The second largest language agency in Central and Eastern Europe reports more than 118 million words translated in 440 language combinations, more than 8,500 hours of interpreting in 50 language combinations and 190,000 hours taught in two dozen foreign languages. These are Skřivánek’s key statistics for 2016.
The Skřivánek language agency recorded a total turnover of more than CZK 516 million last year. In the Czech Republic alone, it reached revenues of over CZK 270 million. This figure is virtually unchanged compared to the previous year, but the largest language agency in the country has managed to increase its profit by almost 11 million in the same period.
“Last year can certainly be described as a success. We have won important contracts for projects and institutions within the European Union and the United Nations , having strengthened our international position”, says Bronislava Chudobová, director of the Skřivánek language agency, commenting on the figures. Skřivánek provides comprehensive language services not only to large multinational companies, but also to government or not-for-profit organizations, and, last but not least, to local businesses and the general public.
English holds the lead, Chinese and Arabic are gaining ground
“English and German in combination with Czech continue to be the most frequently requested languages in the field of translation and interpreting. Alongside these are common European languages such as Polish, French, Hungarian, Slovak, and also Russian”, says Bronislava Chudobová. “We are seeing more frequent requests for translations into Chinese and Arabic, which is associated with the current political and economic developments”, Chudobová further adds .
Legal documents accounted for the largest number of translations by professional field, followed by technical documents, and information technology came in third place. “We continue to see the highest potential for translation and interpreting services in the IT sector, as well as in the engineering, automotive and pharmaceutical industries”, says Bronislava Chudobová, outlining future developments.
Skřivánek abroad
According to the latest study “The Language Service Market 2016” by independent research organization Common Sense Advisory, the language service market grew by 6.46% in 2015 year-on-year, with an estimated revenue of approximatelyUSD49.8 billion by 2019. According to the study, Skřivánek has again been ranked among the 100 largest language agencies in the world. In terms of revenue, the company ranks 41st globally and 2nd in the Eastern Europe region.
The most successful market for Skřivánek in terms of turnover is currently Poland, followed by Latvia and Slovakia. “Poland is a very interesting market for us, as we achieve strong results there reaching millions of euros. However, we also see potential for the future in Bulgaria, where we have grown by almost 60% year-on-year”, concludes the director of the Skřivánek language agency .