In technical industries, precision is critical to producing the high-quality, safe and compliant products that your customers, colleagues and regulators expect.
The same is true in technical translations – specialist linguists and rigorous quality assurance measures are essential.
From user manuals and product specifications to websites and eLearning content, you can trust Business Language Services to deliver accurate translations of your technical content in over 400 language combinations.
Don’t just take our word for it…
BLS […] have been particularly adept at understanding the engineering terms and technical nature of our requests
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Explore our technical translation services for your industry
Automotive & Transport
Specialist translations for the automotive and transport industries, including:
- User manuals
- Passenger information and safety signage
- Regulatory documentation
- Staff training materials
Your materials will be handled by linguists who are experts in their subject areas and have in-industry experience, ensuring compliance and adherence to norms and standards in their target market.
Engineering
Specialist translations for engineering businesses, including:
- Technical datasheets
- Product specifications
- Diagrams and technical drawings
- Safety information
Our meticulous quality assurance process guarantees that your technical documentation is translated with the precision needed to allow your products to be used safely and effectively in all of your target languages.
Manufacturing
Specialist translations for manufacturers, including:
- Product labels and packaging
- Instruction manuals
- Conformity declarations
- Research and development studies
Products that are being sold in multiple countries require in-depth knowledge of local cultures and regulations – our native speaking translators and linguist-led project management will support you throughout your multilingual and multinational export journey.
Software & IT
Specialist translations for the software and IT sector, including:
- UI strings
- Websites and SEO content
- Release notes and changelogs
- Software and video game localisation
Specialist linguists and industry-leading translation technology will ensure that your translated content remains compatible with your systems, and professional typesetters and graphic designers can assist with adaptations for languages that are written from right to left or in different writing systems.
About Business Language Services
At Business Language Services (BLS), we are a technical translation company with a linguist-led team, specialising in compliance-grade language services for regulated industries, including technical, legal, medical and financial.
From our offices in Cardiff and Glasgow, we have been reliably serving clients across the UK and around the world for over 30 years.
All of our project managers are linguists themselves, so they have first-hand experience of what translators and interpreters need to produce the highest quality work.
Backed by ISO certifications and accreditation by leading industry bodies, we are committed to delivering the highest quality translation and interpreting services to meet your requirements and expectations every time.
Why work with a specialist technical translation agency?
Compliance-grade accuracy and quality control
- Specialist linguists with industry expertise for error-free results every time
- Consistent use of approved, industry-standard terminology thanks to expert terminology management systems
- Three-stage translation, editing and proofreading process
- ISO9001 Quality Management certification
Technical expertise beyond the language
- Familiarity with regulatory requirements and approval processes
- Multilingual checks for numerical accuracy and consistency
- Tools to work with all file formats, ensuring compatibility with your systems
Linguist-led human service with 30+ years' experience
- Dedicated project manager will guide you through the entire process
- All project managers are trained linguists, meaning faster resolution of linguistic queries
- Proven track record – over 30 years of excellence
- In-house translators for common language pairs, allowing for rapid turnaround
Certification for guaranteed acceptance
- Certification to prove accuracy to Notified Bodies, industry regulators, courts or government authorities
- All types of certification available:
- Certification
- Notarisation
- Legalisation (Apostille)
- Sworn (in-country)
Bespoke, end-to-end service packages
- Translation is not ‘one size fits all’ – tailored language solutions for your individual needs
- Full suite of post-translation services, e.g.:
- Terminology/glossary management
- Desktop publishing / typesetting
- Printing and binding
- Direct liaison with your in-country colleagues for translation approvals and query resolution, if required
Secure and confidential handling of files and data
- Secure client portal for seamless transfer of project files
- All linguists and project managers have signed strict NDAs, so your information remains confidential
- Project traceability and version control as standard, so you can easily request updates to previously translated materials
Technical document translation services in just four simple steps
1. Consultation & Quotation
Gather all necessary details (languages, formats, services) and provide a personalised quote tailored to the project.
2. Linguists' Briefing
Brief linguists on requirements, including stylistic and length considerations, and prepare for translation.
3. Translation, Editing & Proofreading
Expert linguists handle translation, editing, proofreading, and certification as per requested standards.
4. Delivery
We deliver the final files as a ready‑to‑use package and handle additional services like desktop publishing or printing, as needed.
Why work with a specialist technical translation agency?
Businesses across all technical industries rely on precise wording in all of their documentation, whether this is for compliance with regulatory requirements, to ensure that users operate machinery safely and effectively, or to communicate a brand message to potential new customers and markets.
When these materials are translated, the same level of precision and expertise is essential to ensure that these same goals are achieved in every target language and market.
