Time to watch your language!

Aberdeen-based international translation company Lingo24 is expanding its operation and moving into the Eastern European market as part of its continued strategic growth.

Lingo24 has employed seven new members of staff based in Romania and is expecting to increase this to 10 in the coming year. Lingo24 now operates in the UK , New Zealand , China and Romania and is targeting the USA as its next step.

The company has its roots in a business idea hatched in 1999 by a young Aberdeen-raised entrepreneur, Christian Arno, while studying languages at Oxford University . He and some bi-lingual friends set up a cheap, internet-based translation service during their study year abroad, and the encouraging results convinced him to set up his own professional translation company following graduation to service this gap in the market.

"Lingo24 was the first 24-hour translation service to be totally web-based," he notes.

"Customers could tell us what they want translated, get the quote and delivery date, check our references and pay on-line."

From the beginning, Lingo24 was highly discerning in its choice of translators, recruiting a world-wide pool which is not only highly qualified, but also country-resident.

"Language is a living thing, and you can only convey humour, subtlety and other important values if you are living and breathing the culture," insists Christian.

"For example, we were recently tasked with finding a succinct Kurdish translation for 'toad in the hole', and new technology terms like 'spam' which have passed so quickly into mainstream English can also prove challenging."

Expansion

Scottish Enterprise Grampian has supported Lingo24 with internationalisation grants and strategic advice for each of its new overseas territories.

"Scottish Enterprise Grampian has helped Lingo24 to become a truly international company in a short period of time, and we are now in a strong position to expand further," notes Christian Arno.

"A number of our clients are already established multi-national organisations like Campari, Guinness and BP, but we also help North-east SMEs tap into the international marketplace with the confidence that they know they are speaking the same language as their potential clients."

Colin Donald, Director Competitive Business at Scottish Enterprise Grampian, said: "Lingo24 is a dynamic business that reacts quickly to client needs. It has grown rapidly into an international company and has made use of our International Business Development service to great success."

For every job created in Romania in operations Lingo24 hopes to create one in Scotland in sales, marketing, administration or management.

Lingo 24's reputation as a quality provider of translations has resulted in the company being short-listed for several awards. In 2002 the company won the best e-business start-up award from Winners at the Web and it has been accepted as a full member of the Association of Translation Companies.

For case studies and details of the different service packages, you can visit Lingo24 at www.lingo24.com