Deals keep Lingo24 figures fit

WINNING contracts with sportswear brand Adidas and audio equipment maker BeatsbyDre helped Edinburgh-based translation service Lingo24 grow its turnover by 12 per cent last year to £7.5 million.

Jessica Ennis-Hill is sponsored by Adidas, one of Lingo24s new clients. Picture: Getty Images for Adidas

The company – which already lists American Express, Orange and the United Nations among its clients – now brings in more than 60 per cent of its revenues from overseas.

Chief executive Christian Arno, who founded the company in 2001, said: “We invested heavily in technology in 2013. 
I don’t think machine translation will ever replace humans, but it’s becoming a good option in more and more cases.”

The business opened an Asian hub at Cebu City, in the Philippines, in 2011, with the region growing its sales by 32 per cent last year. Turnover in Canada and the United States increased by 16 per cent year-on-year, with growth also reported in Europe.