Nameplates, Tags, Labels and MoreDurable metal identification for industrial equipment.
- Aluminum & stainless nameplates
- Equipment tags & labels
- Sling tags & cable ties
- Tag engravers & printers
About Us
A century of making it right.
From a one-man engraving shop in 1916 to three specialized manufacturers in North Kansas City, Missouri, Holland 1916 has spent over 100 years adapting, innovating, and keeping our word.
What We Do Today
Three specialized companies. One standard.
Holland 1916 serves industrial manufacturers, specializing in product branding, identification, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) solutions, safety, and asset tracking for OEMs and distributors. Each of our three companies makes mission-critical products for environments where failure is not an option.
Our operating companies
Nameplates, Tags, Labels and More
Touchscreens & Membrane SwitchesRugged interface products built for OEM control systems.
- Displays and Touchscreens
- Membrane switches
- Keypads
- Graphic overlays
- Badges & emblems
RFID Tags & ReadersDurable RFID hardware for real-time asset visibility in the harshest environments.
- UHF & HF asset tags
- Embedded metal tags
- Handheld & Bluetooth readers
OUR CERTIFICATIONS
OUR HISTORY
It started with an engraver named Lou Holland.
In 1902, Lou Holland moved from Rochester, NY, to Kansas City, MO, to work for a local engraving company. In 1916, he founded Holland Nameplate & Engraving Co., originally located on the top floor of the Western Auto Building, where it produced printing plates for national catalogs.
Mr. Holland was also a civic leader and public servant. He served as President of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World and was a close friend of Harry Truman. During WWII, he was appointed Deputy Chairman of the War Production Board and Chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation, advocating for the small manufacturers that kept America's wartime industry running.
That instinct, that a business owes something to the community around it, is the oldest thing about this company, and it still shapes how we operate.
TIMELINE
From printing plates to touchscreens.
1902
Lou Holland moves from Rochester, NY, to Kansas City to work for a local engraving company.
1916
Lou Holland founds Holland Nameplate & Engraving Co. on the top floor of Kansas City's Western Auto Building, producing printing plates for national catalogs.
WWII
Lou Holland serves as Deputy Chairman of the War Production Board and Chairman of the Smaller War Plants Corporation.
1940s
The company moves to 422 Admiral Blvd., where Lou's brother William and son Garrett run the business for another 30 years.
1982
Bill Schumacher acquires Holland Nameplate; his metallurgical expertise revives the company as a major manufacturer of industrial identification products.
1995
J. Michael Stradinger purchases Holland Nameplate, expanding product offerings and securing ISO 9001 certification.
2002
Holland moves to a state-of-the-art facility in North Kansas City, investing in advanced equipment to improve quality and efficiency and shorten lead times.
2003+
Holland builds a network of domestic and international manufacturing partners, expanding into membrane switches, graphic overlays, RFID tags, and touchscreen solutions, and rebrands as Holland 1916.
2016
Holland marks its centennial by launching the Math in Manufacturing program and formally adds Giving Back to its core values.
2024
Holland sells its RFID software business and acquires an RFID tag business, sharpening its focus on rugged hardware.
RESILIENCE & REINVENTION
Holland 1916 has thrived for over 100 years by adapting to change and harnessing innovation.
From engraving to technology
Holland began producing plates for printing catalogs before evolving into an engraving specialist. As the industry shifted, we expanded into durable identification products, RFID solutions, and Human-Machine Interfaces.
Navigating industry disruptions
Many traditional manufacturing processes have become obsolete. By staying ahead of market trends, prioritizing technology, and diversifying our offerings, we have maintained our leading edge in industrial identification and interface solutions.
Recovery, setback, and growth
We rebounded from the pandemic in 2022. 2023 was harder, with an interface slowdown and a major equipment expense, so we reinvested and returned to revenue and profitability growth in 2024.
Kansas City Roots
A cornerstone of Kansas City manufacturing.
Kansas City has long been celebrated as a global hub for manufacturing, and for over a century, Holland 1916 has been a cornerstone of this business community. We have consistently provided meaningful employment, fueling the region's economic and industrial growth. Our success comes from pairing new technology with the skill of the people who work here, and that combination has built a lasting legacy in Kansas City's manufacturing sector.
We may not be the largest company in Kansas City, but the impact we've made is undeniable. We take pride in our role as an industry trailblazer, a community partner, and a driver of both economic and workforce development in this city.
Worldwide operation
Our Facilities
OUR CORE VALUES
The lens through which we guide every decision.
Respect, Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Openness, and Giving Back. These values have been in place for over a decade. They have shaped our company, and they are the lens through which we guide every decision and action.
Respect
We treat customers, employees, and partners as people we intend to still be working with in ten years. It's why we say what we can actually deliver.
Continuous improvement
Processes, products, and people. The same discipline that moved us from engraving plates to touchscreens is what keeps our lead times short and our quality consistent.
Accountability
We clearly define success and keep our word: to customers, to employees, and to each other.
Openness
We are straightforward about what we can do, what we can't, and what something will cost. Internally, the same: every employee sees how the business is performing.
Giving back
To mark our 100th anniversary in 2016, we chose to invest in our community rather than celebrate ourselves, and then made Giving Back a formal core value, because businesses have a responsibility to serve beyond their operations.
OUR CEO
Leadership that shows up.
Mike Stradinger bought Holland Nameplate in 1995 and has led it ever since. Under his ownership, the company earned ISO 9001 certification, moved into its North Kansas City facility, expanded from nameplates into interfaces and RFID, and became the family of three companies that is Holland 1916 today. He is a consistent advocate for connecting Kansas City students to manufacturing careers.
Mike Stradinger
Source: Flatland KC“Business is the primary consumer of what educators are producing: students. So we need to be involved in the process, and we have for too long been silent.”