Case Studies

Category: Manufacturing
Description: User guide translation
Client: Sinclair International

Source Language: English
Target Languages: Japanese, Serbian, Spanish (Latin American)
Size of project: 60 pages; 7,500 words

This manufacturer of labelling machines had an operator manual that needed to be translated for workers in other territories who were operating the same model of machine.

This was a very detailed manual with many diagrams and images along with text. It was very important that technical terms were translated using the correct terminology so that it all made perfect sense to the reader.

We made sure that experienced manufacturing translators were appointed to work on the project. Each of them was able to fully understand all of the descriptions and terms in the the original English manual and translate it to their native language.

Category: Manufacturing/Medical
Description: Multilingual voiceover for product videos
Client: TVF

Source Language: English
Target Languages: Canadian French, Dutch, Italian
Size of project: 23 audio files

TVF are an independent medical communications agency. We have worked with them since 2012.

This project involved translation of a video presentation they had created, which was designed to promote a particular pharmaceutical product to doctors and clinicians. The video takes the form of an animation with a voiceover explaining best use, symptoms, side effects etc.

For Canadian French, Global LTS supplied the complete package: we arranged the translations to the target languages and also the voiceover artist who provided a recording.

In order to make it easier for the video editors, we made sure that the client received a total of 23 audio files ready for reinsertion into the video. This made it easier for the editors to split the video into sections and possibly slow down or speed up the animation to fit the length of the new audio file.

For the Dutch and Italian versions, we provided a written translation for the client’s own voiceover artists to use.

Category: Manufacturing
Description: Website translation
Clients: PRI – Performance Review Institute p-r-i.org

Source Languages: English
Target Languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portugese, Russian.
Project: Ongoing website updates

PRI is a consultancy specialising in the aerospace sector. They work on areas such as special process accreditation and developing audit management software. Their clients include Rolls Royce Aerospace and Airbus.

Since 2012, Global LTS has been providing website translation and technical translation in eight different languages. With translation including some of the top 10 most widely spoken languages, PRI are able to reach wide global audiences. The material includes news items and updates such as a revised privacy policy etc.

Category: Marketing

Description: Website translation

Clients: A.T. Cross

Source Language: English

Target Languages: French, Spanish, Dutch, German

Project: Translate copy for product promotion

Cross pens are sold around the world. The American manufacturer has supplied pens to the White House since the 1970s and a succession of presidents has used them to sign official documents.

The European division came to us with a requirement to translate sales copy for an email campaign that had been written to promote new models of pens. This required good marketing translators who could use their cultural knowledge and copywriting skills to ensure the messages did not lose their power in translation. The most important requirement was that the wording appear completely natural to the reader and help prompt them to react.

We were able to supply all the required packaging translation and email translations in a short time frame so that the e-shots could all be sent out at the same time.

Category: Marketing

Description: Product Localisation

Clients: BitBull.com

Source Language: English

Target Languages: Various

Project: Mobile game descriptions

BitBull has been designing and marketing games for mobile phones since the earliest days of smartphones. For this project we provided translations of game descriptions that appear in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. This required the use of native speakers to make sure the descriptions in the target languages make sense to readers and sell the game in an appealing way.

Category: Marketing

Description: Business cards

Clients: Interdirect

Source Language: English

Target Languages: Various

Project: Translation of job titles etc

Interdirect is the marketing agency where different is normal. They provide full service marketing for a host of different business types. For this job they asked us to translate the wording on one of their client’s business cards. The company worked internationally so needed the cards in a number of languages. This required an accurate and reliable translation of job titles. Not only could we provide this, but another reason the agency chose to work with Global LTS is the fact that we deliver print-ready files when requested, as was the case here.

Category: Marketing/Technical

Description: Arabic/Chinese typesetting

Clients: Millbrook – Experts in design engineering

Source Language: English

Target Languages: Arabic and Chinese

Project: Brochure formatting

In this case, the client had already obtained a translation of their brochure from sector specialists, but needed help with setting out the Chinese and Arabic material in a way that ensured it followed grammar rules and made complete sense to native readers.

Our experts did the typesetting, making sure that local norms were followed and that words were not split across lines or sentences broken up.

