A 657Kb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine—complete with images—is available by clicking HERE
A sign of success for Trimble was the recent grand opening of a new building in Denver. Guest of honor was Congressman Mark Udall, who represents Colorado’s 2nd District. President and CEO Steve Berglund made the opening remarks and informed the audience that sales were up 20 percent from the prior year, and that Trimble has averaged 17 percent growth per year for the past seven years. Since 1999, Trimble’s workforce has grown from around 1,000 employees to more than 2,600. "Since opening our Denver office in 2000, four of Trimble’s most substantial business units have been headquartered here, and Denver is intended to be the source of the majority of our U.S. growth over the next five years," said Berglund. He also acknowledged that Trimble’s success is due to employees that are self-driven and highly competent.
After the event we interviewed Bryn Fosburgh, VP and General Manager of Engineering and Construction. Fosburgh said that when the decision was made to relocate the surveying and construction unit from San Jose, several cities, including San Diego, Portland, Austin, Phoenix, and Sacramento were considered. Denver was selected both for its central location and airport hub, as well as for the wealth of technology and technology workers in the region. He also noted that the facility had grown from 40 employees and 29,000 square feet to 190 employees–a growth of 325 percent over a six-year period–occupying 75,000 square feet. (I’m sure that readers will enjoy learning more about Fosburgh’s interesting career watch for a ProFile in a future issue!)
Congressman Udall pointed out that Trimble is playing a vital role in two important issues facing our country; increasing energy costs, and security. With the application of its technology, Trimble looks for 30-40 percent productivity gains in both agriculture and construction. As Berglund said, "Equipment and software are what we sell; in reality, we accomplish much more." By this he meant reducing fuel consumption, increasing yields and reducing chemical and fertilizer applications, re-routing vehicles around traffic jams, and more. Berglund’s outlook is optimistic and he looks forward to one day opening a significantly larger facility in Colorado.
Marc Cheves is editor of the magazine.
A 657Kb PDF of this article as it appeared in the magazine—complete with images—is available by clicking HERE