Increase in need for language services increases revenues of ISI Translation Services

Jul 26 2010

Even before the 2010 U.S. Census confirms it, one Los Angeles company's consistent growth throughout the recession reveals an increasing need for language services, especially for companies in the healthcare and financial services sectors.

“When it comes to language requirements, as California goes, so goes the nation”

ISI Translation Services (www.ISITrans.com) today announced that its revenues have increased over last year and the company is staffing up, expanding its professional team by 20 percent and making some key executive changes - to meet the ever-increasing demand for translation services from companies that need to comply with federal or state mandates, or want to expand their potential customer base and increase operational efficiencies.

Translation and interpretation services is the fourth fastest-growing industry in the United States, according to AnythingResearch's Top Industries of 2010 study. Independent market research company Common Sense Advisory predicts that the language services market will reach $25 billion by 2013.

One reason for the industry's recession-defying growth is an increase in legislation requiring that healthcare and financial information - like mortgage paperwork - be translated into the consumer's primary language.

California Assembly Bill 1160, which was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009, requires banks to provide a good faith mortgage estimate in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean if loan terms were negotiated verbally or in writing in any of those languages. Lenders have to comply by October 1, 2010.

Another proposed law in California is Senate Bill 1390, which would require that certain phrases on a prescription drug label be translated into non-English languages. The bill also would require a pharmacy to provide non-English patients with any other written information relevant to the prescription drug in the patient's language.

"When it comes to language requirements, as California goes, so goes the nation," said George Rimalower, ISI founder and president. "The 2010 Census data is widely expected to reveal even more population trends that would affect language requirements for industries for which accurate communication is simply not a luxury - it's essential to safeguarding those individuals and our communities as a whole. All the analysts and industry-watchers are confirming what we're seeing every day at ground level - that the need for language services is growing at a rapid pace. We continue to enhance ISI's specialties and expand our team of project managers and professional translators worldwide, to meet this exploding demand."

Emilie Villeneuve has been promoted to vice president of operations. Born in France and educated both there and in the United States, Villeneuve brings her trilingual expertise (French, Spanish and English) working with ISI's translators, editors and clients to further ensure quality translations, design and graphics that maintain cultural integrity. She specializes in researching, testing and using the latest technological tools to improve operational efficiency and develop consistent, culturally-appropriate translations on time and under budget.

Michael Bearden has been promoted to director of client relations. Bearden holds a master's degree in English Literature, with significant experience as a writer, journalist and adjunct professor of English at the university level. He uses his extensive experience in production and translation project management to best match a company's needs with the correct tools and processes to achieve successful communication in any language.

ISI also has expanded its team of project managers by 20 percent, and promoted a number of existing project managers to recognize their specialties in quality assurance, technology and compliance.

"True communication in any language requires an understanding of regional slang, colloquialisms, idioms, subject-specific vocabulary and jargon, and cultural and religious sensitivities," said Rimalower. "Every professional that touches an ISI translation project has that deeply rooted, specialized understanding. Achieving quality requires a combination of the latest technology with the human touch - technology that ensures consistency and efficiency, and a process overseen at every stage by professional linguists and degreed translators."