In addition, we also checked the translation and formatting of some sets of business cards and provided these as print-ready files.

Category: Technical/Legal

Description: Commercial Tendering

Clients: Airborne Systems

Source Language: English

Target Languages: French

This client came to us because they had the opportunity to bid for a French military contract. We helped them put together the tender, a task which required us to source translators with specialist technical knowledge. For example, some of the work required the descriptions on technical drawings to be translated accurately.

We also helped the same client in preparing for a legal case in which they were ultimately successful. Our translators worked on court documents which involved a mixture of technical and legal translation.

Category: Legal

Description: Legal compliance

Clients: Hughes Technologies

Source Languages: French, Dutch, Romanian, Slovak, Russian, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Turkish

Target Languages: English

Hughes Technologies is a leading supplier of broadband satellite terminals. Some of their clients include Tesco and BP garages, where their technology is used in customer payment systems.

Global LTS assists them whenever they receive legal documents from countries in which they operate their systems. This can include regulatory guidelines, new legislation etc. Our translators make sure the Hughes legal team has access to certified English translations of these documents. We sometimes provide contract translation from English back to the source language too when such correspondence is required.

Category: Legal

Description: Case documents

Clients: Heald Solicitors

Source Languages: Bengali, German

Target Languages: English

In this example, our customer had a client who was selling a business. To assist with the case, they needed a number of documents translated from Bengali and German to English.

The translation was carried out by a legal specialist to ensure that the translated document contained the correct terminology.

Category: Legal

Description: Witness statements

Clients: Woodfines Solicitors

Source Languages: Arabic

Target Languages: English

Often, we can assist with super urgent legal requirements. This was the situation here, when some witness statements required translation as soon as possible. We took the enquiry in the afternoon and were able to have the translated and proofed documents ready for first thing the following morning

Category: Manufacturing

Description: Simultaneous interpreting

Clients: Collingwood Lighting

Source Languages: English

Target Languages: French, German, Spanish

Collingwood Lighting were hosting their annual company gala wanted to make sure that their overseas guests would be able to understand all the presentations and speeches.

They asked Global LTS if we could provide live face to face interpreting.

We were able to provide both the interpreters and the technical equipment in a complete package. The equipment included soundproof booths for the individual interpreters along with microphones, plus headphones and receiver packs for guests.

Live interpreting is very strenuous and interpreters need frequent breaks. For this reason we made sure that two interpreters were provided for each language. This meant they could keep swapping over and provide coverage for the entire evening. The interpreters were provided with copies of speeches and other scripted parts so that they could work on them in advance, but they also provided spontaneous “on the spot” interpreting to cover live questions and answers during presentations.

Category: Marketing

Description: Packaging translation

Clients: Toxic Creative Agency

Source Languages: English

Target Languages: French, Spanish, German

The agency end client on this project was a manufacturer of pens that had produced a new calligraphy gift set. They needed to translate all of the copy on the packaging into the target languages, along with an instruction manual.

The packaging featured some simple descriptions, such as the title “Calligraphy Gift Set” and a list of contents (“Contains 4 calligraphy pens, 12 assorted colour ink cartridges” etc) which nevertheless needed to be translated exactly so that it would read naturally, as if written in the native language.

Our marketing translators used their skills to deliver exactly the right words. We also provided translations of the maintenance instructions, again using native language translators to achieve a perfect result that would not jar with the reader.

Category: Legal

Description: Face-to-face interpreting

Clients: Adams Moore Solicitors

Source Languages: Tamil

Target Languages: English

Many legal cases require interpreters as well as text translation. Global LTS can assist here: our network includes experienced, reliable interpreters. When Adams Moore Solicitors needed to find an interpreter to work in the Tamil language for a family law case, they approached Global LTS. We sourced an interpreter who was able to attend their office and help them communicate with the Tamil speaker.

Category: Technical

Description: Product localisation

Clients: Sona Test Limited sonatest.com

Source Language: English

Target Languages: Chinese, Hungarian, Polish, Russian

Project: End user software translation

This project involved translating on-screen instructions for ultrasound scan software. The wording was contained in user menus and on buttons, settings etc.

For each language, the translator worked on a formatted XLF file. This made it easy for the software coders to see which pieces of text replaced the original English phrases.