Trimble Acquires Pondera Engineers Assets To Expand Its Utilities Solutions
Trimble announced recently it has acquired the assets of privately-held Pondera Engineers LLC based in Post Falls, Idaho. Pondera is an engineering and development company offering services and software tools for siting, designing, optimizing, and maintaining high-voltage power transmission and distribution lines. The acquisition is part of Trimble's strategic initiative to bring productivity solutions to the electric utilities industry. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Pondera provides enterprise software solutions and design services for electric transmission line system operators (ISOs), engineer, procure and construct contractors (EPC) and vertically integrated utilities (IOUs). Its software suite includes TL-Pro Design Studio, PoleSTAR™, and Nip&Tuck® solutions.
TL–Pro allows users to model multiple scenarios and manage design standards in its interactive design environment. It includes sag and tension calculations, finite element structural analysis, true 3D global optimization, and project estimates and material lists via its powerful material manager module. Accuracy, flexibility and user productivity is enhanced by a 3D visualization terrain model and can be applied in a variety of situations, including project reviews, marketing, siting and permitting.
Pondera's PoleSTAR software allows users to model and analyze complicated pole structures using 3D graphical interfaces. Nip&Tuck software for re-tensioning transmission line conductors is used to test various techniques to resolve clearance problems on a span-by-span basis.
"Innovative technology is transforming the way utilities are planned, managed, built and maintained. Pondera software solutions and design services provide utility customers the tools to save time and cost during the design cycle as well as develop more accurate and complete infrastructure models, improving decision making and operational efficiencies," said Doug Merrill, general manager for Trimble's Utilities Initiative. "In addition, Trimble survey, mapping & GIS and GeoSpatial solutions provide data for TL-Pro analysis. The acquisition of Pondera will enable Trimble to provide additional capabilities for creating infrastructure models that leverage design information across the complete utility asset lifecycle."
"Pondera has developed solutions for the power line industry for many years, constantly evolving and innovating solutions to fit industry needs," said Yair Berenstein, a principal owner of Pondera. "Trimble is a leading provider of positioning technology to the utilities market and has complementary solutions that can move our products to the next level in power line infrastructure modeling, design and analysis. Trimble is the right fit for Pondera and our customers and we are very excited about how our combined solutions can address the needs of the electric utilities industry."
The Pondera business will be reported in Trimble's Field Solutions segment.
About Pondera Engineers LLC
Founded in 2004, Pondera is an independent company formed by experienced line design engineers and programmers. Pondera has provided services and software products to the electric power transmission, distribution and substation industry. Pondera's roots trace back to TLCADD, the industry's first successful commercial line design and optimization software, which has evolved into today's state-of-the-art 3D software solutions for virtually every aspect of overhead line design, optimization and project development. Pondera is located in Post Falls, Idaho.
For more information, visit: www.ponderaengineers.com.
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
For more information, visit www.trimble.com.
SOURCE: Trimble Mobile Computing Solutions Division