Commerce buys ZyLab software

The Commerce Department will use software from ZyLab Technologies for document imaging and full-text retrieval software, an announcement that adds to the Amsterdam company's strength in the federal market.

The company specializes in searching text in multiple languages and formats and is targeting law enforcement and related applications for the government, said Johannes Scholtes, president of ZyLab North America LLC, the company's American subsidiary.

"There is a huge demand for searching papers, especially in law enforcement," he said. "You can't ask criminal suspects to give you everything in .PDF," a popular file format.

Commerce will use ZyLab's ZyImage software in its Office of the Director of Security, according to agency officials. The office's mission is to provide policies and oversight in efforts to reduce the risks of terrorism and espionage and improve emergency preparedness in the agency's facilities.

The company has more than 100 government clients at all levels, including the Justice Department, the New York Public Library, the FBI and all three military branches.