Kobelco Partners with
Iridium to Enable Truly Global Remote Asset
Tracking for Fleet Management Systems
November 11, 2020
Kobelco Construction
Machinery Co., Ltd. has integrated Iridium’s
two-way satellite communications into its
hydraulic excavator machinery, heavy equipment
and the KOMEXS remote asset management platform.
The addition of the Iridium® service provides
KCM equipment with truly global coverage for the
first time, along with the flexibility of
programming deployed assets to provide automated
recurring telematics and equipment health
updates, while also enabling customers to
request real-time reports.
The KOMEXS platform
provides the capability to manage multiple
deployed assets across several job sites and
tracks machinery health information such as
working hours, engine health and fuel
consumption. The system helps users keep track
of valuable resources, manage costs, boost
productivity, and proactively plan for
maintenance requirements that can help increase
efficiency and safety. This can also include
warning alerts when deployed machinery needs
servicing and geofencing to ensure machinery is
deployed to the correct worksite.
“As the need for real-time,
global communications solutions continues to
increase, Iridium and KCM are delivering
reliable, effective and weather-resilient
connectivity for KCM's vast customer base,” says
Bryan Hartin, executive vice president, sales
and marketing, Iridium. “This partnership
solidifies Iridium’s leadership position in
providing global satellite industrial-IoT
communications within the heavy equipment
industry.”
Iridium's network is
uniquely qualified for mobile telematics
reporting and serving the needs of heavy
equipment and construction machinery for
connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial
networks. With small-form-factor devices that
can be easily integrated with existing solutions
like the KOMEXS platform, Iridium works closely
with its partners to help simplify the process
of adding truly global satellite connectivity to
their services. KCM expects to begin shipment of
vehicles equipped with Iridium Connected®
devices in early 2021.
Initial deployment will occur in Southeast Asian
countries, followed by Russia, Central and South
America and North America.
As of the third quarter of
2020, Iridium commercial IoT subscribers grew
20% from the year-ago period to 924,000
customers, further cementing the company's place
as the premier satellite IoT company.
As the satellite IoT market continues to
grow through the increased adoption of
satellite-enabled telematics solutions, the need
for global and reliable solutions will increase,
further establishing Iridium's position as the
leader in this space.