BlueStar

What BlueStar does

BlueStar, legally United Radio Incorporated dba BlueStar, is a privately held global technology distributor founded in 1943 and headquartered in Hebron, Kentucky. The company distributes point-of-sale hardware, auto data capture (barcode scanners, printers, RFID), digital signage, mobile computers, enterprise tablets, networking, and security/access control solutions on behalf of 40+ manufacturer partners including Zebra Technologies, Honeywell, Epson, Samsung, LG, Datalogic, Impinj, Intel, and Lenovo. BlueStar sells exclusively through a channel of value-added resellers (VARs) who specialize in vertical industries such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, supply chain, field service, and government; it does not transact with end customers directly. Beyond hardware distribution, the company generates revenue from value-added services including custom configuration, staging and imaging, on-site installation, technical support, RMA processing, financial services/leasing, and reseller training through BlueStar Academy, as well as channel acceleration programs such as TEConnect (software), TECNexus (robotics), In-a-Box bundles, and Global Care account management. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; contracts are multi-year, and the company operates localized sites across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and EMEA, with a recent (February 2025) strategic partnership with Viva.com extending its European footprint into integrated payments and commerce.

Name

BlueStar

Legal name

United Radio Incorporated dba BlueStar

Website

https://bluestarinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

BlueStar is a privately held global technology distributor founded in 1943 that sells POS, auto data capture, RFID, digital signage, mobile computing, and security hardware exclusively through value-added resellers serving retail, hospitality, healthcare, supply chain, field service, and government verticals across North America and EMEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hebron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Technology Hardware Distribution: BlueStar distributes technology hardware including rugged mobile computing, barcode scanners, label and receipt printers, self-service kiosks, digital signage, RFID solutions, networking equipment, and edge computing devices to value-added resellers.
2. Professional Services: Services including custom configuration, installation, site surveys, technical support, and training programs for resellers and end customers.
3. Financial Services: Financing and leasing options for technology purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BlueStar is a global technology value-added distributor that sells point-of-sale hardware, barcode scanners, barcode and label printers, RFID systems, mobile computers, rugged enterprise tablets, digital signage, networking equipment, kiosk/self-service solutions, and access control/security hardware from 40+ manufacturers to a channel of vertical-specialized value-added resellers (VARs). It complements hardware distribution with value-added services including custom configuration and staging, installation and site surveys, technical support, RMA services, financing/leasing, training through BlueStar Academy, and pre-bundled In-a-Box solutions.

Product overview

BlueStar is a global technology distributor serving value-added resellers (VARs) across multiple vertical industries including retail, hospitality, healthcare, warehousing, transportation, logistics, field service, and government. The company operates as a broad portfolio distributor offering point of sale (POS) hardware, auto data capture (barcode scanners, printers, RFID), digital signage, enterprise tablets, mobile computers, networking, and security/access control solutions from over 50 manufacturer partners including Zebra, Honeywell, Epson, Samsung, LG, Datalogic, and others. The product portfolio spans hardware categories (scanners, printers, tablets, displays), software (labeling, device management), and services (configuration, installation, technical support, financing). BlueStar sells exclusively through a channel of specialized VARs who provide consulting, deployment, and ongoing support to end customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TEConnect: Channel Acceleration Program for Software Companies - software program connecting software companies with vendor and value-added reseller partnerships
• TECNexus
• BlueStar Academy
• Global Care
• In-a-Box Series

Products and services

• Point of Sale (POS) Hardware & Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• BlueStar anticipates 25-30% growth in FY2026 if summer conditions are favorable (note: this refers to a different BlueStar company - Indian AC manufacturer)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature13 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, emerging and minor.

