“A legal text  has very different features to an article on engineering  or medicine .  And we have to be able to take these text-based characteristics into account to offer a quality service” , notes Frédéric Ibañez, founder of Optilingua Crédit photo : libre de droit 

“A legal text  has very different features to an article on engineering  or medicine .  And we have to be able to take these text-based characteristics into account to offer a quality service” , notes Frédéric Ibañez, founder of Optilingua Crédit photo : libre de droit 

In a globalised world, most companies are finding themselves in need of quality technical translations with a quick turnaround. Unlike using unreliable web tools, a translation agency offers concrete support, industry expertise tailored to each country, and indisputable added-value for the proofreading and translation of all types of documents.

Today, many businesses frequently turn to translators, whether for contracts or other legal or technical documents, websites or catalogue content.  With each company operating in a specific sector, there's a need to rely on professionals capable of providing technical translations tailored to that area, for example legal translations.  In addition, certain organisations may need to use sworn translators who can produce certified translations, true to the original, and which are deemed to have the same legal value by the relevant authorities.

To meet these clearly-expressed market needs, the major digital players are working hard to offer automatic translation solutions.  However, such tools, often freely available on the internet, still don't provide the level of quality expected by organisations.  Frédéric Ibañez, founder of the Optilingua Group, explains: ʺtoday's consumer translation software  offers a comparison based on a huge database, rather than true translation.  These tools still often make mistakes, sometimes serious ones.  And even if these solutions improve, the verification function played by humans will remain essential in the future.ʺ

Court-approved translators can provide translations that are certified as true to the original.

Frédéric Ibañez, manager of the translation agency, Viaverbia Luxembourg

A single platform

Within this context of technological evolution, it's becoming necessary for market players to develop an innovative approach to translation, to offer high quality services to their clients.  “At Optilingua, for example, we operate a single platform which is shared by all our branches”, continues  Frédéric Ibañez.  “This gives us access to 4000 translators living in the countries where the target language is spoken, and with whom we've been collaborating for many years.  So, a German will translate into German, a Portuguese into Portuguese.”  This way of working makes it possible to produce translations within short timeframes and at very competitive rates, which vary according to each language, and, therefore, each country.  But it also means we can rely on translators who are specialised in each subject.  ʺA  has very different features to an  or .  And we have to be able to take these text-based characteristics into account to offer a quality serviceʺ, notes Frédéric Ibañez.

Beyond these general features, translation agencies are also looking to offer certain services in response to the specific needs of the local market.  ʺCourt-approved translators can provide translations that are certified as true to the original.  So these are deemed as having the same legal value in the eyes of all authorities.  Legal translations of this kind turn out to be particularly valuable to notaries and lawyersʺ, explains the founder of Optilingua.

For more information, please visit