MCLEAN, Va. and CURITIBA, Brazil, Sept. 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NRG Telecom and Iridium (Nasdaq:IRDM) announce that Enalta, a provider of technology solutions focused on the agricultural sector, has equipped asset tracking devices with the Iridium-based Quake Global 9612 modem. Multiple agricultural customers, including Abengoa Bioenergia, Delarco Agricola and Cosan, are utilizing this solution in their sugar cane and grain harvesting machines.
The integration of the Iridium-based technology enables real-time data transmission that improves complete operational management and productivity, as well as reduces fuel and maintenance costs for large sugar cane and grain harvesters.
“The Iridium-based Quake Global 9612 modem provided to Enalta by NRG Telecom, an Iridium value added reseller, offers customers a low-latency data communications solution for tracking field activities in areas where there is no other reliable communications coverage available,” said Bernardo Rosenmann, CEO, NRG Telecom. “Enalta customers on average are improving efficiencies by approximately 10 percent and reducing fuel and maintenance costs by about five percent.”
The automated Enalta solution equips the harvesting machines with work-event detector sensors and on-board wireless GPS technology that monitors their speed, engine temperature, oil pressure and battery tension. More specific sensors monitor the heater, radiator and brakes.
The sensors rely on Iridium’s satellite network to transmit short burst data (SBD) messages from the harvesting machines to monitoring stations at pre-configured intervals in real-time. As a result, the need for maintenance is reduced and the number of hours these machines can be available is increased an average of 10 percent. In addition, the sensors can detect or anticipate an issue on a machine from the middle of the field, resulting in solving potential problems before they occur.
“With the Iridium-based tracking devices, we receive the machine data in real time, allowing us the ability to collect, manage and analyze complex information quickly and easily,” said Renato Delarco, CEO of Delarco Agricola, one of the sugar cane harvesting companies currently using the Iridium-based equipment. “Being alerted immediately of any irregularities in equipment assists in avoiding work stoppages and allows preventive measures to be taken, ensuring production efficiency.”
“This service is ideally suited for equipment monitoring in the agricultural sector,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium. “Iridium’s SBD service provides a reliable, robust and cost-effective solution that enables these companies to remain fully operational throughout their peak harvesting seasons.”
About NRG Telecom (www.nrgtelecom.co.uk)
NRG Telecom, based in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, is an Iridium Value Added Reseller focused on the integration of Iridium short burst data (SBD) transceivers in a diverse range of products. NRG Telecom customers, located across the Americas, design in Iridium transceivers for greater visibility in telemetry, logistics, vehicle location, energy distribution. NRG Telecom has a team of telecommunication engineers in Brazil that help customers integrate Iridium based on their needs.
About Enalta (www.enalta.com.br)
Enalta is based in Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, Brazil and is a technological solutions supplier company focused on the agricultural sector, aiming to maximize productivity, diminish the aggression to the environment and promote greater efficiencies. Enalta integrates automation, including: electronic embarked sensors and GPS with software specialists, wireless communication and service to supply a complete solution to the market.
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium Communications Inc. (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-earth orbiting (LEO) cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of distributors, and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company’s customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT. The company is headquartered in McLean, Va., USA and trades on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbols IRDM (common stock), IRDMW ($7.00 warrants), IRDMZ ($11.50 warrants) and IRDMU (units).
About Quake Global (www.quakeglobal.com)
Founded in 1998, Quake Global designs and manufactures industrial M2M modems and controllers for advanced data acquisition, machine, process and motion control and asset monitoring through satellite, cellular, GPS and other emerging technologies. QUAKE is the only manufacturer of network agnostic modems, providing its customers with a unified communications protocol for data coverage across multiple global satellite and terrestrial networks from a single device. From its headquarters in San Diego and through a network of international distributors, the company provides products and design services to OEMs and other companies in the heavy equipment, aviation, maritime, and trucking industries, as well as in utility, gas & oil, and rail applications. Quake provides high-quality subscriber communicators for Bell, British Petroleum, Caterpillar, Doosan, Faria, Fleet Management Solutions, Hitachi, Hyundai, Komatsu, Sumitomo, Volvo trucks and Volvo Construction, among others.
