December 2016 | Business View Magazine

114 115 tems—that were used, in those days, for test and measurement applications in research and development (R&D) and manu- facturing environments.“As part of the evolution of the business, along with the computers, we be- gan providing computer peripheral equipment, including impact and line printers,” says Sean Lowry, cur- rent Vice President of the company and grandson of its founder. “One of our customers in the grocery industry in the early ’80s asked if we could help them print barcodes with those print- ers,” Lowry continues. “And, as the story goes, we said, ‘Sure. What’s a barcode?’ And that was our first introduction into this AIDC industry.” A barcode is an optical, machine-readable representation of data. The first commercial ap- pearance of a Universal Product Code (UPC), a barcode symbology, took place in 1974 at Marsh’s Supermarket in Troy, Ohio, on a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum. Today, barcodes have be- come ubiquitous in stores around the world. “As barcode standards and requirements became more and more prevalent, my father, who had taken over the business, slowly and surely migrated our full attention to the AIDC busi- ness, and we established our- selves as a nationwide reseller of all the predominant barcode equipment and manufacturers,” says Lowry. “Today, all those barcode manufacturers have essentially consolidated into Zebra Technologies or a division of Honeywell, and we are global partners with them.” Over the last four decades, the LOWRY SOLUTIONS, INC. TEKLYNX helps companies operate smoothly and efficiently by implementing labeling solutions that streamline operations while staying ahead of indus- try-specific compliance and emerging regulations. World-renowned for our customer support, TEKLYNX is here to help your company work better. TEKLYNX LABEL DESIGN SOFTWARE AND ENTERPRISE LABEL MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS LEARN MORE AT TEKLYNX.COM / 888-629-4444 company continued to evolve, and eventually changed its name from Lowry and Associates to Lowry Computer Prod- ucts, and finally to Lowry Solutions, Inc., in 2014. In addition to reselling hardware, the company’s network of technicians provides nationwide services and ongoing support for the hardware it sells and installs. “Over the last 10 to 12 years, the company has been much more focused on being a turnkey solutions provider,” Lowry declares. “Not just providing that hardware and/or break-fix service, but actually expanding more into software solu- tions, professional services, and engineering, as well—asset tracking, work-in-process visibility, upfront planning from a design perspective, system architecture services, repair services, technical support services, post-implementation, quality control, operational workflow consulting—a total, turnkey solutions provider.” Today, the company’s customers include manufacturing firms with their associated warehouse and distribution units, transportation and logistics enterprises, and government. “Mostly the Department of Defense,” Lowry says.“The remainder of our business is in the healthcare and retail sector.” Lowry Solutions has approximately 110 employees. It serves Mike LoWry “Over the last ten to twelve years, the company has been much more focused in being a turnkey solutions provider. Not just providing that hardware and/or break-fix service, but actually expanding more into software solutions, professional services, and engineering, as well ... SeAn LoWry CURRENT PRESIDENT AND GRANDSON OF FOUNDER