Technical texts often include specialist terminology that only someone with experience in that industry or with that product would fully understand, and this is often required by auditors and regulatory bodies.
Non-specialist translators might use less specific or unapproved terminology, which can lead to translations being rejected by industry regulators, resulting in legal issues, additional costs and reputational damage for your company.
We always hand-pick linguists with relevant industry experience, which combined with our rigorous three-stage quality assurance process, ensures that your translations are completely accurate every time.
All of our project managers are linguists themselves, so they have first-hand knowledge and experience of the translation process and the information, tools and resources that translators need to produce their best work. They are also familiar with the kinds of errors that linguists can make, and so are ideally placed to spot these when proofreading your translations before final delivery. This makes them a critical quality and risk control mechanism and facilitates rapid resolution of any linguistic queries you may have.
Consistent use of approved terminology across products and languages is essential in regulated industries. The same also applies to larger sections of text; if you are making updates to existing documents, it is neither necessary nor cost-effective to retranslate the entire document, and doing so inconsistently could cause confusion for product users.
Our industry-leading translation software allows us to create personalised multilingual glossaries and databases of approved translations, as well as ensure that any updates overwrite older translations, guaranteeing consistency between projects and meaning that you will never pay to retranslate the same text twice.
Translations of technical documentation sometimes need to be submitted to international authorities, courts or notified bodies, which often means that the translations must be certified in order to be accepted. This confirms to the organisation receiving the translation that it is a true and accurate representation of the original document, that the linguist who completed the translation was competent and sufficiently qualified, and that the translation may be legally replied upon. We can provide all types of certification to ensure that your translations are accepted by the relevant authorities.
Our technical translation clients
Businesses large and small in technical sectors around the world trust Business Language Services with their translations – yours could be next.
Don't just take our word for it…
Here is what some of our satisfied customers had to say about our technical translation services:
I commissioned Business Language Services to translate a technical engineering website content into Japanese and have been very happy with the service. Their communication and how they address this project has been very professional. The translation went very smoothly, and presented back to be for use very clearly. The timing of the project was fantastic, it was undertaken in a very reasonable time. We experience no issues the entire project from quote to completion was perfect. Very happy with the service.
Amity Web Solutions
BLS were very prompt in their attention and easily understood the brief that we had and quickly and accurately provided the details needed for a reasonable cost in a professional way.
Vernier Springs and Pressings
BLS has assisted us with the translation of our machine manuals and screen content for our PLC controlled HMIs. They have been particularly adept at understanding the engineering terms and technical nature of our requests and have translated these into not only the more commonly used European languages such as French, Spanish, Italian, etc, but have also supplied us with Simplified Chinese and Hebrew translations.
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Our accreditations and memberships
More than
30 years
in the industry
Get started with your compliance-grade technical translation today
To find out more about how we can support you with end-to-end translation solutions, speak to one of our friendly team today.
Frequently asked questions
Why does technical translation require specialist linguists?
Only linguists who have experience translating for your industry will have knowledge of its unique and often legally required terminology and writing conventions, and so will be able to ensure that the translation is compliant with local regulations for their language and market.
How much do technical translation services cost?
Costs for technical translation services start from around £60–£80 + VAT, depending on the language pair. This usually covers up to approx. 500 words; thereafter, the cost is based on the number of words, with rates between £0.12 and £0.22 per source word for most language pairs.
Please get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote tailored to your project’s requirements.
Are AI and machine translation safe to use for technical translations?
AI and machine translation are rarely accurate enough for technical translations, as they lack the contextual and sector-specific knowledge to ensure that the results are compliant with regulatory requirements. They can sometimes be used to accelerate projects, provided that their output is thoroughly edited for accuracy and compliance by professional linguists who are subject matter experts.
All of our machine translation systems and AI translation engines are closed-source, and we never use your materials to train them.
What are the risks of poor-quality technical translations for regulated industries?
Poor-quality technical translations can lead to many serious consequences. For example, if regulatory requirements are not followed, manufacturers can face legal issues and risk their products being withdrawn from the market. Or, if usage instructions are misunderstood or inaccurate, products may be used incorrectly or in an unsafe way, leading to lost productivity, property damage or personal injury.
Can technical translations be certified or audited for regulatory use?
Yes. Some regulatory bodies require translations to be certified to prove that they are accurate representations of the original documents.
This typically involves the translator or a representative of the translation agency signing a legally-binding declaration that bears a stamp from a recognised translation industry organisation, such as the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) or Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) – we are a member of both of these institutions.
Translations may also be notarised or legalised (also known as apostilled) in certain circumstances, but this is not normally needed except in the most sensitive legal situations.