MELBOURNE, Australia – Feb. 10, 2026 – Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in digitising and automating workflows to deliver intelligent operations, today announced that Apex Steel, one of Australia’s largest privately owned steel manufacturers, has digitised its warehouse and shop floor operations with Zebra’s mobile computing, barcode scanning and printing solutions.
For more than 30 years, Apex Steel has built its reputation on service and reliability across its national network of more than a dozen sites. The company provides a wide range of steel products to various industries, differentiating itself through superior customer service and dependable delivery. Facing challenges from a legacy paper-based system that led to inaccurate stock counts and fulfilment delays, Apex Steel turned to Zebra to protect the customer experience that sets it apart.
To modernise its operations, Apex Steel deployed a solution including Zebra’s MC9 series ultra-rugged mobile computers, ZT400 series industrial printers, and DS3600 series ultra-rugged barcode scanners. The project was executed in partnership with Zebra registered reseller and ISV, LogiQ-On Technology, who managed the successful integration of the new solution. As part of the deployment, Apex Steel’s warehouse management system (WMS) was upgraded to Produmex WMS, which connects seamlessly to the company’s existing SAP Business One (B1) system.
“In the steel industry, differentiation comes from service, not the product. We needed to deliver on our promises with absolute certainty,” said Nick Lachimea, Chief Corporate Officer, Apex Steel. “Receiving orders could take up to an hour. With Zebra’s MC9 series mobile computers, it now takes 10 minutes, making our team six times faster. We can tell a customer immediately if we have an item in stock and commit to next-day delivery with 99% confidence.”
This new workflow provides a single source of truth for inventory. On the shop floor, the solution eliminates costly production errors: Zebra’s ultra-rugged barcode scanners validate every steel coil’s colour and gauge before cutting, preventing material waste and expensive rework. To complete the process, Zebra’s industrial printers automate the final labelling stage, ensuring every finished pack is correctly identified to prevent shipping errors. The durability of these solutions, proven to last over a decade in a harsh plant environment, has also significantly reduced downtime and maintenance costs, contributing to overall efficiency.
“Apex Steel’s success demonstrates the power of a connected frontline,” said Brett Newstead, Sales Director for Australia & New Zealand (ANZ), Zebra Technologies. “Equipping their teams with our solutions solved long-standing challenges and created a significant competitive advantage through superior efficiency and customer service. This is intelligent operations in action.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Apex Steel used Zebra mobile computers to kick-start its new workflow, making order receiving six times faster and boosting next-day delivery confidence to 99%.
- Zebra’s rugged solutions secure Apex Steel’s shop floor accuracy, with mobile computers providing a single source of truth for inventory, barcode scanners preventing costly rework and industrial printers ensuring every finished pack is correctly labelled for shipment.
- To learn more about APEX Steel’s implementation of Zebra’s solution, please read the full story here.
WHO IS ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES?
Zebra provides the foundation for intelligent operations with an award-winning portfolio of connected frontline, asset visibility and automation solutions powered by AI. Organisations globally across retail, manufacturing, transportation, logistics, healthcare, and other industries rely on us to deliver outcomes today while driving innovation for what’s next. Together with our partners, we create new ways of working that improve productivity and empower organisations to be better every day. Learn more at www.zebra.com.
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