LAS VEGAS — Blecon announced the launch of its Blecon Agent software this week at Manifest 2026. The Agent enables devices such as handheld and mobile computers from Zebra Technologies to create a Bluetooth tracking network. The autonomous network can help organizations digitize warehouse and logistics operations.
“We worked with Zebra to make sure the Blecon Agent could support [devices] so that a fleet manager or IT manager can basically push this Agent to all of the Zebra devices a company owns,” Simon Ford, CEO of Blecon, told Automated Warehouse. “That’s how they could light up their whole supply chain basically as an IT operation.”
Using existing devices in the field, the Agent tracks assets continuously without needing new infrastructure or relying on cellular connectivity. It uses built-in Bluetooth radios to close visibility gaps without manual scanning or cellular trackers.
From packaging to warehousing: Digitizing asset tracking gaps
While the Agent is primarily suited for warehouse and downstream logistics operations, Ford said it also plays a role at the point where packaged goods transition off the production line.
On packaging lines, items are typically tracked with barcodes or radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Once products are consolidated into units such as pallets, totes, or roll cages, Ford said Bluetooth tracking becomes more practical as visibility gaps begin when assets move into warehousing.
“At the individual item level, it’s probably still barcodes and passive RFID that’s going to be dominant for a long time, just because of the realities of the cost of tagging things,” he explained. “But then, as those things get put together into logistical units, the equation changes slightly. Active Bluetooth becomes a lot more interesting and a lot more flexible than RFID or barcodes that need a line of sight or dedicated RFID readers.”
Blecon, a Zebra-registered independent software vendor (ISV), aims to close these data gaps using existing technology. “Because of Bluetooth’s prevalence, it’s a cheat code that no other technology has,” said Ford.
The Bluetooth network connects the frontline to power visibility, ensuring that data flows continuously between workers, assets, and back-end systems. In automated warehouse environments, Ford said this passive tracking approach could extend beyond wearables and handheld devices to other mobile equipment on the floor.
“We support Windows, iOS, and Linux devices, and lots of these robots are running that type of technology,” he said. “So, in theory, a robot walking around just like a person with a Zebra device can be a hotspot for our network.”
Automated tracking supports frontline workforce
Designed to support an augmented workforce, the Blecon Agent runs in the background to automate the collection of asset data so workers can focus on higher-value tasks.
The company said this approach is enabled through three key capabilities:
- Autonomous data capture: assets and inventory are detected automatically by the Blecon Agent as they move throughout the warehouse.
- Zero friction: Frontline teams don’t need to change their workflow, enabling a passive tracking system that can enhance operational speed and safety.
- Immediate scale: Companies can deploy a global tracking network in days using the devices they already have on hand.
“The fact that lots of people walking around with these Zebra devices that can be scanning everything around them is kind of like a superpower,” said Ford. “The device they’re carrying can actually augment them and collect more data, allowing them to focus on things that really matter.”
