Amsterdam-based Fredhopper provides targeting and marketing software for online retailers. Major clients include Clarks, Toys R Us and B&Q. The company will become an independent division of SDL, which will be called SDL eCommerce Technologies.

Joris Beckers, CEO of Fredhopper, says: ‘Joining forces with SDL allows us to expand beyond Europe to customers in the US and Asian markets, leveraging [the group’s] global operational scale. Competing in more markets will give us the opportunity to partner with more premier retail brands.’

In the six months to June 2009, Berkshire-based SDL reported an increase in sales of 10 per cent to £83.3 million, while pre-tax profits were up by 29 per cent to £11.8 million.