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About the Localization Industry

The localization and language industry helps companies, governments and not-for-profit organizations create global content for audiences of any culture and who speak any language. Whether a multinational enterprise selling software, a mom-and-pop shop selling sandals, or a pharmaceutical company testing drugs around the world, the end user must understand in order to use your product or services. Localization and language industry specialists make that happen.

 

Thousands of companies all over the world make use of expert globalization, localization, and internationalization services, helping businesses deliver local content and language when communicating beyond their home turf. As the world turns more global, the localization and language industry continues to grow quickly.

 

Common Sense Advisory calculates that the market for outsourced language services was worth US$26.327 billion in 2010. According to the year-to-year changes in revenue and the expected earnings reported by the LSPs surveyed, the language services market is growing at an annual rate of 13.15%. Over the coming five years, Common Sense Advisory expects the market to reach US$38.14 billion. ("The Language Services Market," May 2010)
 

Industry Services Defined
 

The localization and globalization industry consists of many different types of entities providing both outsourced language technology and services and in-house support within multinational companies.
 

  • Localization service providers (LSPs)
    LSPs adapt products so they seem natural to a particular region's residents. This process considers language, culture, customs, and other characteristics of the target locale.
     
  • Technology developers
    Language technology facilitates efficient use of multilingual content and accelerates time-to-market solutions from TM and CAT tools to machine translation and global content management systems.
     
  • In-house localization and translation departments
    Many multi-national companies have in-house teams that coordinate translation strategy and implementation for their companies internally, most often in partnership with supplier partners.
     
  • Translation companies
    With more than 6,700 languages are spoken in 230 countries worldwide, translation providers make the world feel a little smaller.
     
  • Research analysts, publications, and training institutes
    The globalization and localization industry includes top research analysts, publications, and training companies.
     
  • Globalization and internationalization consultants
    Consulting covers the revision of business processes and management procedures and the adaptation of marketing tools.


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