Editor's Note: Today's feature by Tactical Wire editor Rich Grassi takes us to the HQ of one of the premiere companies in electronics for the outdoors industry- Garmin. It originally appeared in our companion service The Tactical Wire(www.thetacticalwire.com).
![]() http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2153956.jpg style='margin: 0px; width: 490px;'> Garmin International headquarters in Olathe, Ks. |
All of you know, or should know, The Tactical Wire is a component of the Outdoor Wire Digital Network. The various newswires cover the ground from general-to-specific, the outdoors generally to shooting, archery, bird watching and even a wire specifically for people engaged in the business of selling outdoor goods.
It's a broad footprint and each wire outside of the original has a specialist segment - each of which has a range of constituencies. There's some overlap - some people who are enamored with fishing also carry concealed weapons and some soldiers and cops like to fish. Or bow hunt.
![]() http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2153957.jpg style='margin: 0px; width: 490px;'> The Garmin tactix watch was used at Gunsite during a media seminar orchestrated by Yamaha Motors. More than a timepiece, the watch has altimeter, barometer, 3-axis compass, among other features. Photo by Yamaha Outdoors. |
When I had the chance to go to an outing organized by Yamaha Outdoors, I jumped at it. They were great hosts and had great co-sponsors. One of these was Garmin, a company about which I knew very little and whose headquarters is about 68 miles away from home.
I made arrangements during the Yamaha seminar to check in at Garmin and try to learn something about the company. I found terrific hospitality and a rather large company.
Garmin International, Inc. is headquartered in Olathe Kansas on a large campus which opened in 1996. Since then, the facility has grown in size and is host to about 3,000 employees.
Two aerospace engineers, Gary Burrell and Min Kao, working in projects relating to the US DoD navigational satellite program, came up with the idea of commercial applications relating to navigation satellites - general aviation and commercial and other non-government marine applications.
After having their concept rejected by their bosses, they began their own business in 1989 with investment from their families. After a name change, Garmin was realized. Their products first rolled out in 1991.
They began with general aviation and marine applications because, due to government concerns of possible misuse of GPS, there was an error built into the data: you'd get within a hundred yards of your target. A private pilot would love to be guided to within a hundred yards of an airport and, on the water, a hundred yards isn't visually far. The new company also made military sales.
![]() http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2153955.jpg style='margin: 0px; width: 490px;'> The Garmin VIRB Elite action camera has a 1.4-inch Chroma™ color display, digital image stabilization, can capture still photos plus has built-in WiFi, data sensors and a high-sensitivity GPS. Photo by Yamaha Outdoors. |
Before they moved into automotive applications, the built-in guidance error had to be resolved. It was and history was made.
Now Garmin is comprised of five units, not-quite-freestanding companies of their own. They have their own customer service and media operations with each unit consisting of enthusiasts specific to the product line and its audience. Garmin makes products in categories including Aviation Electronics, Automotive, Marine, Outdoor and Sports.
Their origination being in aviation, controlled by FAA, they have environmental durability testing facilities at their facility. For the Garmin GPS watch I wear, with its open charging port, they created an analog to sweat with the proper pH aspects for product testing purposes.
All the Aviation Electronics are made in Olathe, Kans. Commercial electronics, not being controlled by FAA, are made in three factories in Taiwan. All the product from those factories are shipped to the main warehouse location in Olathe or to their London warehouse which services the European markets.
Garmin electronics play a major role in the fields of aviation, marine applications, personal fitness, automotive and motor sports. We used their new GPS-enabled video recorder and the tactix watch - with its GPS and camera control capabilities - at Gunsite last month.
They make top-flight gear for military and commercial applications.
http://www.garmin.com/en-US>Garmin
-- Rich Grassi
