Global by Design

The PR engines at globalization vendors SDL and TRADOS are busy churning out releases lately. Two of them are worth noting:

SDL claims its first “switcher”
As I mentioned previously, SDL is asking companies to drop their current translation software in favor of SDL software. I imagine SDL had their first switcher lined up before the whole campaign began and it just happens to be a very high-profile company: Sony Europe. Not too shabby.

TRADOS claims 71% market share
Meanwhile, TRADOS (the software company SDL hopes to “unswitch”) sent out a release claiming a record year in revenues and a 71% market share of translation agencies and freelance translators. The number seems right to me, though I suspect it was higher a few years back. Still, I’ll take a 71% share any day, particularly since this market as a whole continues to grow.

And that’s not all…
There are rumblings underfoot of a new challenger to SDL and TRADOS with a new business model. I’ll have more on this development soon.

• SDL to acquire TRADOS
• SDL Reports Robust Software Sales
• SDL + TRADOS: The Executive Interview
• SDL Asks Companies to “Switch”
• Will Facebook become the world’s largest translation platform?