Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
Frankfurt, Germany
Last Updated: February 2024
WZ M74.30DERevenue
€1.2bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
€XX.Xm
Employees
16,328
Businesses
9,590
Wages
€XXX.Xm
Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany industry analysis
During the coronavirus crisis, the language mediation industry experienced a major slump in demand for translation and interpreting services due to travel and contact restrictions. The industry suffered in particular from the cancellation of a large number of events. Only a sluggish recovery has been observed in recent years. In the current year, sales are expected to grow again by 0.6% year-on-year to 1.2 billion euros. The decline in sales since 2019 has averaged 3.3% per year.Immigration and the number of international companies in Germany as well as the number of international participants at congresses are particularly important factors influencing the development of turnover and demand. Immigrating private individuals and foreign companies setting up in Germany require translations of legally binding documents, and translators and interpreters are also often hired for congresses. After the end of the coronavirus pandemic, the restrictions on events were relaxed again, which led to a slight increase in demand for translations and interpreters at trade fairs and congresses. However, turnover has not yet returned to the level of the pre-crisis year 2019.Average sales growth of 2.2% per year is expected between 2024 and 2029, meaning that industry sales of €1.4 billion should be generated in 2029. In the coming years, demand for industry services and thus industry turnover should continue to recover. The industry should benefit from an increase in efficiency thanks to the support provided by software, which will contribute to revenue growth. However, technical progress, which goes hand in hand with the improvement and reduction in the cost of translation programmes, is also causing problems for the industry.
Trends and Insights
- The expansion of numerous German companies into the international market is accompanied by an increased demand for translation services. In addition to the English-speaking market, the Asian market is also becoming increasingly important, which is why language mediators have to adapt and expand their services.
- English translations are by far the most important industry service. Translations from English are primarily required by companies from English-speaking countries that want to sell their products in Germany or intend to open a location in Germany.
- The proximity to numerous international companies makes the southern region particularly attractive. There is a high demand for film and series translations in the media city of Munich. The extensive tourism industry in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg also contributes to the high demand for language service providers.
- Translation programmes are becoming increasingly serious competition for language mediators. These programmes cannot yet replace qualified translators, but they have evolved into learning applications that are gradually improving the quality of their translations.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 3.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €1.2bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Increasing numbers of immigrants lead to a greater need for sworn translators and interpreters
- Rising immigration figures have led to a greater need for sworn translators and interpreters in recent years. Sworn linguists are needed to translate documents and understand public proceedings.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
The increasing digitalisation of trade fairs and the networking of production processes are opening up new sales markets
- The translation and interpreting industry is facing changes as digital formats for trade fairs and congresses become increasingly popular. This increases the number of international participants, which expands the job pool for trade fair and congress interpreters. However, interpreters must also have the technical equipment to participate in video conferences.
Biggest companies in the Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany
| Company | Market Share (%)
2024 | Revenue (€m)
2024 |
|---|---|---|
Star Deutschland GmbH | 22.0 | |
Amplexor Deutschland GmbH | 16.0 | |
SDL Multilingual Services GmbH & Co. KG | 14.0 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including English translation, Interpreting and French translation. English translation is the largest segment of the Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany.
Trends and Insights
English translations are particularly in demand from companies that want to sell their products in Germany
- This segment includes translations of written texts from and into English. Interpreting services are not included.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- There are no industries to display.
Complementors
- Document Preparation Services in Germany
International industries
- Translation Services in the US
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The interpreting and translation industry is also known as the language mediation industry according to the German Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators (BDÜ). Translators translate texts for various purposes in written form into another language, while interpreters translate the spoken language into another language. Publishers of translation programmes and dictionaries are not part of the industry.
What's included in this industry?
English translationInterpretingFrench translationCompanies
Star Deutschland GmbHAmplexor Deutschland GmbHSDL Multilingual Services GmbH & Co. KGPurchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
SWORN TRANSLATORCOURT INTERPRETERLANGUAGE MEDIATORAUTHORISATIONCOMPUTER-AIDED TRANSLATION (CAT)SOFTWARE LOCALISATIONTECHNICAL DOCUMENTATIONIndustry Code
WZ 74.30 - Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
The expansion of numerous German companies into the international market is accompanied by an increased demand for translation services. In addition to the English-speaking m...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
English translations are by far the most important industry service. Translations from English are primarily required by companies from English-speaking countries that want t...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The proximity to numerous international companies makes the southern region particularly attractive. There is a high demand for film and series translations in the media city...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Translation programmes are becoming increasingly serious competition for language mediators. These programmes cannot yet replace qualified translators, but they have evolved ...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There are no main players in the industry. Most language mediators are self-employed or freelance.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Star Deutschland GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Amplexor Deutschland GmbH's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of SDL Multilingual Services GmbH & Co. KG's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Star Deutschland GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Amplexor Deutschland GmbH, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for SDL Multilingual Services GmbH & Co. KG, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
An increasing number of residents without German citizenship benefits the industry. Residents without German citizenship are very likely to need interpreters and translations...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
A significant proportion of the costs is attributable to setting up and maintaining the IT infrastructure. This mainly involves software that is intended to facilitate transl...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Germany include:
- German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
- European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
- United Nations Comtrade
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany in 2024?
The market size of the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany is €1.2bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany industry in 2024?
There are 9,590 businesses in the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.5 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 3.3 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Translation & Interpretation Activities market in Germany?
The biggest companies operating in the Translation & Interpretation Activities market in Germany are Star Deutschland GmbH, Amplexor Deutschland GmbH and SDL Multilingual Services GmbH & Co. KG
What does the Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany include?
English translation and Interpreting are part of the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Translation & Interpretation Activities in Germany?
The company holding the most market share in Germany is Star Deutschland GmbH.
How competitive is the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Translation & Interpretation Activities industry in Germany.
