HAND HELD PRODUCTS: EXPLOSION IN DEMAND FOR 2D IMAGING

Hand Held Products, the world's leading developer of 2D hand held imagers, is enjoying a dramatic surge in demand for the technology.  The recent VDC Report showed that for many pan-European vertical markets, the average annual growth in 2D imaging is expected to be up to 22%, compared with just 5% for laser technology.

Roel Vreeburg, Senior Vice President for International Sales, Marketing and Services in EMEA and Asia, explains: "A key reason behind this surge in interest is the need for organisations to increase the efficiency of their global processes.  This requires better product traceability, so barcodes need to carry more data.  2D barcodes are ideal as they can hold information such as the component suppliers, the materials used, and the date when the product was completed.

"We anticipated the demand for this technology years ago, and have developed a range of omni-directional 2D imagers which can also take photos and capture signatures.  We recently released a fifth generation image engine, the 5X00 series."

The benefits of the new engine are impressive, and include: a higher image resolution than before; greater motion tolerance; a more powerful reading capability (even in extremely low light); a faster reading speed; and a greater depth of field.

Roel observes: "Despite these improvements, we haven't increased the image engine's price.  It has been integrated into our 2D scanners and mobile computers.  In recent years, companies such as Specsavers, German Rail, Swedish Post, Initial City Link, ANC and DPD have all adopted our 2D solutions."

He concludes: "Our commitment to continuous improvement in 2D imaging is driven by our determination to provide our customers with products that provide the highest possible levels of quality and performance."