SlatorPod - #201 Ranking the World’s Largest Translation and Localization Companies

#201 Ranking the World’s Largest Translation and Localization Companies

02/23/24 • 24 min

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Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week with a first look at the newly released 2024 Slator Language Service Provider Index (LSPI) where they unpack the key findings from over 250 LSPs on the ranking.
Leading the 2024 LSPI is Super Agency TransPerfect, who recently appointed Jin Lee as the new Co-CEO. Lee began as a project manager at the Super Agency before working through various production roles and rising through the ranks.
Slator recently launched the first edition of its Language AI Briefing, a summary of the top AI stories, language AI startups, and notable AI developments. One such story covered real-time multilingual lip-sync provider Sync Labs’ open-source which shows users how to deploy and monetize their own lip-sync applications in a couple of hours.
In M&A news, 2024 began strong with French LSP Powerling acquiring troubled WCS Group which recently filed for bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Belgium-based Jonckers and US-based Acclaro have merged, becoming a cross-Atlantic Leader LSP.
In Israel, BLEND has bought local rival Manpower Language Solutions, citing a growing global interest in the Israeli market.

Previous Episode

#200 Why Anja Jones Put Social Responsibility at the Core of Her Language Service Provider

In the landmark 200th episode of the SlatorPod, we are joined by Anja Jones, Managing Director of AJT, to talk about the language service provider’s (LSP’s) journey to becoming a B Corp, a certification for businesses balancing profit with social and environmental responsibility.
Anja touches upon the impact of large language models (LLMs), expressing concerns about ethical implications, copyright issues, and the environmental footprint associated with LLMs. She also discusses how a focus on the intricacies of European culture became their USP.
When it comes to using AI in translation, Anja highlights that certain content types, such as marketing texts and transcreation, are still best handled by human translators due to the need for creativity and cultural sensitivity.
The podcast shifts towards the need for regulation in the language AI industry. Anja points out the ethical implications of AI-generated content, particularly in scenarios like voice synthesis and deep fake technologies.
Anja also talks about winning the 2023 ATC Ethical Business award, attributing it to their commitment to fair pay, transparent communication, and creating opportunities for new translators.
Anja shares the LSP's plans for 2024, which include focusing on collaborations with value-aligned businesses, including sustainable fashion brands and companies leveraging AI for personalized Google Ads.

Next Episode

#202 Insider Reveals Super Agency May Plan Multi-Billion Dollar IPO

Florian and Esther discuss the language industry news of the week, with Women in Localization opening a new chapter in Switzerland and SlatorCon coming to Silicon Valley on September 5th.
Florian shares insights from RWS’ Annual General Meeting, where under the new leadership of Chairman Julie Southern, the language service provider (LSP) highlighted its resilience amid global uncertainty.
Esther gives an overview of the financial results for AMN Language Services and Ai-Media, with the former reporting strong performance for its language services and the latter attributing its revenue increase to an ongoing shift to its SaaS offering.
Versacom, a prominent Canadian LSP, announces a minority investment from Norea Capital, with plans to focus on AI-enhanced solutions. Meanwhile, an investment banking industry insider revealed Iyuno may go public, targeting a valuation range between USD 2.25 bn and USD 3 bn.
Over in the US, Boostlingo recorded a 60% year-over-year increase in annual recurring revenue in 2023, highlighting the thriving demand for interpreting services.
The podcast concludes with the recent launch of Green Terp Unveils GT Enhancer, a tool designed to assist human interpreters by removing background noises such as dog barks and baby cries.