Garmin smartwatches and fitness technology

Garmin was founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao in Lenexa, Kansas, United States. The company's name is a portmanteau of the founders' first names. While the company started with aviation and marine GPS units, it became globally recognized for its wearable fitness technology and sports smartwatches.

Today, Garmin operates a vertically integrated manufacturing model, with a significant majority of its hardware production taking place in its own facilities in Taiwan. This allows the company to maintain high oversight of quality and production consistency.

Garmin Ltd. is a publicly traded company and acts as its own ultimate parent entity. While it was originally an American company, it is currently incorporated in Switzerland for tax and corporate structure purposes, while maintaining its operational headquarters in the United States. It remains one of the few major technology brands that produces its high-end electronics in-house rather than outsourcing to third-party manufacturers.