Trimble Navigation was founded in November 1978[3] by Charles Trimble and two partners from Hewlett-Packard. It initially operated above a movie theatre in Los Altos, California.
By the end of 2016, the company had 8,388 employees, with more than half of employees in locations outside the United States.[4][5]
In 2002, Caterpillar and Trimble formed a joint venture Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies (CTCT), to develop machine control products for improved customer productivity and lower costs on earthmoving projects.[6]
On April 23, 2018, Trimble agreed to acquire privately held Viewpoint from investment firm Bain Capital in an all-cash transaction of US$1.2bn, with an expected completion in Q3 of 2018.[7][8]
On February 12, 2019, a new division called Trimble MAPS (Maps and Applications for Professional Solutions) was launched, bringing together Trimble's former ALK Technologies and TMW Appian Final Mile businesses.[9][10]
On October 30, 2019, Trimble announced that its board of directors has unanimously elected Robert G. Painter to succeed Steven W. Berglund as president and CEO of Trimble, effective January 4, 2020, the first day of Trimble's 2020 fiscal year. Painter joined the Trimble Board of Directors on January 4, 2020 as well.[11]
On May 28, 2020, Trimble and Kuebix launched next-generation Community Load Match capabilities to simplify finding and filling truckload capacity.[12] A solution that facilitates collaboration between shippers and carriers to optimize how freight moves throughout the supply chain.[13]
On October 6, 2022, Trimble announced its headquarters had relocated to Westminster, Colorado from Sunnyvale, California.[14]
On November 28, 2023, it was announced that Trimble donated $22 million to Purdue University's Polytechnic college to build a lab in the School of Construction Management Technology.[15][16]
Name change
The company changed its name from Trimble Navigation Limited to Trimble Inc.; the name change and change in legal domicile became effective October 1, 2016. Trimble Inc. continued to operate without change or material impacts to stakeholders. The corporate headquarters remained in California until October 2022, when it relocated to Westminster, Colorado.[14][17]
Industries
Trimble sells products and services into the following industries: land survey, construction, agriculture, transportation, telecommunications, asset tracking, mapping, railways, utilities, mobile resource management, and government.
As of 2014, they also own Tekla (BIM modelling), Vico Office (BIM data handling) and Gehry Technologies' GTeam (project coordination).[28]
In 2016, Trimble acquired Sefaira (sustainability analysis software including energy modeling and daylight visualization).[29]
On September 28, 2023, AGCO announced that it would acquire an 85% stake in Trimble's agriculture business as a part of a new Joint Venture.[30]
On October 3, 2019, Trimble acquired Cityworks to expand its GIS-centric digital asset and infrastructure management solutions.[clarification needed][31]
US$3.80 billion (2023)
US$449 million (2023)