Orbcomm is back.
Remember the low-earth-orbit satellite company that was going to change the trucking world, if not the entire transportation universe?

Orbcomm launched a constellation of 30-odd, suitcase-sized satellites and in 1999 confidently strode into the trucking marketplace. Soon Orbcomm’s trailer tracking subsidiary announced deals with the likes of Schneider National, J.B. Hunt and TIP Inc. (Transport International Pool), the GE-owned trailer rental company.
Then just as suddenly as it had burst on the scene, Orbcomm filed for bankruptcy protection and seemed to vanish -- after having gone through $700 million.
But the satellites remained in the sky, the network never shut down, and now a company called International Licensees is resurrecting Orbcomm.
According to James Eagan, principle in the takeover and Orbcomm’s interim vice president of Marketing and Sales, International Licensees is a consortium of Asian and European Orbcomm licensees and investors who bought the assets of the old company -- called Orbcomm Global -- for a mere $7 million. The purchase was approved by a Delaware bankruptcy court on April 23. The new company is called Orbcomm LLC.
Eagan said the low purchase price makes it possible for Orbcomm to offer serious competition in the trailer tracking market.
“Big companies like Schneider and J.B. Hunt are customers with special needs. When we’re ready and positioned to go after them, we will,” he said.
Meanwhile Orbcomm will be aiming at what he called the base of the trailer-tracking market pyramid.
Back in ’99, Orbcomm offered its services through a subsidiary called Vantage Solutions, but also through Qualcomm via Vantage as well as through Arinc, a value-added reseller based in Annapolis, Md.
This time around, said Eagan, Orbcomm "won’t be confusing customers." Orbcomm services in the commercial trucking market will be available through Arinc. Period.
When will we see the Orbcomm name back in circulation?
“You will see the Orbcomm name as the service provider,” said Eagan. “Our intent is to support Arinc in trade shows. Our goal is the next major trade show.”