ACR Electronics, Inc. announced that it has acquired Bivy, a satellite communication device and outdoor adventure app provider.
With the acquisition, ACR expands its portfolio of emergency beacons and life-saving products with the Bivy Stick two-way satellite messenger, the world’s smallest satellite communication device, according to ACR, and the Bivy app.
“The acquisition of Bivy enables us to offer a completely different product to those customers who prefer the instant gratification of two-way text messaging and tracking, along with SOS,” said John T. Nguyen, president, ACR Electronics. “Bivy’s technology brings an innovative device to our product line that will enable us to offer a fee-based option for satellite communication and emergency help, while still receiving the high quality ACR customer support experience.”
The Bivy Stick offers GPS functionality and satellite two-way communications so the user can send SMS messages, track and share location information, access GPS maps, view live weather forecasts and initiate a distress call.
The Bivy app identifies and collates the crowd-sourced details, location and paths of tens of thousands of trails, waterways and climbing routes; the Bivy user community adds data to the app daily.
The 4.5-inch x 1.8-inch Bivy Stick, which works with a view of the sky, includes a dedicated check-in button and SOS button for emergencies.
“We launched the first generation of Bivy Stick three years ago with the intention of getting more people into the outdoors safely,” said Bivy founder Vance Cook. “Today we’re seeing an unprecedented spike in outdoor users across an array of segments, and we’re excited to bring our technology to ACR Electronics’ users to help them venture further without losing the ability to conveniently communicate.”
Bivy will continue to operate in its Salt Lake City, Utah facility.
