What Is Trimble Navigation Limited Inc and What Does It Do?
Updated
Trimble Navigation Limited Inc is the historical corporate name of the company now known as Trimble Inc. If you are looking for what the company does today, the answer is positioning technology: GNSS/GPS hardware, field and office software, and workflow tools that connect construction, geospatial, and transportation work from the job site to the back office. The name on an older contract, invoice, or datasheet may still read "Trimble Navigation Limited," but the products and solutions are found under the current Trimble brand at trimble.com.
From Trimble Navigation to Trimble Inc
The company built its reputation on GPS and navigation technology, which is why "Navigation" appeared in the legal name. Over time the business expanded beyond navigation devices into software, data, and industry-specific workflows. Today the website describes the company around a simple idea: "Turn a job won into a job done," with technology and teamwork connecting the office and the field.
For most readers, the practical takeaway is:
- Old documents: "Trimble Navigation Limited Inc" refers to the same lineage of company; treat it as the predecessor name when reconciling contracts or records.
- Current materials: Product pages, support, and ordering use "Trimble" and "Trimble Inc."
- Name changes: If a name change matters for a legal or contractual purpose, verify the current entity name directly with Trimble rather than relying on a general article.
What Trimble Provides
Trimble's own site frames its offering as "software, positioning hardware, and field-to-office tools" that drive productivity across construction, geospatial, and transportation. In practice that means three connected layers:
| Layer | What it covers | Example use |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning hardware | GNSS/GPS receivers and related field instruments | Surveying a site, guiding machine control |
| Software | Office and field applications for design, data, and workflow | Moving survey data between field and office |
| Workflows | Industry-specific processes that link the two | Construction, geospatial, transportation projects |
The site's emphasis on "digital clarity" and "smoother workflows" reflects the same theme: the value is not a single device but the connection between what happens in the field and what is managed in the office.
How to Find the Right Product or Solution
The company site is organized as an entry point rather than a single product catalog. To move from general interest to a specific answer:
- Start with your industry — construction, geospatial, or transportation — since solutions are grouped by the work being done.
- Then narrow by product category — software or positioning hardware — to see the relevant tools.
- Use the support and contact paths for product, order, or billing questions; the site explicitly routes these separately from general information.
A useful check before buying: confirm that the specific product page matches your industry and workflow, because the same brand spans very different tools. Pricing and purchasing details are not stated on the general pages, so confirm them through the product or sales channel rather than assuming.
Common Points of Confusion
- "Is Trimble Navigation Limited Inc still a separate company?" No — it is the earlier name; current communications use Trimble Inc.
- "Does Trimble only make GPS devices?" No — the current scope includes software and field-to-office workflows across several industries.
- "Where do I check an old invoice?" Match the name on the document to the current entity, and contact Trimble support for order or billing questions if the record is unclear.
If your goal is simply to understand the company, the short version is: Trimble Navigation Limited Inc is Trimble's former name, and Trimble today sells positioning hardware, software, and connected workflows for construction, geospatial, and transportation work. If your goal is to buy or verify something specific, go to trimble.com and navigate by industry and product category, then confirm details through the product or support channel.