Orbcomm to acquire Skywave Mobile Communications for US$130M
On January 5, 2015, ORBCOMM Inc., a global provider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions, completed the acquisition of SkyWave Mobile Communications Inc., the largest M2M service provider on the Inmarsat global L-band satellite network for approximately US$130 million. SkyWave, an Ottawa-based company, will add more than 250,000 subscribers, 400 channel partners, and annualized revenues of over US$60 million to ORBCOMM.
The acquisition of SkyWave furthers ORBCOMM’s strategy to provide the most complete set of options and capabilities in the industry, while adding multiple synergies to strengthen its M2M solutions portfolio. With the addition of SkyWave, ORBCOMM now has one of the largest combined engineering teams in the M2M industry and gains significant economies of scale in operations and manufacturing. SkyWave’s robust distribution channels in South America, Asia and the Middle East, along with Inmarsat’s support, provide ORBCOMM with even broader global distribution. ORBCOMM gains access to new geographies in Eastern Europe and Asia while adding diverse vertical markets such as security and marine.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP represented ORBCOMM with a team consisting of Robert Hansen, Nicola Geary, Jonathan Bitran (corporate/M&A), Ian Bies (IP), Stefanie Morand and Gabrielle Richards (tax) and Geoff Hall (litigation).
