Singapore, March 3, 2009 - SATO, a pioneer in the Automatic Identification and Data Collection (AIDC) industry and a leader in barcode printing, labelling, and EPC/RFID solutions announced the launch of its line of MBi Series mobile printers, including ruggedized versions ideal for on-demand mobile and portable labelling applications.

SATO’s MB2i and MB4i are lightweight, ergonomically-designed mobile printers that can withstand environmental field conditions where dust, temperature extremes and physical shock are common challenges. These mobile printing solutions are efficient and convenient without compromising in performance.

The SATO MBi Series mobile printers feature the convenience of wireless network connectivity, which enable printer operators to interface with host systems and connect to industry leading portable data terminals for the production and applying of labels at the point of need. These mobile printers may be configured to mount onto vehicles such as forklifts and delivery trucks, and customized for in-vehicle operation to allow printing at the point of service. They support a wide range of media, and allow for the use of linerless label materials, making them environmentally friendly and very cost efficient.  Also standard to this new product line is an integrated built-in label dispenser, a time saving feature for on-demand applications. The MB4i series are the only printers in the industry to offer 305dpi high-resolution printing.  

SATO mobile printers’  applications include retail queue-busing, price and promotion labelling, shelf labelling, route accounting and proof of delivery or field service receipts, receive/put-away/routing label creations and electronic citations. In the healthcare sector, some uses for the applications are triage and patient charge labeling.

“We anticipate a strong increase in demand for mobile solutions worldwide as a result of increasingly sophisticated technology and solutions offerings. As a global industry leader in performance based printing and labelling solutions, the MBi series is a natural evolution of our long term commitment to customer application needs around the globe.” said Kaz Matsuyama, Managing Director of SATO International.