Zebra Technologies's Comment on Competitors and Industry Peers
We operate in a highly competitive environment. The need for companies to improve
productivity and implement their strategies, as well as the secular trends around
IoT, cloud computing, and mobility are some of the factors that are creating growth
opportunities for established and new competitors.
Key competitive factors include the design, breadth and quality of products
and services, price, product performance, durability, product and service availability,
warranty coverage, brand recognition, company relationships with customers and
channel partners, and company reputation. We believe Zebra competes effectively
with respect to these factors.
Many companies are engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing of mobile
computing devices, data capture solutions, RFID, WLAN, barcode and card printers,
location systems and supplies.
Mobile Computing: Competitors in mobile computing include companies that have
historically served enterprises with ruggedized devices. We also compete with
companies engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing of devices for broader
consumer and commercial applications, including notebook computers and tablets,
smart phones, cordless phones, and cellular/WLAN/wired infrastructure equipment.
Competitors include the following (listed in alphabetical order): Apple, Datalogic,
Honeywell, Panasonic, and Samsung.
Data Capture & RFID: Competitors that provide a broad portfolio of barcode
scanning products that are suitable for the majority of global market applications
include Honeywell and Datalogic. In addition, we also compete against several
smaller companies that focus on limited product subsets or specific regions.
These competitors include Code Corporation, Fujian Newland, and Opticon. Competition
in other product categories including both fixed and hand-held UHF RFID readers,
which are based on the EPC standard, remains highly fragmented.
WLAN: Many companies are engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing
of WLAN products and solutions. Zebra solutions are primarily targeted at retail
applications but can also serve other market segments. Competitors to our WLAN
business include (listed in alphabetical order): Aerohive Networks, Cisco, Hewlett-
Packard Enterprise, and Rukus Wireless.
Barcode and Card Printing: We consider our direct competition in printing to
be producers of on-demand thermal transfer and direct thermal label printing
systems, RFID printer/encoders, and mobile printers. We also compete with companies
engaged in the design, manufacture, and marketing of printing systems that use
alternative technologies, such as ink-jet, direct marking and laser printing,
as well as card printers based on ink-jet, thermal transfer, embossing, film-based
systems, encoders, laser engraving, and large-scale dye sublimation printers.
In addition, service bureaus, which provide centralized services, compete for
end-user business and provide an alternative to the purchase of our card printing
equipment and supplies. Competitors to our printing business include (listed
in alphabetical order): Datacard, Evolis, Fargo Electronics (a unit of HID Global),
Honeywell, Sato, and Toshiba TEC.
Location Solutions: We compete with a diverse group of companies marketing location
solutions that are primarily based on active RFID technologies. These competitors
include (listed in alphabetical order): Alien Technology, Cisco, Impinj, and
Ubisense.
Supplies: The supplies industry is highly fragmented with competition comprised
of numerous companies of various sizes around the world.
