About EMS
THE WORLD IS CHANGING – at an unprecedented pace. Yet, given the advances in communications technologies, it is connected as well. EMS Technologies is delivering a multitude of connectivity solutions, enabling communication across land, sea and sky, making possible mobility, visibility, and intelligence – for a fast-paced, information-driven, ever-changing world.
 Mobility
In these times of economic uncertainty, business travelers in particular are finding it increasingly important to be connected. A solution: an innovative in-flight broadband service that allows passengers' PDAs and laptops to communicate as seamlessly in flight as they do on the ground. EMS Formation is helping to make possible this in-cabin connectivity – designing, manufacturing and producing hardware required for this solution, including advanced wireless access points (WAPs) and avionics-class servers for providers such as Aircell, LiveTV and Rockwell Collins. It is a remarkable advance in airborne communications. It is an opportunity for EMS Technologies.
 Visibility
Every week, oil companies use helicopters to safely shuttle thousands of people to and from oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, Alaska, and other areas. Traveling as far out as 250 miles across an open sea, these helicopters are equipped with satellite-based tracking systems – over 90 percent of which are provided by EMS Sky Connect. Whether it's search-and-rescue capability for the offshore oil industry, or voice and tracking solutions for other aircraft, ships and vehicles needing assured communications, people and assets worldwide are more visible and safe – thanks to advanced aero-connectivity from EMS Technologies.
 Intelligence
Every day, non-government organizations deliver food and supplies to remote, needy areas of the world. What can be a logistics nightmare is made easier and safer due to landtracking solutions from EMS Satamatics. EMS systems can monitor a vehicle’s ignition and report on operational efficiency. For security, panic buttons can automatically generate e-mails and/or SMS messages to designated contacts. Organizations can also create geo-fences to monitor when a vehicle deviates from an approved route. With the ability to track and send information, employees and assets are offered greater protection, costs are reduced, and those who are in need of help can be located.
History
 EMS Technologies was founded in 1968 in Atlanta by technology visionary Dr. John E. Pippin (1928 – 2007), former vice president of Research at Scientific-Atlanta. The Company was one of the first firms to move into Gwinnett’s Technology Park. From its earliest days, EMS focused on developing technologies for advanced wireless communications. Staffed by eight employees at its founding, EMS (then called Electromagnetic Sciences) was noted for its technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit – and where companies turned to solve ‘impossible’ microwave problems.
“We were an entrepreneurial company from day one,” recalled Pippin in an EMS videotape marking the company’s 30th anniversary. “The main reason we were successful was our people.”
In the early 1970s, EMS pioneered the use of ferrite technology in space applications. As its technology base grew, EMS became an important supplier to the U.S. Defense Department, especially in space communications. A major milestone came in 1976 when EMS built the beam-forming network for the Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellite. This network provided the electrical steering for the DSCS satellite – the first electronically steerable antenna flown in space. The system ensured secure communication transmissions among U.S. military and country leaders.
From Milstar in 1992 to Advanced EHF almost a decade later, EMS through its core Defense & Space division is the undisputed leader in space-qualified anti-jam technology. Its anti-jam Beam Forming Networks are now deployed on all major U.S. military satellites that provide secure communications. EMS Defense & Space won the first commercial anti-jam system order in 2007, reflecting the growing importance of satellites as the key broadband infrastructure of developing regions of the world.
Beginning in the early 1980s, EMS applied its wireless expertise to the world of standard commercial products. In 1983, EMS subsidiary LXE Inc. went public as the first company to use wireless data products in logistics handling, and as such, was the first to take wireless data collection into the warehouse. EMS’s wireless logistics computing business offered wireless data communications solutions for materials handling and other logistics applications, and these wireless products quickly became a major revenue source.
In 1993, EMS acquired Ottawa-based CAL Corporation, now the core of its SATCOM division. EMS SATCOM’s market-leading aeronautical antennas for high-speed, satellite-based data communications continue to set the industry standard in the avionics market. In late 2001, EMS SATCOM sold its first Inmarsat-based high-speed data system to General Tommy Franks. Other U.S. military organizations followed suit, giving leaders the ability to see and respond in real time to battlefield operations. The military continues to be one of the biggest users of SATCOM’s communications system. EMS SATCOM also is a pioneer in the Search and Rescue (SAR) field. As of 2005, all the founding members of the SAR satellite-aided tracking system, Cospas-Sarsat, were using EMS SAR equipment – systems that have saved tens-of-thousands of lives. In 2007, EMS SATCOM’s engineering capabilities were further enhanced with the acquisition of Australia’s D’Space, a pioneer in developing Inmarsat's BGAN satellite radio protocols.
In 2008, EMS’s growth-through-acquisition strategy included four strategic transactions -- Akerstroms Trux, Northern Europe’s vehicle mount computing leader, now part of LXE; and three connectivity and tracking businesses: Sky Connect, a leader in Iridium-based tracking and voice systems for general aviation; Formation, a provider of airborne wireless network products that enable in-flight connectivity; and Satamatics, a global Inmarsat satellite machine-to-machine services provider. These investments strengthen EMS’s global leadership in connectivity and asset tracking, continuing a strategy to become a more comprehensive solutions provider.
 Today’s EMS, with more than 1,200 employees in major engineering and manufacturing facilities in Atlanta, Moorestown, N.J., and Ottawa, combines a broad base of wireless and space technologies with proven expertise in standard products.
“We’ve got something few companies our size can duplicate,” said Domorski. “A strong technology engine staffed with some of the best engineering talent available, world-class manufacturing resources and a strong sales and marketing capability to bring our products to market. It’s an exciting time to be part of the EMS family. We will continue to grow and be relevant in the marketplace as the company that delivers mobility, visibility and real-time intelligence.”
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