A Company-Wide Solution

Before we dive into our hero’s success story, we have to mention that they are one of our oldest clients. Rosenbauer has been a Text United client since 2010. Fun fact, they were not searching for a translation platform at that time. So how did they become a devoted client after all? Let’s begin.

Talk about the right place at the right time. In 2010, the whole concept of a Cloud-based Translation Management System was, let’s say, in the clouds. Convincing an enterprise like Rosenbauer to agree to use such a system was no easy task. At that time, we were doing active outreach in Austria, as this is our home turf. We hoped we could talk to companies in person and explain the concept and benefits. Through a combination of luck and our determination, we visited Rosenbauer’s HQ and presented our proposal. Initially, it took some convincing to get Rosenbauer on board. Back then, they were using the traditional email workflow for outsourcing translation. Moreover, they made their first attempts using XML translation tools from their content management system.

Our aim was to move them away from a very manual and time-consuming workflow and help them integrate XML translation. Still today, Rosenbauer enjoy using an automated and transparent translation system, which amplifies their whole translation process.

Eliminate the existing workflow and reduce process time: As we have mentioned, Rosenbauer, like many companies to this day, were outsourcing their translations via email to agencies. The content for translation was sent in its original format or as PDF files. The process was both time and cost-consuming. Especially for PDFs, as you would need to order extra services, i.e. DTP.

Using already translated content was non-existent. “Translations were created over and over again, even if the translation was already existing.” At the time, it was a difficult task to track already translated content without a system that scans and counts repetitions. What’s more, Rosenbauer had no control over whether the activities were carried out properly or even at all. A complete overview of ongoing translation processes was non-existent. Both partners and in-house translators just did not have enough time.
It seemed that Rosenbauer needed – without realizing it just yet – to implement a tool that would allow them to have end-to-end control and reduce the translation process time.

Improved Workflows: Integration of client’s country offices, partners, and external translators, into a single workflow.

In the beginning, most translations were outsourced to us, as we were working on the training and onboarding of Rosenbauer’s users. From a handful of Rosenbauer employees using our system back in 2010, this number has increased exponentially. Rosenbauer currently has several hundred users working on translation projects internally.

It gave Rosenbauer the ability to work on projects using various workflows that fit their needs:

• Create internal projects, and have their employees and partners work on the translation.
• Create internal projects, and use their freelance translators to work on the translation.
• Outsource projects to us and our translators.
• Machine-translate content and then post-edit.
• Combine the above approaches, e.g. our translator translates the project while their partner reviews it.

Initially, Rosenbauer started using our system only at the headquarters in Austria. However, with time as the scale and complexity of the cooperation grew, so did their translation needs. Moreover, Rosenbauer outsourced fewer and fewer projects to us. They already had a network of users and the system to manage it all in one place. And users, both internal and external, can also choose to either work on or offline.

Text United is now also used by other country offices, such as the US and Germany. Instead of only discussing XML files, topics like terminology management, reporting, and support for additional file formats are on the table too.

The Text United system has seen widespread deployment throughout the Rosenbauer organization. With cross-department adoption permeating marketing, engineering, technical documentation and corporate communication to name but a few. It has become by definition, a company-wide solution.

Rosenbauer are enjoying having control over the translation process. Furthermore, Rosenbauer are reducing time-to-market, gaining security through transparent workflows, and saving costs along the way.

Rosenbauer is an international group and a reliable partner to fire services around the world. The company develops and produces vehicles, fire extinguishing systems, fire and safety equipment and digital solutions for professional, industrial, plant and volunteer fire services and systems for preventive fire protection. All of the main sets of standards are covered by products manufactured in Europe, the US and Asia. With revenues of around € 980 million, more than 3,800 employees (as of December 31, 2019) and a sales and service network in over 120 countries, the Group is the world’s largest firefighting technology provider.

The listed family company is in its sixth generation and has served fire departments for more than 150 years. A strong customer focus, innovative strength and reliability are Rosenbauer’s key assets.