Who Owns Garmin, And Where Are Its Watches Made?
Garmin is undeniably one of the most recognized names in consumer tech, dominating the fitness tracker, watch, and GPS navigation markets (and even smartwatches with GPS). From hardcore marathon runners to weekend hikers, the brand has built a fiercely loyal user base. But unlike some tech brands that operate under the umbrella of massive conglomerates or are strictly private, Garmin's ownership structure is a true mixed bag.
Because Garmin is a publicly traded company (listed on the NYSE as GRMN), it doesn't have a single corporate overlord. Instead, it's owned by a mix of institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. Notably, big investor names like Vanguard own just under 10%, while BlackRock owns about 8%. The business was originally founded together in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao (whose combined partial first names come together to create the "Gar-Min" moniker). Though Burrell passed away in 2019, Kao remains a pivotal figure in the organization, currently serving as the executive chairman of the board of directors.
On paper, Garmin is technically a Swiss company, as its legal home base is in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. But don't let the corporate paperwork fool you. The real magic (from the execs calling the shots to the teams designing the watches and helping customers) happens in the U.S., at the company's massive headquarters in Olathe, Kansas.
Where exactly does Garmin make all of its watches?
It's easy to assume that, since Garmin's operational headquarters is located in Kansas, its popular wearables are manufactured there as well. However, the Olathe facility only handles the manufacturing of some of Garmin's aviation systems and automotive products. Garmin's smartwatches are actually produced overseas, in Taiwan. The company operates large, automated manufacturing plants in cities like Taoyuan, which serves as the main hub for its wearable tech assembly.
Here's what makes Garmin's setup so unusual today, though: the company actually builds its own gear. Many major tech brands just design a product in the U.S., but then pay a huge foreign factory to put it all together. Garmin doesn't do that. The company owns and operates its own factories in Taiwan, and it handles the whole process from start to finish. Because Garmin isn't passing the buck to a middleman, it gets to keep a close eye on everything from picking the parts to the final stress tests. Maybe that's part of why Garmin watches beat the Apple Watch for fitness users.
That hands-on approach is a big reason why premium watches like the Enduro or Venu can actually survive whatever wilderness you drag them through. So although there are plenty of smartwatch myths you should stop believing, know this as fact: Garmin is legally based in Switzerland, headquartered in Kansas, and manufactures its goods in Taiwan.