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Garmin acquires tech provider GEOS Worldwide

Olathe-based Garmin International has acquired assets of SOS technology provider, GEOS Worldwide. GEOS is a leading provider of emergency monitoring and incident response services, and its assets will help bolster Garmin’s inReach satellite communication technology.

Garmin Ltd. acquired a Houston-area company that provides emergency monitoring and incident response services, including to its inReach personal satellite communicators.

Image courtesy Garmin International

Garmin said Tuesday that it had purchased substantially all the assets of GEOS Worldwide Ltd. and its subsidiaries for an undisclosed sum.

GEOS Worldwide operates the International Emergency Response Coordination Center (IERCC), the nerve center for SOS rescue efforts.

The IERCC has fielded more than 83,000 emergency incidents around the globe since 2007, including more than 5,000 SOS incidents generated by Garmin customers.

“With this acquisition, Garmin is now able to provide even more peace of mind to our inReach users,” Brad Trenkle, vice president of Garmin’s outdoor segment, said in a Tuesday release. “In an emergency, every moment matters. The addition of the IERCC to the Garmin family reinforces our commitment to helping our active lifestyle customers make it home safe from their adventures.”

The IERCC, which is staffed around the clock, picks up satellite distress signals for things like boats that are sinking or hikers that are stranded. It then reports the incidents to search-and-rescue personnel and assists with the response. According to GEOS Worldwide’s website, IERCC has coordinated more than 12,500 emergency responses.