NSI Global Inc., a global provider of satellite-based communications systems, said its Vistar unit has signed an agreement with Thermo King, a unit of Ingersoll-Rand Co.

In addition, Vistar has received an initial order from Thermo King for 500 GlobalWave MT2000 satellite data communication terminals. More orders are expected later this year.
Thermo King provides climate-control solutions for global transportation companies, including refrigerated truck trailers, rail cars and containers.
Under the terms of the agreement, Vistar's GlobalWave asset management and tracking system will be deployed as part of Thermo King's Trac-King system.
Use of Vistar's GlobalWave system will allow Thermo King to provide long-haul customers that transport temperature-sensitive loads with ubiquitous satellite communication capability throughout North America, enabling real-time asset location and fleet monitoring, unit performance information, increased freight security and significantly improved asset utilization.
The GlobalWave system permits two-way, satellite-based data communications in real time to track and manage various fixed and mobile assets, such as trucks, trailers, boats, oil and gas pipeline and wellhead facilities, chemical storage tanks and intermodal containers.
The GlobalWave technology also supports security concerns, giving shippers and carriers of hazardous materials and other dangerous goods the ability to increase security and reduce risk by tracking shipments covertly and without driver involvement.
"Our Trac-King system was launched in October of last year in response to customer demand for new technologies to improve productivity and increase asset utilization," said Brian Meagher, Thermo King's global product manager for wireless communication. "Since then, we have seen good interest from our customers for the service. However, because many of our customers haul goods across the North American continent, there has been strong demand for a dependable, ubiquitous communication capability. We spent several months testing all of the solutions that are currently available and Vistar's GlobalWave system was clearly the leader in performance and reliability."