Glasgow translation firm communicates aim to double revenues after client wins

A Glasgow-based translation and language services provider has outlined ambitions to significantly boost revenues after achieving double-digit growth in its client base – with new recruits including Oxfam.

MD Jasmin Schneider says the business is 'agile' and able to adapt quickly. Picture: contributed.

The Translation People, which also has offices in Manchester, Birmingham and Tunbridge Wells, as well as in Germany, France and the US, intends to hit the increased income target in the next four years.

It comes after it welcomed 570 new clients in 2020, which accounts for 11.7 per cent growth across the group. The majority of these new clients are UK-based businesses, including online department store Fruugo, Hitachi Europe, and charities Oxfam and Refuge.

The business said its growth comes despite the challenges on international trade imposed by Covid-19 and Brexit, following its investment over several years in technology-based activity to boost efficiencies and productivity.

Such capabilities include automated transcription tools, website connectors and intelligent machine translation technologies, as well as the rollout of a remote interpreting offering, letting businesses reach overseas teams and customers whilst global travel restrictions are in place.

MD Jasmin Schneider said the business (which has a global network of 4,500-plus professional translators, and offers more than 300 language combinations), is able to quickly adapt despite such hurdles. “Boosted by the investments we’ve been making into intelligent translation technology over the last few years... we were able to support clients to communicate vital messages to customers and employees around the world, no matter what language was required.

“Additionally, we used this technology to help mitigate the impact of international travel bans, helping clients communicate effectively when the world slowed down, including our remote interpreting platform, which allowed multi-language meetings and conferences to take place without the need for people to travel.

“We have been able to demonstrate that... travel isn’t always necessary to achieve the same outputs, outcomes or productivity. This capability has attracted new businesses to work with us, including a wealth of household names who have found our translation services vital to ensuring they can protect people and deliver essential services both in the UK and around the globe.

“Our ability to acclimatise in the wake of something as extraordinary as Covid-19 gives us confidence to continue on our growth plans this year.”

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