Zebra Technologies Announces Color Thermal Printing On-Demand

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: ZBRA), a global leader in specialty printing and automatic identification solutions, announces the release of its IQ Color Thermal Labels to its extensive supply offering. Now operations managers can print color visual cues on demand using their existing Zebra thermal printer.

With Zebra’s IQ Color direct thermal ink technology, users can print color labels on demand. To create an IQ Color label, users can simply choose up to four colors from the eight colors offered including the size and shape. During the label manufacturing process, invisible color inks are applied in up to four designated zones customized to the end-user’s needs and label format. To the naked eye, it appears there is no color on the label. The Zebra printer’s printhead then heat-activates the ink to make select colors visible based on the format sent to the printer. This allows for each individual label to be customized with color images, text, shapes, graphics and more at the point of printing.

"Zebra’s IQ Color technology illustrates our dedication to providing our customers with innovative products that streamline their operations, and reduce errors and costs,” said Christine Weber, Product Marketing Manager for Zebra Technologies. "Eliminating the need for pre-printed color labels increases productivity, as it eliminates roll changes and there is less inventory to manage.”

Enhancing Zebra’s robust product line, the IQ Color technology will be available on existing Zebra thermal printers and will benefit a variety of industries such as:

• Healthcare: IQ Color can be integrated in the Lab and pharmacy for the identification and prioritization of orders.
• Transportation and Logistics: To reduce shipping and stocking errors during sortation by highlighting special order instructions. IQ Color also allows for real-time inventory management to insure FIFO and easily identify any misplaced items.
• Manufacturing: Critical for product identification in the inspection and assembly phase, IQ Color can reduce the cost of using additional labels for sortation and quality control.
• Retail: Integrated into shelf labeling, IQ Color allows for easy identification of product attributes.

For more information, or to order the IQ color labels, please call 800-452-5056 or visit www.zebra.com/IQColorLabels. To view the IQ Color video, click here.

About Zebra Technologies

Zebra Technologies Corporation improves customers’ business performance through products and solutions that identify, track and manage assets, transactions and people. In more than 100 countries around the world, more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies use innovative and reliable Zebra printers, supplies, RFID products and software to increase productivity, improve quality, lower costs, and deliver better customer service. Information about Zebra and Zebra-brand products can be found at www.zebra.com.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6096545&lang=en