Zebra Technologies history

1982: The firm introduces The Zebra, its first bar code printer.

In 1986, to combat scanning problems due to poor resolution from off-shaped or uneven-surfaced products, the company built its first "thermal transfer" printer using heated printer heads that melted characters from a waxy ribbon onto labels made from paper, plastic, foil, or other smooth materials.

The next year Kaplan and Cless's hard work was recognized when the company was awarded the prestigious 1988 High Technology Entrepreneur Award from Peat Marwick Main & Co., a Chicago-based accounting and consulting firm.

Zebra finished the year with $30 million in sales and income of $5.5 million; the following year, 1990, sales jumped nearly 30 percent to $38 million.

By year's end in 1991 analysts estimated the bar code industry at $380 million with Zebra having captured more than 25 percent of the market.

The company then ended the year with net sales of $58.7 million and earnings of $11.8 million, due in part to its increasing supplies business, which accounted for a quarter of 1992's sales.

In March 1993, Zebra's second public offering of 2.6 million shares (at $22.75 each) went off without a hitch.

By mid-1995 Zebra's $119.5 in sales had doubled from just three years earlier and the company was ranked number 72 on Business Week's list of "100 Best Small Corporations and Hot Growth Companies" in May.

In 1996, the company announced that it would merge with California-based Eltron International Inc., a manufacturer of desktop bar code label and plastic card printers.

1997: First wearable computer

Eyeing the portable and wireless printer market for its growth potential, Zebra was quick to add the Rhode Island-based firm to its holdings in April 2000.

As part of its international expansion efforts, the company established a mobile printing business based in Europe during 2001 and planned to aggressively pursue opportunities in Eastern Europe, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin America.

The firm also was awarded Business Finance Magazine and Hyperion Solution's "2002 Vision Award," which was based on business performance management.

2004: First rugged RFID handheld; first enterprise Digital Assistant

2007: Anders Gustafsson appointed CEO; acquired WhereNet player tracking

2008: First mobile RFID printing solutions

In the following years, Zebra also acquired Swecoin, WhereNet Corp, Proveo AG, and Navis Holdings (later divested in 2011).

In the healthcare vertical, Zebra acquired LaserBand in 2012 to enhance its solution portfolio in patient safety and regulatory compliance support

2014: Announced agreement to purchase the Motorola Solutions’ Enterprise Business

2015: New brand as combined company; acquired ITR Mobility (iFactr); only migration path to modern OS for legacy Windows application

2016: First all-touch Android inventory solution

2017: Introduced breakthrough Zebra Savanna™ data intelligence platform; Collaboration with NFL and Wilson Sporting Goods to track players and game footballs

The company acquired Xplore Technologies, a maker of ruggedized tablets and other hard-wearing hardware, in 2018.

In 2019, Zebra acquired Temptime Corporation, a provider of temperature monitoring devices to the healthcare industry.

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