SDL plc
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = SDL
| logo = SDL logo.svg
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{LSE|SDL}}
| foundation = 1992
| location = Maidenhead, UK
| key_people = Adolfo Hernandez (chief executive officer)
| industry = Computer software
Professional services
Language localization
Component content management
Digital asset management
| products =
| revenue = £376.3 million (2019){{cite web|url=https://webassets.sdl.com/images/SDL-Annual-Report-2019_tcm228-167880.pdf?_ga=2.263880396.1911013791.1599073800-684514360.1599073798|title=Annual Report 2019|publisher=SDL plc|accessdate=2 September 2020}}
| operating_income = £29.7 million (2019)
| net_income= £19.6 million (2019)
| num_employees = 4,242 (2019)
| homepage = [http://www.sdl.com/ www.sdl.com]
}}
SDL plc was a multinational professional services company headquartered in Maidenhead, United Kingdom. SDL specialized in language translation software and services (including interpretation services). It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by RWS Group in November 2020.
Name
SDL is an abbreviation for "Software and Documentation Localization".{{cite web|url=http://tridion.stackexchange.com/questions/3330/what-is-the-acronym-of-sdl-in-sdl-tridion|title=What is the acronym of "SDL" in SDL Tridion|accessdate=20 March 2015}}{{Cite web|title = SDL's Acquisitions Build Marketing Tech Stack of the Future|url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucerogers/2013/11/22/sdls-acquisitions-build-marketing-tech-stack-of-the-future/|accessdate = 2015-08-23|first = Bruce|last = Rogers| website=Forbes }}
History
The company was founded by Mark Lancaster with nine employees in 1992. It opened its first overseas office in France in 1996[http://www.sdl.com/en/company/company/history.asp SDL International: History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210113704/http://www.sdl.com/en/company/company/history.asp |date=10 December 2008 }} and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1999. The company grew organically and via acquisitions. SDL acquired Polylang Multimedia in 1998, International Translation & Publishing (ITP) in 2000, Alpnet in 2001, and the machine translation (MT) assets of Transparent Language in 2001. It bought Trados, a rival translation memory (TM) developer, in 2005.[http://www.columbustranslations.co.uk/sdl-buys-trados/ SDL buys Trados] Columbus Translation Blog, 20 June 2015 In 2007, the company acquired Tridion, a content management system vendor,[https://archive.today/20130410171253/http://www.cmswatch.com/Trends/891-SDL-acquired-Tridion Real Story Group: SDL acquires Tridion] Real Story Group, 24 April 2007 and PASS Engineering, developers of the Passolo software.[https://archive.today/20130412094250/http://www.tekom.de/index_neu.jsp?url=/servlet/ControllerGUI%3Faction=voll&id=2232 PASSOLO goes SDL] Tekom, May 2007
In 2008, it bought Idiom Technologies, a global information system management business.[http://www.cmswatch.com/Trends/1147-SDL-buys-again,-picking-up-Idiom SDL buys again picking up Idiom] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214025826/http://www.cmswatch.com/Trends/1147-SDL-buys-again,-picking-up-Idiom |date=2009-12-14 }} Real Story Group, 11 February 2008 In July 2009 SDL acquired XyEnterprise in an all-cash transaction to add XML Professional Publisher as well as Contenta content management software and LiveContent to manage and deliver XML. This unit combined with Trisoft formerly Infoshare.[https://www.kmworld.com/Articles/News/News/SDL-acquires-XyEnterprise-54989.aspx/ SDL acquires XyEnterprise], KMWorld 2009 In December 2009, SDL acquired Fredhopper, a Dutch eCommerce onsite search and navigation, onsite targeting and targeted advertising software vendor.[https://archive.today/20130410163611/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=106487430 Company Overview of Fredhopper Ltd.], Businessweek Later that same year, it bought Xopus, another Dutch company and the leader in online XML editing.[http://www.realstorygroup.com/Blog/1944-SDL-acquires-XML-editor-Xopus SDL acquires XML editor Xopus] Real Story Group, 6 July 2010 In May 2011 SDL acquired Dutch-based Media Asset Management company, Calamares,[http://digitalassetmanagementnews.org/vendors/sdl-acquires-dam-vendor-calamares-start-of-the-convergence-of-wcm-dam/ SDL Acquires DAM Vendor Calamares: Start Of The Convergence Of WCM & DAM?] DAM News, 5 May 2011 in 2012 the campaign management and social media analytics company, Alterian,[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/sdl-to-buy-alterian-after-raising-bid-6271518.html SDL to buy Alterian after raising bid] The Independent, 3 December 2011 and in 2013, bemoko, a supplier of internet software for mobile devices.[http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/11509207.html SDL plc Acquisition of bemoko] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224231435/http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/11509207.html |date=24 February 2015 }}
In January 2016, having undertaken a strategic review, SDL announced the divestment of Fredhopper and Alterian as non-complementary to its new strategy.{{Cite web|url=https://slator.com/financial-results/sdl-announces-major-strategy-shift-puts-units-up-for-sale/|title=SDL Announces Major Strategy Shift, Puts Units Up For Sale|website=|accessdate=2016-01-21|date=21 January 2016}}
In August 2020 RWS Group announced a proposed takeover of the company for £809 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/86d620cf-b718-4966-ac65-28e46b8f05c5|title=RWS adds translation software to the portfolio with £809m SDL deal|newspaper=Financial Times |date=27 August 2020}} The transaction was completed on 4 November 2020.{{cite web|url=https://wp-rws-2020.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/media/2020/11/02155110/Update-on-All-Share-Combination.pdf|title=Update on All-Share Combination|publisher=RWS|date=2020-11-04|accessdate=2020-11-04}}
Operations
SDL provided software for language translation purposes.[http://www.sdl.com/aboutus/aboutsdl/offices.html SDL offices around the globe]