Lingo24, the Edinburgh tech-enabled translation company, has opened a Branch Office in the Netherlands, taking its total number of offices around the world to 6.
The move follows growth, particularly in Amsterdam, for the company, which counts Brewdog, Hunter Boots and Lush among other well known brands in its client base.
8 of Lingo24’s top 30 accounts have significant operations in the Netherlands, and the business is forecast to break £10m in revenue for the first time this year after growth of 24% in its enterprise level and ecommerce accounts. It is now the 3rd largest privately owned language services business in the UK.
Two senior Lingo24 employees have re-located to the Netherlands support growth from existing and new clients, and Lingo24 founder Christian Arno will also be spending more time in the country.
“We’re focused on building strategic relationships with mid-large companies for whom a ‘Global First’ mindset is second nature,” commented Arno.
“Amsterdam has the highest concentration of Lingo24 clients after London, and so it’s natural for us to want to build on that success. It is also becoming a real hub for ecommerce, which is where our experience and technology have most positive impact.”
“Within travel, B2C and B2B ecommerce, the pressure to deliver tailored content in multiple languages at the speed of now has never been greater, and our use of technology including Machine Translation (a subset of Artificial Intelligence) is becoming mission critical to more and more companies.”
“Our technology, combined with our strong consultative approach to addressing issues adjacent to translation, are what is helping us to win and retain large global accounts.”
Aberdeen beginnings
Arno founded Lingo24 in Aberdeen in 2001, and has since grown the professional translation services provider to employ more than 170 so-called Lingo-ists in offices spanning the globe.
The company attracted investment from Paul Gregory, former CEO and Chairman of Edinburgh-based oil and gas research consultancy, Wood Mackenzie, and other leading Scottish business figures, in 2014.
“The progress is undeniable”
It is forecasting a return to profitability after two years of heavy investment in its technology, senior management and sales teams.
“Lingo24’s transition from dot com for the translation industry to credible enterprise level, tech-enabled strategic translation provider has not been easy,” continues Arno, “but the progress is undeniable.”
“We’ve grown the number of accounts spending in excess of £100k from 6 in 2012 to a predicted 25+ this year, with many forecast to spend significantly more. And growth in large accounts and ecommerce is tracking 24% year-on-year. The hard work is starting to pay off!”
The Brexit factor
On the timing of a move to set up in a country likely to be part of the EU for many years to come, Arno said Brexit was not a real factor in this decision:
“For us, this move is about being close to customers, and being able to support them better. To my mind, Brexit offers more opportunity than threat, as the shift in exchange rates makes companies with a significant cost base in the UK more cost efficient than their rivals abroad.”
“Our business enjoys a relatively natural hedge with customers, but more revenue in Euros and Dollars does help.”
Related posts
Interviews
Comment
Please mind the gap… or healthcare may fall
Imagine sharing a lengthy train journey with others. From beginning to end, imagine how often you might hear ‘mind the gap’ messages about embarking and disembarking safely. Picture how navigating…
Women Lead: My journey from Dragons’ Den to Silicon Valley
Following her appearance on Dragons’ Den, Sheila Hogan, serial entrepreneur, founder and chief executive of digital legacy vault, Biscuit Tin, shares her experience of her time in the Den and…
Look anywhere – the future is ‘aged tech’. But Scotland needs to be more adventurous
Scottish Care, as the representative body of independent social care providers of care home, care at home and housing support services, has been working over several years with colleagues in…
Women Lead: Engineer turned entrepreneur
We are always fascinated by other people’s stories. It’s how we connect, grow and learn from each other. Until very recently I always felt like I didn’t have a story to tell. Who…
‘Women – together we will change the dynamic in tech’
I was inspired to start a career in technology when personal computers were in their infancy and the internet decades away. My childhood dream of becoming a scientist was shaped by…
It’s time to change the future of tech apprenticeships – and we need your help
In his latest exclusive column for Futurescot, Ross Tuffee, chair of the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Digital Economy Skills Group, calls on tech employers to get involved in shaping the…
What AI difference a year makes
Amazingly, it’s been one year since the publication of Scotland’s AI Strategy. And what a year it has been. Demanding but rewarding, with good progress made and great foundations laid…
International Women’s Day: It’s time to harness power of women in technology
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I hope to be part of a future where barriers that prevent women from competing on a level playing field in the work environment…