Zebra Technologies

Last updated
Zebra Technologies Corporation
Company type Public
Industry Computer hardware, Manufacturing, Retail, Health care, Transportation and logistics
Founded1969;57 years ago (1969)
Founders
  • Ed Kaplan
  • Gerhard Cless
Headquarters Lincolnshire, Illinois, U.S.
Key people
  • Anders Gustafsson (chair)
  • William Burns (CEO)
ProductsRFID printers/encoders, barcode printers, mobile printers, card imaging printers, kiosk printers, real-time locating systems, UWB and related supplies and services, rugged mobile computers and tablets, scanners, software
RevenueIncrease2.svg US$4.98 billion (2024)
Increase2.svgUS$742 million (2024)
Increase2.svgUS$528 million (2024)
Total assets Increase2.svgUS$7.97 billion (2024)
Total equity Increase2.svgUS$3.59 billion (2024)
Number of employees
9,900 (2024)
Website zebra.com
Footnotes /references
[1]

Zebra Technologies Corporation is an American multinational technology company, specializing in smart data capture systems. [2] The company manufactures and sells marking, tracking, and computer printing technologies. Its products include mobile computers and tablets, software, thermal barcode label and receipt printers, RFID smart label printers/encoders/fixed & handheld readers/antennas, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) & machine vision (MV), and fixed industrial scanning hardware & software.

Contents

History

Zebra was incorporated in 1969 as Data Specialties Incorporated, a manufacturer of high-speed electromechanical products. The company changed its focus to specialty on-demand labeling and ticketing systems in 1982 and became Zebra Technologies Corporation in 1986. Zebra became a publicly traded company in 1991.

In 1986, Zebra (then Data Specialties Incorporated) acquired Qwint Systems (formerly Martin Research), an early microcomputer pioneer which had restructured as a teletypewriter manufacturer at the beginning of the 1980s. [3] [4]

In 1998, Zebra Technologies merged with Eltron International, Inc. [5] In 2000, Comtec Information Systems was acquired by Zebra Technologies, [6] followed in 2003 by the acquisition of Atlantek, Inc., which was a manufacturer of photo ID printers. [7]

In 2004, the company expanded into RFID smart label manufacturing. [8] [9] In the following years, Zebra also acquired Swecoin, WhereNet Corp, [10] Proveo AG, [11] and Navis Holdings (later divested in 2011). [12]

The company bought the Enterprise Solutions Group (ESG) in 2008 and renamed the group Zebra Enterprise Solutions in 2009. In the same year, Multispectral Solutions, Inc. was acquired. [13] In 2012, the companies LaserBand, [14] and StepOne Systems were purchased with a cash price of $1.5 million. [15]

In 2013, the company acquired Hart Systems for $94 million in cash from the private equity firm Topspin Partners LBO. [16]

In 2014, Zebra acquired Motorola Solutions' Enterprise Division in a $3.45 billion transaction, providing mobile computing and advanced data capture communications technologies and services. Zebra's acquisition of the Enterprise Division included the Symbol Technologies and Psion product lines. [16] [17] Also in 2014, Zebra provided its real-time location system (RTLS) in NFL stadiums to track players and officials and provide location-based data for the NFL's Next Gen Stats program. [18] [19] Zebra’s partnership with the NFL extends through the 2025 football season. [20]

In 2018, the company acquired Xplore Technologies, a maker of ruggedized tablets and other hard-wearing hardware. [21]

In 2019, Zebra acquired Temptime Corporation, a provider of temperature monitoring devices to the healthcare industry. [22] That same year, Zebra also acquired Profitect, a retail software company that developed a product line used for tracking and identifying inventory losses. [23] [24]

In 2020, Zebra acquired Reflexis Systems, a provider of workforce scheduling and task management software to the retail, food service, hospitality, and banking industries [25] for $575 Million. [26]

In 2021, Zebra acquired Adaptive Vision (provider of graphical Machine Vision software), Fetch Robotics (manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots) and Antuit.ai (provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions specific to forecasting and merchandising for the retail and CPG industries). [27] [28] [29]

In 2022, Zebra acquired Matrox Imaging, a developer of machine vision components and systems. [30]

In December 2023, Zebra partnered with Verizon Business to create a software package that will allow for a faster private 5G network. Zebra tablets and computers will work on Verizon's private network, allowing for more network capacity and fast communication. [31] [32]

In 2023, Zebra unveiled Zebra Workcloud - its purpose-built suite of enterprise software applications, primarily serving in retail, banking and healthcare industries. [33] Zebra also introduced the WS50 powered by Workcloud, the first wearable Android touch computer. [34] [35]

In 2025, Zebra acquired Elo Touch Solutions for $1.3 billion in cash [36]

