Japanese vendor Brother has expanded its reach into the automatic identification (Auto-ID) market after signing a pan-European deal with PoS distributor BlueStar. The partnership will make Brother’s full thermal printing and labelling ranges available in Europe through BlueStar offices in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The agreement covers the Brother PJ range of mobile printers and RJ range of rugged portable devices, alongside the TD line of desktop labelling printers and the firm’s recently launched TJ industrial printer range.
Bluestar will provide IT resellers with value-added services alongside Brother devices, including marketing support, business development and support on integrating printing technology into wider solutions.
Brother has formalised and expanded its range of devices for Auto-ID applications over the last five years following the appointment of Ged Cairns, who joined the company in 2016 as head of the company’s Auto-ID business unit.
Ged Cairns said: “This agreement represents a major milestone for our Auto-ID offering and follows several years of strategic investment. BlueStar has developed an excellent reputation as the go-to distributor for a strong network of UK resellers capitalising on the growth in the Auto-ID market. With BlueStar at our side, we’re in an excellent position to support resellers as they help customers to realise new efficiencies, whether they’re embracing industrial automation or meeting growing demand for fulfilment in e-retail.”
Manel Baranera, Chief Operating Officer at BlueStar EMEA, said: “for several years, BlueStar and Brother have been partnering successfully to develop the printing technology market in the US. We are delighted to complete our global presence with this European agreement. As a prominent solution provider, we are excited to offer this product range that will represent a great business opportunity for a good number of resellers across Europe."
BlueStar, which was established as United Radio, Inc. in 1929, distributes solutions-based digital identification, mobility, point-of-sale, RFID, digital signage, and security technology solutions globally.