Microsoft Invests in Translation Support Software Supplier

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 9, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. today announced it plans to acquire a 20 percent minority share of TRADOS GmbH, of Stuttgart, Germany, in a move designed to accelerate the delivery of localized software products.

TRADOS products are utilized extensively by the software industry to create foreign-language “localized” software products. Microsoft ships its products in more than 30 languages, and the investment in TRADOS reflects a commitment to quickly and efficiently deliver localized products internationally.

“Investing in TRADOS technology will secure our ability to produce high-quality localized products in the most cost-effective manner,” said Franz Rau, director of internal tools at Microsoft. “This investment will allow us to work with TRADOS to keep in step with Microsoft’s evolving needs.”

Microsoft plans to use TRADOS software as its internal localization memory store. This will allow Microsoft to more effectively reuse already localized text from product to product. The minority share in TRADOS further solidifies the relationship between the two companies. As part of the agreement, Microsoft has also signed a long-term support-and-development contract to service Microsoft-specific needs. TRADOS expects this move will enable it to step up the pace for new product development.

“Our relationship with Microsoft will allow TRADOS to consolidate and expand its position as a worldwide leader in translation tools,” said Iko Knyphausen, CEO of TRADOS.

TRADOS’ flagship products, MultiTerm for Windows® and Translator’s Workbench, provide multilingual document production capability. MultiTerm for Windows is TRADOS’ multilingual terminology management package that allows users to create, manage and access multilingual terminology databases with ease. The TRADOS Translator’s Workbench provides the ability to recognize, store and reuse strings of text. In addition, TRADOS software uses linguistic processing techniques to recall previously translated words and phrases.

“Having the benefit of a strong investor is important to us at this stage of the development of the company,” said Jochen Hummel, president of TRADOS. “We’ll be able to take advantage of Microsoft’s experience and keep up our 100 percent growth rate of the past three years.”

TRADOS GmbH was established in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1984 by Knyphausen and Hummel. Customers for TRADOS software include the European Commission, NATO, SAP AG, Credit Suisse, PeopleSoft Inc., Compaq Computer Corp., Oracle Corp. and leading translation companies such as Berlitz and ITP. TRADOS has 11 sales and support offices in Europe and the United Sates, with its corporate headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. TRADOS is now establishing a support and sales presence in Asia to address the booming demand for localization technology in Japan, China, Korea and other Pacific Rim countries.

For more information, please visit (http://www.trados.com/) , or call TRADOS Corp. in the United States at (703) 683-6900. In Europe, call TRADOS GmbH at +49 711 168 770.

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