What Handheld does

Handheld Group AB was a Swedish manufacturer of rugged mobile computing hardware founded in 1997 and headquartered in Lidköping, Sweden, operating with 51–100 employees. The company designed and produced rugged tablets (Algiz series), rugged handhelds and PDAs (Nautiz series), wearable scanners (RS60 ring scanner, SP500X label printer), and supporting accessories for defence, security, and industrial customers operating in harsh environments. Its product line was complemented by the MaxGo Suite — a free suite of Android applications covering mobile device management (MaxGo Manager), configuration staging via barcode/NFC (MaxGo Staging), kiosk mode (Kiosk Browser, Kiosk Home), barcode and RFID scanning, warehouse management, and NFC tag writing. Pricing was hardware-led: MaxGo Suite was freemium, bundled at no additional charge with Handheld Android rugged computers, and hardware list pricing was not publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market was enterprise field sales across two verticals — defence/security and industry (logistics, warehousing, field operations) — supported by localized websites in seven European languages. No named end-customer logos, revenue figures, funding rounds, or patents are disclosed in the source material; intellectual property consists of the registered Algiz® and Nautiz® trademarks. Leadership comprised Founder & Chairman Jerker Hellstrom, Chief Product Officer Johan Hed, and President & CEO Jim Rimay.

In 2024, Handheld Group ceased independent operations and was fully embedded in MilDef, a Swedish defence and security solutions provider. The Algiz 10XR and Nautiz X21 product lines transferred to MilDef's portfolio, while industrial customers were redirected to Nordalp, a newly established independent company founded by former Handheld team members that continues to offer rugged tablets and PDAs for industrial environments under a mutual agreement. Several SKUs (Algiz 8x, Nautiz X2, Nautiz X41, Nautiz X6) and the MaxCare All Inclusive service packages were discontinued, and the corporate website now functions as a legacy support and redirect portal rather than an active sales channel.

Name

Handheld

Legal name

Handheld Group AB

Website

https://handheldgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Handheld Group AB was a Swedish rugged mobile computer manufacturer (Nautiz handhelds, Algiz tablets, wearables) for defence and industrial customers, bundled with the freemium MaxGo Suite Android device-management software. In 2024 it ceased independent operations and was absorbed into MilDef, with industrial business spun out to Nordalp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rugged Mobile Computers

NAICS

Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Rugged Handhelds & Mobile Computers (HDACALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rugged Tablets & Slates (HDACALAA), Wearable Computers (Industrial Smart Glasses/Wrist/Arm-Mount) (HDACALAH)

Keywords

• Rugged mobile computers
• Rugged tablets
• Enterprise handheld devices
• Rugged barcode scanners
• Field workforce computing

Headquarters

HQ city

Lidköping

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Rugged Hardware Sales: Sale of rugged mobile computers, tablets, handhelds, PDAs, and wearable devices designed for tough environments in defence and industrial sectors.
2. MaxGo Suite Software: MaxGo Suite is provided free of charge for use with all Handheld Android rugged computers, suggesting software serves as a value-add to hardware sales rather than a primary revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Handheld Group AB designs and manufactures rugged mobile computers — including the Algiz rugged tablets, Nautiz rugged handhelds, RS60 ring scanner, and SP500X wearable scanner — engineered to IP65/IP67 and MIL-STD-810G specifications for defence, industrial, and field-workforce use. The company also develops the MaxGo Suite, a proprietary Android device-management and deployment platform bundled with its hardware at no additional charge.

Product overview

Handheld Group is a Swedish provider of rugged mobile computing solutions. The company has ceased independent operations and is now embedded within MilDef, with industrial customer products continuing through Nordalp. The product portfolio includes rugged tablets (Algiz 10XR, Nautiz X21) and handhelds (Nautiz X81, Nautiz X9), wearables (RS60 Ring Scanner, SP500X), and the MaxGo Suite of Android device management software. The MaxGo Suite consists of MaxGo Manager (MDM for device configuration and monitoring), MaxGo Staging (barcode/NFC-based deployment tool), and MaxGo Android Apps (including Barcode scanner, Kiosk Browser, Kiosk Home, Warehouse management, RFID/RFID V2 integration, Keyboard Toggle, and Tag Writer utilities). The MaxGo Suite is provided free of charge for use with all Handheld Android rugged computers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MaxGo Suite: Software suite for quick custom setups and secure experience across Handheld Android devices, including MaxGo Manager, MaxGo Staging, and various Android apps
• Nautiz
• Algiz
• MaxCare