• Viva.comcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2025Viva.com, a Greece-based payments and Embedded Finance platform, and BlueStar announced a strategic partnership to deliver end-to-end commerce solutions for merchants, ISVs, and channel partners across Europe. The integrated offering combines Viva.com's payment acquiring, card issuing, fiscalisation, and lending capabilities with BlueStar's hardware distribution, configuration, staging, logistics, and lifecycle support across its EMEA division. The partnership consolidates hardware procurement, software integration, payment processing, and financial services into a single commercial relationship for value-added resellers and managed service providers operating in European markets.
• HoneywellcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar is a distribution partner for Honeywell products including barcode scanners, mobile computers, and healthcare technology solutions. Honeywell sponsored BlueStar's healthcare technology survey.
• Zebra TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar is a premier distribution partner for Zebra Technologies products including enterprise tablets (ET401), barcode scanners (DS82 Series), RFID solutions, and mobile computers. BlueStar features Zebra products prominently and has dedicated product pages and sales support.
• EpsoncoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Epson products including receipt printers, mobile printers, and POS solutions. Epson has sponsored BlueStar surveys and partner programs.
• SamsungcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Samsung commercial displays and technology products for retail and enterprise applications.
• IntelmajorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Intel-based technology solutions and edge computing products as part of its vendor portfolio.
• HPmajorTechnology or IntegrationHP has sponsored BlueStar grocery executive surveys and provides POS solutions through the BlueStar distribution channel.
• DatalogiccoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Datalogic barcode scanners, mobile computers, and other automatic data capture products.
• Bear RoboticsemergingTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Bear Robotics restaurant service robots as part of its TECNexus Robotics Program for VARs.
• AdvantechmajorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Advantech embedded and industrial computing products.
• LG Business SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes LG commercial displays, digital signage, and technology products.
• LenovomajorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Lenovo commercial technology products including tablets and edge devices.
• EntrustmajorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Entrust ID and access control security solutions.
• ImpinjcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes Impinj RAIN RFID products for item-level tracking and Internet of Things applications.
• SATOcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes SATO label printers and automatic identification solutions.
• ProGloveemergingTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes ProGlove wearable barcode scanners for hands-free scanning in warehouse and logistics operations.
• SimplyNUCmajorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes SimplyNUC compact computers and edge computing solutions.
• Seagull Scientific (BarTender)majorTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar distributes BarTender label design software by Seagull Scientific.
• EsperemergingTechnology or IntegrationBlueStar partners with Esper for device management and deployment services for Android enterprise devices.
• VDC ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVDC Research collaborated with BlueStar on healthcare executive survey data collection and analysis.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ScanSource: ScanSource is a global provider of technology products and solutions for POS, barcode, networking, security, and physical security — the closest publicly traded peer to BlueStar with near-identical vendor portfolio (Zebra, Honeywell, etc.) and VAR channel model.
• D&H Distributing: D&H is a wholesale distributor of technology products to resellers and integrators across SMB and mid-market, with overlapping categories in POS, mobility, and networking — directly comparable VAR-channel distribution model to BlueStar.
• Jenne: Jenne is a value-added technology distributor focused on UC, networking, collaboration, and physical security, serving VARs and integrators with a similar mid-market specialisation and channel support services.
• Westcon-Comstor: Westcon-Comstor is a global value-added distributor specialising in networking, security, and unified communications — overlapping with BlueStar's networking and security categories and channel-only distribution model.
• Exclusive Networks: Exclusive Networks is a global cybersecurity specialist value-added distributor, comparable to BlueStar's security/access control distribution line and channel-only go-to-market model.

Broad incumbents

• Ingram Micro: Ingram Micro is one of the largest global IT distributors, offering a broad catalog that overlaps with BlueStar's mobility, POS, and networking categories, but at much larger scale and broader end-market coverage.
• TD SYNNEX: TD SYNNEX is a leading global IT distributor formed from the merger of Tech Data and SYNNEX, with overlapping POS, mobility, and security categories serving resellers worldwide at much greater scale than BlueStar.
• Arrow Electronics: Arrow Electronics is a large global distributor of electronic components and enterprise technology solutions, including adjacent categories like embedded computing and IoT that overlap with BlueStar's edge computing portfolio.
• SYNNEX (now part of TD SYNNEX): Pre-merger SYNNEX was a major global IT distributor with strong POS and mobility exposure, directly comparable to BlueStar's distribution model before consolidation into TD SYNNEX.

Emerging players

• Pax8: Pax8 is an emerging cloud-focused distributor serving MSPs and VARs with subscription software and cloud services — partially overlapping with BlueStar's TEConnect software channel program and partner-services model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/think_bluestar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/bluestarinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/think.bluestar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-star
• Instagraminstagram.com/think_bluestar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BlueStar