Hitachi Construction Machinery to Use Iridium® for Delivering Global e-Service Across the Planet

Sept. 27, 2017

Iridium Communications Inc. announced a new long-term agreement bringing the truly global coverage and reliability of the Iridium^® network to Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.’s (TSE:6305) (“Hitachi Construction Machinery”) world class Global e-Service construction machinery management system. By integrating Iridium connectivity, Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Global e-Service will now be able to expand to regions and markets previously not possible. Together, Iridium and Hitachi Construction Machinery are making effective, reliable and truly global, construction machinery management possible for Hitachi Construction Machinery’s vast telematics customer base. 

Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Global e-Service construction machinery management system provides customers with robust maintenance information to help companies control CO₂ emissions, minimize idling times and monitor fuel consumption. Through this new agreement, Global e-Service customers will be able to easily access and transfer critical data, that convey key operational information, including but not limited to, daily operation hours, temperatures and pressures. Quake Global, a key Iridium hardware manufacturer, provides its Iridium satellite network-based product for Hitachi Construction Machinery to integrate Global e-Service with the network.

“At Hitachi Construction Machinery, we are committed to providing reliable and accurate asset management capabilities to our customers with our Global e-Service system,” said Toru Kurenuma, general manager, design department control system center at Hitachi Construction Machinery. “Iridium’s network will afford us a new level of global connectivity that will help us grow our telematics business and expand our worldwide footprint.”

Iridium’s network is uniquely qualified for mobile telematics and serving the Internet of Things (IoT) beyond the reach of terrestrial networks, due to the inherent advantages it boasts.  Iridium operates the only 100-percent global network comprised of interconnected LEO satellites.  Due to its proximity to Earth in LEO, Iridium’s network delivers low-latency and reliable connectivity supporting critical business functions, like remote asset tracking, vehicle management and preventative maintenance.  With constantly moving satellites that can communicate with each other, end users have access to enhanced reliability and connectivity, even in the most remote locations.

“Partnering with Hitachi Construction Machinery is a major milestone for Iridium’s IoT business,” said Tim Last, vice president and general manager, IoT at Iridium. “We are excited to work together in making reliable, satellite-based telematics solutions available to Hitachi Construction Machinery’s Global e-Service customers.  Integrating with our network will allow Hitachi Construction Machinery to deliver improved performance and better coverage to its customers, helping expand their business into new regions previously not possible, due to lack of satellite coverage.  When deploying business critical communications, such as those with Global e-Service, reliability is key, and we are the only network that can offer that level of dependability and connectivity.”