Products and services

• Algiz rugged tablets Algiz is Handheld's line of rugged Android tablets built to IP65/IP67 and MIL-STD-810G specifications, with long-life batteries, integrated data-capture options, and 4G/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS connectivity, designed for industrial, utility, logistics, and defence field-workforce users.
• Nautiz rugged handhelds Nautiz is Handheld's family of rugged handheld computers running Android, designed with integrated barcode scanning, IP-rated ruggedness, and field-replaceable batteries for use by field workers in warehousing, logistics, utilities, and public safety.
• RS60 rugged ring scanner The RS60 is a rugged ring scanner that delivers hands-free 1D/2D barcode scanning via Bluetooth pairing with a host device, targeted at industrial, warehousing, and logistics users who need wearable scanning alongside a mobile computer.
• SP500X wearable scanner The SP500X is Handheld's wearable rugged scanner, providing hands-free barcode scanning for industrial and logistics workflows as part of the company's field-workforce scanning product family.
• MaxGo Suite MaxGo Suite is Handheld's proprietary Android device-management, configuration, and deployment platform, offering MDM support, custom key remapping, app and keyboard configuration, and integrated tools to simplify large-fleet rollouts for Handheld hardware customers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MilDefflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHandheld Group has ceased operations and is now fully embedded in MilDef. This represents a complete strategic integration where Handheld has become part of MilDef's ongoing focus on delivering advanced solutions for the defence and security sector. Some products have been transferred to MilDef's portfolio.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Nordalp: Newly independent spin-off founded by former Handheld team members that now serves industrial customers with rugged tablets and PDAs under a mutual agreement with MilDef. Directly comparable as it continues Handheld's industrial-side rugged computing business.
• Getac Technology Corporation: Taiwan-based manufacturer of rugged tablets, notebooks, and handheld computers serving defence, public safety, industrial, and field service markets globally. Closely aligned product categories to Handheld's Nautiz and Algiz lines.
• Juniper Systems: US-based manufacturer of rugged handheld computers, tablets, and field data collectors for agriculture, forestry, utilities, surveying, and industrial markets. Comparable niche focus on rugged mobile data collection hardware.
• MilDef: Handheld's parent and acquirer; a Nasdaq Stockholm-listed provider of rugged electronics and IT solutions for the defence sector. Directly comparable as it now owns the Algiz 10XR and Nautiz X21 product lines and serves the same defence rugged-mobile-computing customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Trimble Inc. Provider of positioning and field-data solutions including rugged tablets and handhelds for construction, agriculture, geospatial, and utilities. Comparable as a rugged mobile computing vendor for industrial field operations.
• Datalogic: Italian-listed manufacturer of barcode readers, mobile computers, sensors, and vision systems for retail, logistics, manufacturing, and healthcare. Comparable in rugged handheld and industrial mobile data capture solutions.
• Zebra Technologies: Large US-listed provider of enterprise asset intelligence, including rugged handheld computers, tablets, barcode scanners, and RFID readers used across logistics, retail, manufacturing, and field service. Direct competitor in rugged handhelds and tablets for industrial verticals.
• Panasonic Connect (Toughbook/Toughpad): Established manufacturer of rugged Toughbook laptops and Toughpad tablets for defence, emergency services, utilities, and field operations. A long-standing incumbent in the rugged computing category with deep global channels.
• Honeywell: Diversified industrial conglomerate with a Productivity Solutions and Services segment offering rugged mobile computers, scanners, and printing solutions for warehouse, logistics, and field service workflows. Comparable as a broad incumbent in rugged enterprise mobility.

Emerging players

• Bluebird (formerly Pidion): Korean manufacturer of rugged mobile computers, tablets, and PDAs for enterprise and industrial customers. Comparable as an emerging Asian player in rugged enterprise mobility targeting logistics and field operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/handheldgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/handheld

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Handheld