RWS completes Acolad takeover for $53.9Mn
- RWS paid total consideration of £40.2 million ($53.9 million) for Acolad’s parent, Acogroup.
- Acolad’s enterprise value is £22.4 million ($30.1 million), net of cash.
- Acolad employs about 1,200 people across 22 countries in Europe and North America.
- RWS announced completion on Nov. 2 after French regulatory clearance.
MAIDENHEAD, UNITED KINGDOM — RWS has completed its acquisition of Acogroup, the parent company of language and content services provider Acolad, bringing a larger European enterprise client base to its AI platforms.
The deal carries total consideration of £40.2 million ($53.9 million). That includes about £17.8 million ($23.9 million) of cash in the business at completion, giving an enterprise value of £22.4 million ($30.1 million).
Deal closes after French clearance
RWS announced completion in a press release on Nov. 2. The terms come from RWS’s regulatory announcement of Aug. 3, when it agreed to buy the business.
Completion followed clearance from France’s Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty and the end of consultations with French Works Councils within the Acolad group, RWS said in a separate filing.
The enterprise value equals two times Acolad’s expected adjusted EBITDA for RWS’s financial year to Sept. 30, 2027, and RWS took on no third-party debt. It said in August that it would fund the deal through existing facilities.
“Today marks an exciting new chapter for RWS and Acolad, and above all for our customers,” said Ben Faes, chief executive officer of RWS.
Acolad adds 1,200 staff
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in the Paris area, Acolad operates across 22 countries in Europe and North America and employs about 1,200 people.
It generated revenue of £182 million ($244.2 million) and adjusted EBITDA of £13 million ($17.4 million) in 2025. About half of its revenue comes from regulated industries, and it works with roughly half of the CAC 40 companies.
About 75% of revenue comes from localization and related services, with interpreting, transcription and other services making up the rest.
Acolad will join RWS’s Transform segment, and its customers will gain access to RWS’s Cultural Intelligence Layer, Language Weaver Pro and Trados.
“Together, we bring the technology and specialist expertise to help customers solve their most complex content challenges and grow in international markets,” Faes said.
RWS will update investors on the integration in its FY26 results announcement in December.
What it means for buyers
For enterprises that outsource language work, the deal puts Acolad’s interpreting and medical devices business alongside RWS’s artificial intelligence (AI) platforms and life sciences expertise.
Buyers can ask how much of their outsourcing of localization will move to AI-powered workflows with human oversight, and compare providers on OA’s list of the top AI outsourcing companies.
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Disclosure: Outsource Accelerator uses AI tools in the backend of its editorial workflow. Every article is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.
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