Echo Lane, one of the top U.S. solution providers for CRM sales software, CRM cloud computing and customer service software provider Salesfore.com and other cloud applications, has been acquired by hiSoft Technology International Ltd., a global information technology outsourcing company headquartered in China.

Trade analyst view it as one of the most aggressive push yet into the U.S. cloud computing market for a major China-based IT outsourcing company.

Under the terms of the agreement, Echo Lane will remain a wholly owned subsidiary of hiSoft, and the firms will join forces to expand their dominance in the cloud computing market, serving Global 2000 customers in the United States, Asia and Europe.

"Over the past eight years of working together, hiSoft has become AIG Edison Life's essential business partner in the areas of application system development and business process outsourcing," said Tohru Futami, managing director and CIO, AIG Edison Life Insurance Company, in a statement.

Futami said that the company welcomes hiSoft's acquisition of Echo Lane, it is expected to bring great value and benefits to both hiSoft and AIG Edison Life. The combined companies will contribute greatly to our strategic cloud computing initiatives, he added.

"The acquisition of Echo Lane is an important step in hiSoft's strategy to strengthen our global cloud service capabilities, as well as our CRM consulting practice," said Tiak Koon Loh, CEO of hiSoft.

Loh said that as one of Salesforce.com (News - Alert)'s elite partners, with more than 1,000 completed projects in the past six years, Echo Lane brings an impressive portfolio of cloud computing knowledge and experience.

He said that this, combined with hiSoft's deep engineering expertise, extensive delivery capabilities in China, and broad CRM experience within enterprise customers in the financial services, technology, and manufacturing sectors, will allow the company to provide global customer base a whole new level of innovative and cost-effective cloud deployment services.

"We are very excited to join forces with hiSoft, because together, we now have the flexibility to offer clients an extensive array of end-to-end cloud and other technology solutions delivered by either onshore or offshore teams, depending on the client needs and requirements," said Alana Kaselitz, principal of Echo Lane.

Kaselitz said that the power of the cultures working together will allow Echo Lane to leverage hiSoft's reach, technology prowess and resources, and offer hands-on-expertise to a wider global market.