COVER STORY
From G to Z… How Zebra Technologies is building on a legacy to deliver next generation desktop printing with more connectivity, performance, and security.
deliver reliable operation at an affordable price to offer the basic features you need; all backed by Zebra service and support, including printer repair specialist partners. In the Spring of 2021, we completed the transition of our 4” wide desktop portfolio, with the launch of the mid-tier ZD421 models, and our premium-tier ZD621 models, directly replacing the GK-series and the GX-series respectively. Then, during the summer of 2022, we refreshed the 2” portfolio, launching the ZD411 mid-tier models and an all-new premium- tier offering in the 2” desktop space with the launch of the ZD611 models. The ZD611 delivered an industry first from Zebra, with the launch of a radio frequency identification (RFID) version of the ZD611, the first 2” RFID thermal desktop printer in the market. Expect more… and experience more The timing of our desktop portfolio refresh has been somewhat serendipitous. The last few years of pandemic and chip shortages have seen our customers expecting more from their Zebra devices, and our desktop printers have been at the sharp end of a demand surge. Particularly in the supply chain, we’ve witnessed organisations needing to react to unprecedented change, to respond and deliver in an agile fashion, but also to sustain that agility. Our customers are asking whether their incumbent systems will remain capable of identifying and tracking assets through an organisation, providing the necessary data insights, visibilities, and centralised management capabilities, regardless of changes in scaling and complexity of operations that you may need to implement. Customers are now expecting more from their print operations than ever before. With Zebra’s ZD-Series, they now can experience more with best-in-class performance and features that help them get the job done faster. In fact, ZD421 is 700% more powerful than the GK-Series that it replaces, with ZD621 being 300% more powerful than the GX-Series. With the ZD-Series, we now offer the most comprehensive and technically advanced print and labelling portfolio, there’s no need to compromise; as we’ll discover.
Letting go can be hard. But holding on to old technology can be even harder. Zebra’s G-Series Thermal Desktop Printers have been a mainstay for label and barcode printing for well over a decade, spanning a broad church of vertical markets that include warehousing, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, transport and logistics. With millions of units sold around the globe since they were launched in 2008, G-Series Desktop printers have been the go-to label printer in the label and barcode space and, at the time of their launch, they were cutting edge technology. Zebra has a long legacy as technology leaders and innovators with numerous market firsts over our 50+ years. Matched to the design excellence and reliability that has become synonymous with Zebra products, the result is a desktop printer series that has stood the test of time. But technology advances, and more than ever there are advantages and benefits customers can obtain by trading up to smarter print technology. From G to Z… next generation desktop printing arrives As an innovator, Zebra’s mission is to enable enterprise customers to empower their workers to gain a performance edge. Most Zebra products are transacted through the channel, via a vast network of stocking distributors, and technology and reselling partners. But when you are working with volumes of printers Zebra has become accustomed to, transitioning an established portfolio is a process. In the summer of 2019, we began the process of helping our partners and customers move on to next-generation printing with the launch of the ZD220 and ZD230 models. These were our new value-tier desktop printers, which were introduced to directly replace the GC-
ZD621
With the ZD-Series, we now offer the most comprehensive and technically advanced print & labelling portfolio “ ”
ZD421
Series. ZD200 Series desktop printers are engineered with Zebra quality to
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