TransPerfect Launches Labeling and Content Management Solutions

TransPerfect, a privately held supplier of language services and content management technology, has launched EnCompass content solutions for medical device makers. The new service line combines patented translation risk management with validated content management and productivity technology to create an integrated solution set that enables manufacturers to cut labeling and content costs by more than 40 percent.

Estimates put the total cost of content management for U.S. medical device manufacturers at approximately $1 billion. This “total cost of content” is defined as all costs necessary to create, review, approve, update, manage, translate, and format content in the vital areas of clinical, regulatory, and marketing. “Most manufacturers have document-based systems that use applications like Word or InDesign to produce labeling and marketing materials. This severely hampers their ability to standardize and reuse content. It also increases process cost and error risk,” explained Marc H. Miller, practice lead for EnCompass.

Document-based systems require manual operations to create or update content, both in the English source and translated versions. Research indicates that manual formatting processes are a significant contributor to the industry’s staggering cost of content. Manual processes also are to blame for more than 50 percent of labeling errors, the leading cause of costly product recalls. Now, increasing economic and regulatory pressures are prompting manufacturers to tackle the rising cost and risk of antiquated content processes.

Patented, risk-based processes and validated productivity technologies are the focus of EnCompass solutions. “Device manufacturers are a unique group—each has diverse content needs that include labeling, marketing materials, websites, patent applications, and even human resources documents,” Miller said. “Often, these groups use manual processes and can’t effectively share or leverage content, which leads to enormous opportunity costs and increased quality risk.”

Until recently, no single supplier has possessed the varied technologies and industry specialization required to build comprehensive content automation solutions for the highly regulated device industry. However, over the past several years, TransPerfect has been working to develop and hone its services and technology offerings to address this need.

Drawing on the resources of the entire TransPerfect family of companies, the EnCompass solution includes Crimson Life Sciences (Notified Body-endorsed, patented translation risk management), Alchemy Software Development (validated software localization tools), Astoria Software and Vasont Systems (XML-based component content management systems), and Translations.com’s GlobalLink suite of translation productivity tools.

“It is very gratifying to see the EnCompass suite of solutions come to fruition and we’re excited to be the first to offer these unique cost and time-saving solutions to the medical device industry,” TransPerfect Co-CEO Liz Elting said.

With annual revenues of more than $400 million, TransPerfect is the world’s largest privately held provider of language services and technology solutions. From offices in more than 85 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a range of services in more than 170 languages to clients worldwide. The company is headquartered in New York, N.Y., and maintains regional offices in London, United Kingdom, and Hong Kong, China.