Maidenhead: SDL acquires XyEnterprise

SDL, the leading provider of Global Information Management (GIM) solutions, today announced the acquisition of XyEnterprise, an award-winning leader in XML Component Content Management (CCM) and Dynamic Publishing solutions.

With tight integration into SDL’s GIM technologies, this acquisition adds another building block for managing global content. SDL provides the industry’s only end-to-end solution for creating and managing global content. The technology provides a solution from authoring, to translation supply chain management, right through to the publishing of global content.

The acquisition of XyEnterprise builds on the momentum created by SDL’s earlier acquisition of Trisoft in 2008. Since that acquisition, SDL has seen a growing demand for technologies that manage, reuse and deliver product information across a company’s base of global customers, including everything from service manuals to user documentation. Moving into XML standards such as DITA and S1000D, companies are seeking ways to create, translate and publish structured content once and share that information across their global organizations and customer base. Global companies that have already adopted SDL Trisoft Component Content Management (CCM) system include companies such as HACH, VMware, NetApp, FICO, ESRI, Micro Focus, Yokogawa, DAF Trucks and Atlas Copco.

With the acquisition of XyEnterprise, SDL significantly expands its CCM and publishing product offerings and technical capabilities. XyEnterprise products are recognized in the industry for leadership and innovation and currently support more than two hundred enterprise companies with thousands of users.

In particular, XyEnterprise brings to the SDL portfolio both XML publishing products (XPP - XML Professional Publisher and LiveContent, an intelligent interactive delivery solution), as well as a new XML standard (S1000D) with XyEnterprise’s Contenta content management software. In addition, XyEnterprise brings mature R&D, professional services and support teams into the larger SDL Group.

"XyEnterprise has a strong set of innovative products and is an impressive organization with expertise that will complement and enhance our current SDL Trisoft offerings," said Mark Lancaster, Chairman and CEO of SDL. "XyEnterprise’s products and expertise will enable us to scale faster to meet the needs of our enterprise customers who are seeking competitive advantage in the global marketplace."

"Our acquisition by SDL will significantly enhance our ability to execute the product vision and meet the needs of a growing base of customers," said Kevin Duffy, CEO of XyEnterprise. "The backing by a large public company in a consolidating market and the ability to tightly integrate our products with SDL GIM technologies will accelerate our ability to deliver on our customers’ vision of delivering tailored content to their customers on a global basis."

With the XyEnterprise acquisition, SDL PLC, a UK-based company, is creating a merged business unit of XyEnterprise and SDL Trisoft that will be branded SDL XySoft. XyEnterprise Inc, the legal entity, will continue to do business as a US-based, Delaware company. The addition of this new business unit makes SDL the definitive leader in XML Component Content Management and Dynamic Publishing. Global companies selling products into 10 or more markets need to manage ninety percent of their content in other languages. SDL’s integration of SDL XySoft products with SDL’s GIM technologies will mean that companies can truly manage global content efficiently, moving products to global markets faster and at lower costs.

SDL XySoft will have a combined management team from the SDL Trisoft and XyEnterprise organizations, with Kevin Duffy, president and CEO of XyEnterprise, as CEO of the newly combined business unit, reporting to Mark Lancaster, chairman and CEO of SDL. SDL will continue to support both XyEnterprise and SDL Trisoft customers and products as the R&D organisation moves to a shared component development model.