth processes.

Additionally, by streamlining the submission process from the portal directly to production, lead times are significantly reduced.

Management of artwork, programming details and reordering in general can also be a headache for customers.

The design portal empowers end users and integrators by simplifying credential ordering and reordering while also reducing overhead costs and administrative effort.

Since artwork and tag programming details are securely saved for each project, users can easily access past orders for convenient reordering or make minor adjustments before the next batch of tags.

How will an easier, step-by-step online portal benefit the industry? Do you think this will become a trend?

Wilson: Nedap hopes that this solution becomes more of a trend, and we certainly share that hope.

The ability to customize with short lead times is a unique advantage in the industry.

Many custom solutions require large orders, but with our automation and low-touch system, we can efficiently handle small batch sizes.

This makes it easier for customers to get the customization they need without having to commit to huge volumes and it could revolutionize the way smaller, custom orders are handled in the industry.

Is there anything else you want to add?

Wilson: Just that our long-standing relationship with Nedap, spanning over a decade, has made this collaboration particularly enjoyable.

Getting more involved with the company’s technology and working closely together has been a great experience.

This project has been both fun and fulfilling and we’re looking forward to continuing our successful partnership.