Joan ePaper badges are a strong fit for office visitor management. For conferences, exhibitions, and networking mornings, many organisers prefer event-day hire of programmable e-ink badges — design faces online, we ship ready, you return after.
Joan (from Visionect) sells ePaper visitor badges for office reception and visitor management. A typical setup includes badge hardware, the Joan platform subscription, and a tablet or phone app to sync visitor details over Bluetooth. Reception staff check visitors in; the badge face updates to show who they are and why they are on site.
That model works well when the same building runs visitor flows every day. It is less geared towards a one-off gala, trade show, or breakfast networking session where you need dozens of pre-labelled badges delivered before doors open.
| Office visitor badge (e.g. Joan) | Event hire (Ink Badge Hire) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Daily reception, contractors, meeting guests | Conferences, exhibitions, networking mornings |
| How faces are set | Visitor management app + platform sync | Design online or import a list before dispatch |
| Commercial model | Buy hardware + ongoing subscription | Hire per event day, or buy to keep |
| After the event | Badges stay on the reception desk | Return hire fleet; no long-term lock-in |
Neither approach is “wrong” — they solve different problems. Joan is office VMS; Ink Badge Hire is event logistics for organisers who want names visible in the room without running a print desk.
Ink Badge Hire (ONDRAFT LTD) supplies programmable 250×122 e-ink name badges in brick red, black, and paper white. You choose hire for your event dates or buy the hardware to keep.
See how it works for delivery timing, return windows, and what is included in postage.
The badge face is e-paper — not a full-colour screen. Ink Badge Hire badges display brick red, black, and paper white only, matching what the hardware can render. Layout includes line one, main name, firm, featured line, a MEMBER or VISITOR footer bar, and a QR code on the right of the face.
For visitor-day use cases, see visitor badges and what is an e-paper visitor badge?
Current rates are on the pricing pages; amounts are not quoted here so they stay accurate when settings change.
For conferences, exhibitions, and networking mornings — yes. Joan is built for office visitor management with a subscription and tablet sync. Ink Badge Hire is built for event-day hire: you design faces online, we ship badges ready to wear, and you return them after. No Joan platform required.
Yes. Hire is priced per badge per event day plus postage. Design your faces in the online designer or import a spreadsheet, and we deliver before your event with a return label included.
No. Faces are programmed before dispatch. Attendees wear the badge as issued — there is no on-site pairing or visitor-management app during your event.
Each badge has a 250×122 pixel face in brick red, black, paper white, and yellow — the four colours the e-paper hardware can display.
Hire suits one-off conferences, exhibitions, and networking mornings. Buy suits organisations that run regular events and want to keep the hardware. See hire pricing and buy pricing for current rates.