The acquisition of PeopleNet by Trimble Navigation, which was announced last week, is “all about growth,” according to Brian McLaughlin, PeopleNet COO, who said the PeopleNet team could not be happier.
“We wanted to make sure that we retained our autonomy and our company’s culture, our brand identity,” McLaughlin told Fleet Owner, “and we will. We also wanted to make sure we were associated with a company that shared our customer-focus and cared about treating its customers well and that is certainly the case with Trimble.
“This is really a growth story,” he added. “It is about taking PeopleNet to the next level.”
According to McLaughlin, the enthusiasm at PeopleNet is shared by its customers, too.
“We have been amazingly pleased and impressed with the response from our customers,” he said. “We’ve received lots of very positive feedback and congratulations.
“When something like this acquisition takes place, customers usually focus on two things,” McLaughlin added. Will they have to switch their product to something else, and will there be headcount reductions or changes in staffing?
“The answer to both questions is no,” he said. “There will be no forced product changes what so ever and no layoffs or people changes are planned.”
As an independent division of Trimble, McLaughlin does look forward to having access to Trimble products and technologies “down the road” that could mean more choices for PeopleNet customers in the future.
“Trimble is an expert in GPS and in applying that technology to improving workflow,” he noted. “They are strong players in numerous markets, such as construction, surveying and agriculture, so we look forward to sharing products and ideas across other Trimble enterprises.”
McLaughlin also noted that he expects to see international expansion as well as growth through acquisitions as a part of Trimble.
“North American transportation logistics is a sector Trimble has never really penetrated,” he said. “We are their entry point into this segment.”
One of the first events on the calendar as a new division of Trimble will be PeopleNet’s upcoming User Group conference in Florida this August. Although this year’s meeting will be the largest ever with hundreds of people already registered to participate, it will be “the same as always,” McLaughlin noted and that is just as it should be.
