Acquisition of Xopus

30 June 2010

SDL plc

Acquisition of Xopus, leading online XML editor

SDL plc, the leading provider of Global Information Management solutions, today announces the completion of the acquisition of Xopus B.V. based in the Netherlands. Xopus is a leader in online XML editing, an editing environment that is increasingly adopted by authors of technical documents. Xopus B.V. is being acquired for an initial consideration of €1.6m on a debt free basis, with the transaction also subject to an 'earn out' capped at a maximum of an additional €2.0m consideration depending on revenue and profit before taxation performance for the period ending 30th June 2011. The consideration will be met from existing cash resources. The acquisition is expected to be earnings neutral in the full year to 31 December 2010.

The acquisition addresses the growing trend of structured authoring by technical writers. Founded in 2001 in The Hague, Netherlands, Xopus has emerged as the leading provider of a simple, user-friendly online XML editor by making XML topic based authoring and editing easy to work in.

Accessed through a Web browser, Xopus provides the flexibility, ease-of-use, and interactivity of a Wiki (a collaborative web environment), while still leveraging the benefits of structured content. Xopus will initially be integrated with SDL's Structured Content Technology, SDL Trisoft™. The integration will significantly improve content review processes by subject matter experts and content development by non-technical writers, while making content accessible to a corporation's customers or "crowd" for comment, collaboration and contribution.

 "Our structured content technologies already drive proven efficiency gains for a wide range of global customers," said Mark Lancaster, Group CEO of SDL. "Xopus removes one of the most difficult barriers to XML adoption: the complexity of authoring and reviewing in XML. We plan to integrate Xopus with our suite of structured content technologies as well as the larger SDL Global Information Management product suite."

"Xopus realises significant business benefits by becoming part of SDL," said Laurens van den Oever, CEO of Xopus. "We gain a powerful worldwide sales channel and support infrastructure, as well as becoming part of a much broader suite of technologies that enhances the value of our product and offers an end-to-end solution."

For more information on Xopus and how it fits into SDL's GIM strategy, please visit our website on www.sdl.com/en/xml/xopus.

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About SDL

SDL is the leader in Global Information Management solutions, which provide increased business agility to enterprises by accelerating the delivery of high-quality multilingual content to global markets. The company's integrated Web Content Management, eCommerce, Structured Content and Language Technologies, combined with its Language Services drive down the cost of content creation, management, translation and publishing. SDL solutions increase conversion ratios and customer satisfaction through targeted information that reaches multiple audiences around the world through different channels. 

Global industry leaders who rely on SDL include ABN-Amro, Bosch, Canon, CNH, FICO, Hewlett-Packard, KLM, Microsoft, NetApp, Philips, SAP, Sony and Virgin Atlantic. SDL has over 1500 enterprise customers, has deployed over 170,000 software licenses and provides access to on-demand portals for 10 million customers per month. It has a global infrastructure of more than 50 offices in 34 countries. For more information, visit www.sdl.com.

About SDL Structured Content Technologies

SDL's Structured Content Technologies division is the worldwide leader in Component Content Management and Dynamic Publishing software. Leveraging XML standards such as DITA and S1000D, the division's suite of products empower global companies to efficiently create, share, manage and publish both technical and other types of business information that is up to date and tailored to the interests of their global customers.