COMPANY / HISTORY

Metzger Translations: a history that runs parallel to the progress of communications and at the service of international commerce.

1963

Foundation of Metzger Translations. Dr Gerhard Metzger, an industrial mechanical and electrical engineer, with post-graduate studies in automobile aerodynamics and nuclear engineering, founded Metzger Translations in Barcelona (Spain). When Dr Metzger founded the company his first collaborators were his University colleagues from the School of Engineering who met the needs of the burgeoning market that sought professionals who not only had the requisite language skills, but also specialist knowledge of the subject matter of the texts. This unique approach has been maintained throughout the life of the company. When it was founded, the Company offered translation, proofreading and interpreting services.

1968

The Company introduces the first technological changes. The translators no longer type out their work but dictate it, first recording it on magnetic discs, later on tape, to be transcribed. The equipment is imported mostly from Switzerland and Germany, and the production process is improved through specialisation to achieve greater efficiency and reliability.

1971

As a result of repeated requests from the legal departments of its industrial clients, the Company begins to diversify, translating contracts and legal documents. To attend these requests for legal texts, the Company continues its strategy by incorporating experienced, native-speaking lawyers into its team.

1981

Metzger Translations has always used the latest technological breakthroughs in its work and in 1981 the Company installs one of the first Telex machines to be used in a professional translation company. The translations are carried out and sent directly to the clients. As well as direct written communication, (including online translation), the Telex also means translations could be received, saved, translated, revised, and retransmitted on a perforated paper tape. This tape features a binary hole/no hole combination with 5 positions, whose combinations corresponded to a letter or symbol.

1984

The fax as a work tool. A few years after the Telex, the fax appears –first using thermal and then ordinary paper– and, being faster and cheaper, it quickly replaces the Telex.

1992

The second generation of the Metzger family joins the Company’s management.

1995

Desktop Publishing (DTP) in its several formats is added to the Company’s service portfolio to offer an all-round service to clients and provide print-ready documents to our production processes.

1996

The first commercially available modems make data transmission among the Company, collaborators and clients common practice.

2000

Publication of the Spanish-German Dictionary “Dictionary of Advanced Techniques” by Editorial Herder.

2001

Introduction of Computer Assisted Translation tools, computerised glossary management and client translation memory maintenance.

2008

European Quality Certifications UNE 15038 and ISO 9001 awarded (the first is specifically for Language Service Providers) and continuously maintained to date. Metzger Translations was one of the first language service providers in Spain to achieve the European Quality Certification.

2008

Publication of the Tri-Lingual English-German-Spanish Dictionary”, by Editorial CEAC – Planeta de Agostini.

2010

Introduction of ERP and CRM tools for managing the Company’s processes.

2013

Celebration of Metzger Translations’ 50th anniversary.

2016

Concession of European Certification ISO 17100. Again, Metzger Translations is one of the first companies to achieve it.