Zebra Technologies

Last updated
Zebra Technologies Corporation
Company type Public
Industry Computer hardware, Manufacturing, Retail, Health care, Transportation and logistics
Founded1969;55 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
RevenueDecrease2.svg US$4.58 billion (2023)
Decrease2.svgUS$481 million (2023)
Decrease2.svgUS$296 million (2023)
Total assets Decrease2.svgUS$7.31 billion (2023)
Total equity Increase2.svgUS$3.04 billion (2023)
Number of employees
9,750 (2023)
Website zebra.com
Footnotes /references
[1]

Zebra Technologies Corporation is an American mobile computing company specializing in technology used to sense, analyze, and act in real time. [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 (AMR’s) & 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 MV 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]

Locations

Zebra Technologies has more than 128 offices in 55 countries, [36] including Australia, Poland, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. [37] [38] The company also has over 10,000+ partners[ clarification needed ] across 180 countries. [36] In the 2021 annual report, Zebra stated that it traded in 180 countries, with approximately 128 facilities and 9,800 employees. [2] [36]

Reception

Newsweek included Zebra on its 2023 America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity list. [39]

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References

  1. "Zebra Technologies Annual Report 2023 (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 15, 2024.
  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.
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  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.
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  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.
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  20. "Zebra Technologies extends partnership with NFL through 2025 season". SBJ.
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  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. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
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  34. "Zebra Technologies to Unveil New Solutions at NRF 2024 Advancing the Modern Store". Nasdaq. January 11, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
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