Locations

Zebra Technologies has more than 128 offices in 55 countries, [37] including Australia, Poland, Czech Republic, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. [38] [39] The company also has over 10,000+ partners[ clarification needed ] across 180 countries. [37] In the 2021 annual report, Zebra stated that it traded in 180 countries, with approximately 128 facilities and 9,800 employees. [2] [37]

Reception

Newsweek included Zebra on its 2023 America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity list. [40]

References

  1. ↑ "Zebra Technologies Annual Report 2024 (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 13, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "FORM 10-K" (PDF). UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. 2020-12-31.
  3. ↑ Loboyko, Steve (April 29, 2006). "Qwint Teleprinter!". Juliepalooza. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023.
  4. ↑ Industrial Research Laboratories of the United States. Vol. 17. Jaques Cattell Press. 1982. ISBN   9780835213608 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ "Zebra : Zebra Technologies Corp.'s shareholders..." Chicago Tribune . 26 October 1998.
  6. ↑ "History of Zebra Technologies Corporation – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com.
  7. ↑ "Zebra to maker of photo ID card printers". Chicago Tribune . 20 November 2003.
  8. ↑ "RedPrairie Provides Support for Zebra RP4T Mobile Thermal RFID - Bloomberg". Bloomberg (Press release). 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  9. ↑ "Form 10K SEC Filings". 25 September 2016.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Zebra Active RFID Provider WhereNet". www.rfidjournal.com. 12 January 2007. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Zebra Navis, Proveo". www.rfidjournal.com. 16 October 2007. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Zebra Technologies sells Navis unit for $190M". Crain's Chicago Business. 31 January 2011.
  13. ↑ "Zebra Technologies acquires Multispectral Solutions". DQ Channels. 15 May 2008.
  14. ↑ Barr, Diana (13 July 2012). "LaserBand sold to Zebra Technologies". St. Louis Business Journal.
  15. ↑ "Retail Touch Points". EWEBsite. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  16. 1 2 Osborne, Charlie. "Zebra Technologies Motorola enterprise unit for $3.5bn - ZDNet". ZDNet .
  17. ↑ "Zebra". BIAS Tech. 19 March 2020.
  18. ↑ Belzer, Jason. "NFL Partners With Zebra Technologies To Provide Next Generation Player Tracking". Forbes.
  19. ↑ "NFL Next Gen Stats". Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  20. ↑ "Zebra Technologies extends partnership with NFL through 2025 season". SBJ.
  21. ↑ Lunden, Ingrid (July 5, 2018). "Zebra Technologies is buying rugged tablet maker Xplore for around $90M in cash". Tech Crunch.
  22. ↑ "Zebra Technologies to Temptime Corporation". www.businesswire.com. 2019-01-28. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  23. ↑ Denman, Tim (May 20, 2019). "Zebra Technologies to Acquire Profitect". RIS.
  24. ↑ Yablonko, Yasmin (May 22, 2019). "Zebra buys Israeli retail analytics co Profitect for $100m". Globes.
  25. ↑ "Zebra Technologies Completes Acquisition of Reflexis Systems, Inc". www.businesswire.com. 2020-09-02. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  26. ↑ "Zebra Technologies to Acquire Reflexis Systems, Inc". businesswire.com (Press release). 28 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  27. ↑ "Zebra Technologies makes acquisition, launches machine vision and fixed scanning solutions". Modern Materials Handling. 18 May 2021.
  28. ↑ Allinson, Mark (25 October 2021). "Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows". Robotics & Automation.
  29. ↑ Kanaan, Maha (4 November 2021). "Zebra Technologies' Acquisition of Antuit Group". Global Legal Chronicle.
  30. ↑ "Zebra Technologies Completes Acquisition of Matrox Imaging". Zebra Technologies. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  31. ↑ "Verizon Business and Zebra Technologies launch device & software solutions to accelerate private 5G". www.verizon.com. 2023-12-06. Archived from the original on 2023-12-11. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  32. ↑ Meyer, Dan (6 December 2023). "Verizon herds Zebra into its private 5G pen with an eye on enterprise". sdxcentral. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  33. ↑ "Zebra Technologies unveils reimagined software portfolio at ZONE Customer Conferences". Edge Middle East. October 13, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Zebra Technologies to Unveil New Solutions at NRF 2024 Advancing the Modern Store". Nasdaq. January 11, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  35. ↑ "StayLinked supports Zebra Technologies ground-breaking WS50". DC Velocity. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Zebra Technologies to Acquire Elo to Accelerate Connected Frontline Experiences | Zebra". Zebra Technologies. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
  37. 1 2 3 "Zebra Technologies Annual Report 2022" (PDF).
  38. ↑ "Zebra Technologies Inc". Esri. Archived from the original on 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  39. ↑ "Zebra Headquarters and Locations". Craft.
  40. ↑ "America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2023". Newsweek . 9 December 2022.