KVH Receives Top Partner Award from Thrane

MIDDLETOWN, RI – For more than 10 years, KVH Industries (Nasdaq: KVHI) and Thrane have worked together to bring the best satellite communications to mariners. The success of that collaboration was evident at the first annual Thrane User Forum and Solutions Exhibition in New Orleans, LA, where KVH was named #1 OEM Partner within the Americas for Maritime Satellite Products.

“We at Thrane have always recognized KVH Industries as the industry leader in the Leisure Boat Market, and it is my honor and pleasure to have presented KVH Industries with the award of being Thrane’s #1 OEM Partner within the Americas for Maritime Satellite Products in 2008,†says Ron Lockerby,Thrane’s director of channel management, Americas.“KVH has always set the standards as a manufacturer and as a distribution partner for Thrane for many years. KVH has built a very robust maritime distribution program which supports their dealer network throughout the complete sales cycle of a product to market, which has undoubtedly made KVH Industries the market leader within the leisure boat segment. I see this as only the first of many awards and recognitions for many years to come as Thrane and KVH Industries continue to broaden and build our business as true partners in a very diverse and challenging market.â€

Serving as Thrane’s distributor in North America, KVH offers its powerful Inmarsat FleetBroadband-compatible systems under the TracPhone® FB500 and FB250 brand names. These compact, fully stabilized marine satellite communications systems offer a broadband connection at sea anywhere in the world. The compact, low-profile antennas bring lightning-fast broadband connections and simultaneous, reliable telephone service to vessels at an affordable rate. The KVH and Thrane collaboration was enhanced recently with the announcement of a new agreement for Thrane to begin distributing KVH’s TracPhone V7 system and mini-VSAT Broadbandsm airtime service to its customers worldwide.

“We’ve enjoyed a successful partnership with Thrane for well over a decade, and we feel honored to receive this recognition,†says Steven J. Griffin, KVH’s commercial marine sales manager, who accepted the award. “KVH has a long history of offering the very best satellite communications systems for the marine industry, and we look forward to continuing that tradition as we grow and offer new technology and services to mariners around the world. Our newly expanded partnership with Thrane will allow us to reach even farther, as we continue to bring Thrane’s equipment to our customer base, and they begin to offer our mini-VSAT Broadband service through their extensive distribution channels.â€

About KVH Industries, Inc.
Middletown, RI-based KVH Industries, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, KVH Europe A/S, are leading providers of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 150,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH’s mission is to connect mobile customers around the globe with the same digital television entertainment, communications, and Internet services that they enjoy in their homes and offices.

By Professional Mariner Staff