Trimble sells precision technology that tells machines exactly where they are and what to do: GPS-guided tractors that steer themselves, construction systems that put a bulldozer blade within centimeters of design, and software that connects field work to the office. Hardware opened these markets, but subscriptions and software carry the strategy, deepening margins and smoothing cyclicality. Agriculture, construction and transportation are the anchor industries. The company spun out of Hewlett-Packard heritage in 1978 and helped commercialize GPS itself.