North America’s expanding Automatic Identification (Auto-ID) industry picked up more momentum today with the grand opening celebration of SATO Global Solutions (SGS) (satoworldwide.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based SATO Holdings Corporation.

As the leader in Japan’s Auto-ID industry with operations in Europe, Asia and the Americas, SATO is a worldwide powerhouse in Auto-ID solutions. The company has a 75-year history that includes the development of the world’s first thermal barcode printer in 1981.

SATO is making a significant investment in its new U.S. subsidiary in order to accelerate the company’s North American growth and to develop an agile business model for the effective delivery of integrated Auto-ID solutions around the world. SGS will lead SATO’s delivery of Auto-ID solutions, matching SATO’s strong legacy of engineering and manufacturing with a new focus on the development of cloud-based software and integrated solutions.

“In light of the fast growth of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and increasing usage of data analytics, the software development and integration capabilities of SATO Global Solutions will add to our expertise in filling in that essential ‘last inch,’ connecting the virtual and physical, and enhancing the value we deliver to our customers,” says Kaz Matsuyama, President and CEO of SATO Holdings Corporation. “It was natural for us to choose the United States as the headquarters of SGS, given access to the most advanced technologies, a strong appetite for innovation and the relative ease of serving global customers. By increasing our footprint and by being in closer proximity to our customers, I am confident that we can leverage SATO’s Genbaryoku, our unique hands on approach to problem solving, to deliver integrated solutions in North America and beyond.”

The cloud-based solutions offered by SGS will enable it to quickly and efficiently expand to new geographic areas and additional vertical markets. As more companies embrace the technologies 'to track their assets, products and people, Auto-ID solutions are reaching areas where they were not even considered a few years ago, thereby bringing marketing and business operations to the next level.

Michael Beedles, Head of North America for the SATO Group and President of SGS, said, “SGS will inherit SATO’s customer-centric approach and emphasis on the delivery of optimal solutions for them. We are excited to pioneer new services for our customers, integrating not only software, hardware and consumables, but also material handling and cyber security.”

To capitalize on the use of Auto-ID solutions in emerging industries, SGS’ new North American headquarters includes an innovative sales showroom that highlights a variety of customer-based solutions in vertical markets as diverse as food and beverage, retail and healthcare.