Topcon, Magellan Join to Pursue Strategic Alliance

Magellan Corp. (Santa Clara, CA), the satellite access products subsidiary of Orbital Sciences Corp., and Japan-based Topcon Corp. will pursue a strategic alliance to develop and sell precise positioning products for the surveying, industrial geographic information systems (GIS) mapping, and machine control markets. This development replaces the companies' previously announced joint venture arrangement.

"As we discussed the myriad of details and the complicated structure of the proposed joint venture partnership, we realized that we could achieve the same goals by pursuing a simpler, more flexible strategic alliance between our two companies," according to Magellan President and CEO John Huyett.

Magellan will continue the research, development, and manufacture of its Ashtech-brand GPS and GPS+Glonass precision products. Additionally, Magellan will retain and expand its sales and distribution channels of survey, mapping, GIS, and machine control products for the geophysical, construction, engineering, oil and gas, mining, natural resource management, utilities, and other industries, Huyett said.