The combined company will have more than 16,000 customers and partnerships with the largest wireless carriers in the United States, officials said.

Global position systems makers Xora and Gearworks announced today that they are merging operations.

The combined company, which will use the Xora name, will have more than 16,000 customers and partnerships with the largest wireless carriers in the United States, officials said.

“This combination brings together two recognized leaders in the industry that share a common vision and desire to bring powerful tools to businesses that want to improve their operational efficiency,” said Sanjay Shirole, co-founder and CEO of Xora. “By measures critical to our long-term success, including growth and diversification of revenues, product portfolio, channel partnerships and customer support capabilities, this merger is a big win not only for us, but also for the customers and partners of the new combined company.”

According to analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, the mobile resource management market is expected to reach 5 million subscribers and $1 billion in revenue by 2015. Frost & Sullivan officials said the merger should position Xora well to reach this growing market.

“The Xora-Gearworks merger is exceptionally well-timed to give the company pole position in the burgeoning market for handset-based mobile resource management solutions,” said Jeanine Sterling, a senior mobile and wireless communications industry analysts with Frost & Sullivan. “With the most extensive product offering, spanning off-the-shelf to customizable mobile applications, and the broadest carrier coverage in the industry, the new Xora’s capabilities are top-tier and should be highly valued by customers of all sizes, as well as by wireless carriers seeking to deliver such applications to their business customers.”

Products lines to be offered from the merged companies include Xora’s GPS TimeTrack and Gearworks’ Field Force Manager,  etrace, OnCare and Appmosphere.