Translation Supply Chain

What is the translation supply chain?

The translation supply chain is the term used to describe the companies and individuals who assist global corporations to deliver content into different languages.  The supply chain starts within an end-user corporation - usually with a corporate translation, or language,  department.  The corporate language department is traditionally tasked with managing the process of translating content into different languages.  This might be done internally within the department by in-house translators, or it might be outsoruced to one of more agencies called "Language Service Providers" (LSP's).  In turn these language service providers will either perform the work using internal translators, or they will in turn outsource work to professional freelancer translators.

Why is the translation supply chain important?

The supply chain is critical to the effective, and accurate, delivery of translated content. Machine, or automated, translation such as www.freetranslation.com does not provide the quality required by corporations to protect their brand and deliver professionally written content for their customers.  Delivering quality requires human translation - particularly translation from people who live in the country of the target language since languages and cultures continually change.

What does SDL offer for the translation supply chain?

SDL provides technology and certification for all elements of the translation supply chain.  The technology is based on the world-leading TRADOS technology and is used by over 80% of the world's professional translators.  In addition, certification is provided to all elements of the supply chain to help corporations in knowing that the people working on their translations are proficient with the defacto technology standard.

Technology for the complete translation supply chain

The growth of the internet has driven a massive increase in language requirements for corporations looking to trade on a global basis.  In order to cope with this massive increase in requirements, corporations are turning to technology to connect the translation supply chain with their past, present and future needs.  SDL has responded to this need with integrated technology solutions designed to assist corporations and the translation supply chain to work together in an effective and integrated manner - delivering jointly the value and quality demanded in this modern internet age.

• SDL Translation Management System is used by end-user corporations to store and re-use previously translated content.  When new content is submitted for translation SDL TMS analyses the content and determines how much of the content has already been translated.  Any content that still needs to be translated is packaged up and delivered automatically through the internet to the chosen LSP's and freelancers that are being used by the end-user corporation.
• SDL Trados is used on the desktop of translators and receives the packaged content - with context and terminology from the end-user corporation. 
• The translator works on the content and returns it to SDL TMS where it is stored for future reference.

Corporate Translation Departments

SDL provides a range of technology products, certification tools and support  to help the corporate language translation department. 

• SDL TMS allows a corporation to centralise all multilingual assets and re-use content across the enterprise.
• SDL Trados Synergy is a product that helps project manage translation jobs.
• SDL MultiTerm helps manage corporate terminology to ensure consistency and efficiency of translation
• SDL Trados provides the industry standard desktop application to perform the work translation.

For more information about these products please visit our Corporate translation departments solutions.

Language Service Providers

SDL provides a range of technology products,  certification tools and support to help translation service providers:

• SDL Trados Synergy is a product that helps project manage translation jobs.
• SDL MultiTerm helps manage corporate terminology to ensure consistency and efficiency of translation
• SDL Trados provides the industry standard desktop application to perform the work translation.

For more information about these products and services, please visit www.lspzone.com

Freelance Translators

SDL provides a range of technology products and certification tools to help freelance translators. 

For these products, special offers and support for Freelance Translators please go to our dedicated website http://www.translationzone.com.