Zebra Technologies Purchases 802.11ac Provider Motorola Solutions

Zebra Technologies, a Lincolnshire, Illinois-based RFID Technology company has completed its purchase of Motorola Solutions, a leading provider of 802.11ac Wireless Network Solutions.

In a statement released on October 27, Zebra CEO Anders Gustafsson said “By coming together we can now offer our customers a much more complete solution,” and that despite the outlay of $200 million in cash and $3.25 Billion in new debt the move would enable Zebra to save around “$150 million through a variety of cost-cutting measures” that include leveraging the acquisition to negotiate better prices with suppliers.

The purchase is part of Zebra’s strategy to offer complete end-to-end solutions for its clients, as well as to “provide the building blocks of Internet of Things solutions, as customers worldwide increasingly take advantage of data analytics and mobility to improve business performance.”

While many current employees of Motorola Solutions will move over to Zebra, it is not clear what plans Zebra has for Motorola Solution’s various product lines, including its 802.11ac Wireless Network Solution set. While Gustafsson said that they have made sure that Motorola Solutions can operate within Zebra as a standalone business unit, implying some continuity in terms of the solutions offered, Zebra’s focus on end-to-end business solutions and the internet of things may in the future lead to the end of Motorola Solutions’ Wireless Network Solution being offered as a separate, stand-alone item.

Solutions Review will continue to monitor Motorola Solutions and Zebra Technologies decisions and actions to see what direction they take.

For the Channel Partners Online Press Release of this merger, click here.

For the Chicago Tribune News Story about the same, click here.