The rugged computing industry is very different from the consumer market computer industry. Most of the hardware, software, peripherals, and services come from companies whose names are generally all but unknown to anyone outside the industry. The big names in rugged computing traditionally have not been Dell, Hewlett Packard or IBM. Those giants of the consumer and business computing market generally aren't in the rugged computing game to a meaningful extent.
That's been changing in recent years to some extent as some large companies have entered the market via acquisitions. Motorola Solutions, for example, took over Symbol Technologies and Psion just to later sell them to Zebra, which then also bought Xplore Technologies. Honeywell took over Metrologic and Intermec, and Dell offers rugged versions of their commercial notebooks.
The primary reason why the consumer computing giants do not also dominate the rugged and vertical computing markets is because those markets are so different. Consumer markets are all about volume, low price, and the latest features. Rugged and vertical markets are about meeting very special needs and requirements at generally much lower sales volumes.
In addition, whereas consumer markets are almost exclusively hardware sales, rugged and vertical markets are often about turnkey solutions that may include custom software application development, service agreements, and systems integration. As a result, the sales cycle can be long, and equipment service and maintenance assumes a much more important role.
The following companies are leaders in the rugged and industrial computing field:
Ruggedized handheld terminals and PDAs
Argon Corp. (military wearables)
Advantech
AML (Barcode-centric handhelds & kiosks)
Amrel (sold to MilDef 2016)
Bluebird (handhelds, tablets), Korea
Chainway (industrial PDAs and scanners), China
CENAVA (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops, box PCs)
CipherLab (rugged handhelds and scanners)
Cwelltech (OEM/Uniwa brand rugged handhelds and tablets)
Darveen (rugged handhelds)
Datalogic (rugged terminals)
Denso ADC (rugged handhelds and scanners)
Glacier Computer (resells PSC)
Handheld Group (Rugged terminals)
Honeywell (rugged tablets, handhelds)
Janam (rugged handhelds, USA)
JLT Mobile Computers
Juniper Systems (rugged Pocket PCs)
M3 Mobile (handhelds), Korea
MilDef (handhelds, tablets, laptops), Sweden
PointMobile (rugged handhelds), Korea
Pippo (China)
RuggedT (China)
TouchStar (rugged terminals and PDAs)
QSI (Beijer) (rugged HMI terminals)
Quantum3D (rugged real time systems)
Socket Mobile (rugged PDAs)
SWELL (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops)
Talla-Tech (rugged notebooks and PDAs, now part of Elbit Systems)
Trimble MCS (specialized PDAs)
Two Technologies (rugged terminals)
Unistrong (rugged handhelds and tablets)
Unitech (industrial terminals and PDAs)
Winmate Inc. (industrial handhelds)
Zebra Technlogies (rugged tablets, handhelds, bought Xplore 2018)
Rugged tablets
Acer (convertibles)
Advantech
Argon Corp. (military tablets and displays)
Black Diamond (rugged UMPCs)
Bluebird (Pidion brand handhelds, tablets), Korea
CENAVA (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops, box PCs)
Comark (rugged slates and UMPCs, bought DataLtd 2017)
Cwelltech (OEM/Uniwa brand rugged handhelds and tablets)
DT Research (rugged tablets)
Durabook (tablets, 2-in-1s)
Dynabook (Toshiba tablets, convertibles)
Emdoor (Rugged tablets, OEM/ODM)
Estone Technology (tablets, OEM/ODM)
Fujitsu (convertibles and tablets)
GETAC (tablets)
Geshem (China, tablets, IPC, PPC, OEM/ODM)
Glacier Computer (rugged tablets)
Handheld Group (now part of MilDef, convertibles and tablets)
Honeywell (rugged tablets, handhelds)
Janam (rugged handhelds, USA)
LG Electronics (tablets)
Lenovo (convertibles)
MilDef (handhelds, tablets, laptops), Sweden
MobileDemand (tablets)
Panasonic (convertibles)
Pippo (China)
Sammi Information Systems (slates)
Senke Electronics (IPCs, laptops, rugged panels, tablets, monitors)
SmarTerminal Computers, Inc. (slates, US subsidiary of Sammi)
SWELL (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops)
RUGGEDBOOK (slates, UMPCs)
Teguar (rugged tablets)
RuggON (tablets)
TabletKiosk (tablets)
Toshiba (tablets, convertibles)
Unistrong (rugged handhelds and tablets)
Winmate Inc. (tablets)
Zebra Technlogies (rugged tablets, handhelds, bought Xplore 2018)
Rugged Notebooks and Vehicle Mounts
Advantech
Argon Corp. (military notebooks)
Asonix (mostly military and hazardous apps)
Avalue (panels, boards, )
CENAVA (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops, box PCs)
Darveen (rugged vehicle mounts and marine terminals)
Datalogic (vehicle mounts)
Dell Rugged (rugged notebooks)
DRS
DT Research (rugged slates/vehicle mounts)
Durabook (tablets, 2-in-1s)
Glacier Computer (also resells GETAC and DRS)
GETAC
Logic Instrument (military notebooks)
MilDef (handhelds, tablets, laptops), Sweden
MobileDemand (slates)
Motorola
noax Technologies
PacStar (now part of Curtiss-Wright)
Panasonic
Parvus
QSI (Beijer) (rugged HMI panels)
RUGGEDBOOK (convertible notebooks)
RuggON (vehicle mounts)
Stealth Computer
Senke Electronics (IPCs, laptops, rugged panels, tablets, monitors)
SWELL (rugged handhelds, tablets, laptops)
Twinhead
VT Miltope
Winmate Inc.
Mounting Hardware
Rugged Systems Components and Boards
Touch/digitizer/etc OEMS
Apex Material Technology Corp. (resistive, procap -- Taiwan)
Atmel (touch controllers -- CA, USA)
Cambrios Technologies (touch screen coatings -- CA, USA)
Cando Technologies (touch panels, color filters -- Taiwan)
ELO (various touch - CA, USA)
FlatFrog (multi-touch systems - Sweden)
HannsTouch Solution (procap - Taiwan)
Morgan Touch Technology (sensors, pens, touch - China)
N-trig (active, procap, multi - Israel)
Northpoint Technologies (resistive, capacitive -- TX, USA)
Ocular (procap -- TX, USA)
Shenzen Laibao Hi-Technology (touch panels -- China)
Touch International (resistive, cap, procap -- TX, USA)
TPK (multi-touch, panels -- Taiwan)
UICO (procap - IL, USA)
UniPixel (optical films - TX, USA)
Wacom (active, other -- WA, USA)
WinTek (touch panels -- Taiwan)
Wuhu Token Sciences (glass, touch sensors -- China)
Rugged Computing Hardware Distributors and Consultants
ACME Portable (US, Germany, Taiwan)
Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff, Inc. (DE, USA)
Broadax Systems
BuyTough (GA, USA)
Cardinal Mobile (TX, USA)
Cyberchron Rugged Systems
CSSI Technologies (rugged systems VAR, PA, USA)
DataSource Mobility (TN, USA)
Electronic Data Solutions (ID, USA)
Go-Rugged (UK)
GroupMobile
IBI Systems
Industrial Computing
Logic Supply (VT, USA)
Maxatec (Europe)
MaxVision
Miles Data Technologies (WI)
Mid-Atlantic Computer Services (MD, USA)
MobEx (UK)
OC Rugged
Paradise Computers (USA)
Paradigm System Solutions (MN, USA)
PCS Mobile (CO, USA)
RAMCO Rugged Portables (CA)
Rugged & Mobility Prospects (GR)
RugGear (rugged handhelds and tablets, UK)
Rugged and Mobile (UK)
Rugged And Mobile (UK)
Rugged Mobile (UK)
Rugged Notebooks
RuggedT (China)
Solzon
Steatite Rugged Systems (UK)
Tablet Technologies Ltd (UK)
Technology Advancement Group
Teguar (rugged panels, IPCs, tablets, monitors)
Toughbook Depot (CA, USA)
TOUGHOnline.com (NE, USA)
TransCOR (MA, USA)
Varlink (UK)
OEMs/ODMs
AGM (rugged handhelds, OEM/ODM)
BlackView (China, tablets, OEM/ODM)
Bluebird (Korea, Pidion brand handhelds, tablets)
Datalux (USA, rugged/medical tablets, IPC, OEM/ODM)
Emdoor (China, tablets, OEM/ODM)
Estone Technology (USA, tablets, OEM/ODM)
Geekland USA (USA, tablets, OEM/ODM)
Geshem (China, tablets, IPC, PPC, OEM/ODM)
M3 Mobile (Korea, handhelds)
Portable Innovation Technology (rugged handhelds), Hong Kong
PointMobile (rugged handhelds), Korea
Senter (China, handhelds)
Teguar (rugged panels, IPCs, tablets, monitors)
Senke Electronics (rugged panels, IPCs, tablets, monitors)
UniStrong (China, Geospatial, OEM/ODM)
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