Lionbridge Explained

Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.
Type:Privately held company
Industry:Language localization
Software testing
E-learning
Foundation: in Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Location:Waltham, Massachusetts, U.S.
Key People:John Fennelly, CEO
Num Employees:6000

Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. is an American company that provides translation and localization services. Based in Waltham, Massachusetts, the company has operations in 26 countries.

History

Lionbridge was founded in 1996.[1] In 2005, they acquired Bowne Global Solutions, then the largest localization provider.[2] In 2014 they acquired Darwin Zone, a digital marketing services agency based in Costa Rica,[3] and Clay Tablet Technologies, a content connectivity software firm.[4]

In 2015, they acquired Zurich-based CLS Communication, a translation services provider, and Geotext, a legal translation company.[5] [6] [7] [8] In December 2016, it was announced that Lionbridge entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by H.I.G. Capital. The deal was announced closed in May, 2017[9] and, subsequently, the company was delisted from Nasdaq. Lionbridge is now a privately-held company and part of the portfolio of H.I.G. companies.

In July 2017, John Fennelly was named chief executive officer.[10] The founder of the company, Rory Cowan, is chairman of the board of directors.[11]

In December 2018, Lionbridge fully acquired Tokyo-based Gengo, a crowdsourced translation and artificial intelligence training data provider.

In November 2020, Lionbridge agreed with Telus International to sell its artificial intelligence division.[12]

Operations

Lionbridge provides translation and localization in many languages, with offices in 26 countries.[13]

Controversies/court cases

A securities class action lawsuit involving the company was filed in July 2001 under "Samet v. Lionbridge Technologies, Inc. et al." in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.[14]

In 2006, a Lionbridge employee was awarded non economic damages of USD $366,250 and economic damages of USD $221,433 due to failure by the company to fulfill its obligation to help the employee obtain a green card.[15]

A 2008 court case involved an unfair dismissal claim by a former Lionbridge employee fired for union recruitment activities at the company's Warsaw office to protect employment conditions. Protests in support were held in Denmark, Spain, Poland, and Ireland.[16] [17]

In 2014, 38 software testers contracting for Microsoft in the Bellevue, Washington office formed Temporary Workers Alliance, a trade union. A year later, Microsoft required Lionbridge to provide at least 3 weeks of vacation.[18] In 2016, Lionbridge announced layoffs, two months after the union had ratified their first collective agreement. As part of the negotiations, the union had agreed to drop a joint employer case against Lionbridge and Microsoft.[19]

In June 2024, an unfair labor practice was filed against the Lionbridge by the Communications Workers of America, alleging that the company illegally terminated the employment of 160 workers in Boise, Idaho who worked as software testers for Activision, in retaliation for exercising their right to participate in concerted union activities. As part of the layoff, CWA also alleges that workers were required to sign an overly broad confidentiality agreement and an illegal waiver of certain rights protected by the National Labor Relations Act.[20]

Recognition

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TAUS Members. Taus.net.
  2. Book: Bert Esselink. The Evolution of Localization. Guide to Localization. Multilingual Computing and Technology. 2003. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120907235057/http://isg.urv.es/library/papers/Esselink_Evolution.pdf. 2012-09-07. In a nutshell, localization revolves around combining language and technology to produce a product that can cross cultural and language barriers. No more, no less. .
  3. Web site: Lionbridge Acquires Costa Rica's Darwin Zone. nearshoreamericas.com. May 20, 2014. Narayan. Ammachchi.
  4. Web site: Lionbridge Protects Its Connectivity Strategy with Purchase of Middleware Provider. Common Sense Advisory. https://web.archive.org/web/20160406235543/http://www.commonsenseadvisory.com/Blogs.aspx?1=1&moduleID=390&Contenttype=ArticleDetAD&AId=21577. April 6, 2016. October 14, 2014. Donald A. DePalma. Clay Tablet currently supports connections between leading CMSes and Lionbridge's own Freeway, SDL's TMS and WorldServer, SAJAN's Transplicity, Smartling, Welocalize's GlobalSight, Wordbee, and XTM..
  5. Web site: Lionbridge Technologies (LIOX) Completes CLS Communication Acquisition. streetinsider.com.
  6. Web site: Lionbridge to Buy CLS Communication as Market Consolidation Continues. Common Sense Advisory.
  7. Web site: CLS Communication. aihitdata.com.
  8. Web site: Lionbridge acquires Geotext Translations for $11M. owler.com.
  9. News: H.I.G. Capital closes Lionbridge Tech buy - PE Hub. 2017-05-04. PE Hub. 2017-05-15. en-US.
  10. News: Lionbridge Will Be a 'Very Different Company', Says CEO John Fennelly. 2018-01-23. Slator. 2018-02-15. en-US.
  11. News: Rory Cowan: Getting the Pace Right. 2017-08-16. TAUS blog. 2018-02-15. en-US.
  12. Web site: Lionbridge Announces Agreement to Sell Artificial Intelligence (AI) Division. 2021-01-22. lionbridge. en.
  13. Web site: Lionbridge Locations Office Directory. www.lionbridge.com. en-GB. 2018-07-03.
  14. Web site: Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.. Stanford Law School Securities Class Action Clearinghouse. Stanford Law School. 29 March 2016.
  15. News: DerKevorkian v. Lionbridge Techs, Inc.. 19 June 2013. Immigration Daily. 2007. John Rotterman, Esq..
  16. News: Interpretation service picketed by trade unions, activists. 29 March 2016. Metro Eireann. 10 July 2008.
  17. Web site: ITIA Bulletin February 2008. Irish Translators and Interpreters Association Bulletin. 29 March 2016.
  18. Web site: Eidelson . Josh . Kanu . Hassan . August 23, 2018 . Microsoft Bug Testers Unionized. Then They Were Dismissed . 2024-06-26 . Bloomberg News.
  19. News: Levy . Nat . September 28, 2016 . Microsoft supplier Lionbridge laying off all its unionized workers . 23 June 2024 . GeekWire.
  20. News: Reuben . Nic . 2024-06-12 . Activision QA supplier Lionbridge accused of retaliatory layoffs in "union busting" move . 2024-06-26 . . en.
  21. Web site: The 100 Most Trustworthy Companies In America. Forbes. Kathryn. Dill. March 30, 2015. To create this list, MSCI ESG Research screened more than 5,500 publicly-traded North American companies to identify the 100 that most "consistently demonstrated transparent accounting practices and solid corporate governance.".
  22. Web site: Lionbridge Named One of America's Best Large Employers by Forbes. 2021-01-22. lionbridge. en.
  23. Web site: America's Best Employers For Women 2020. 2021-01-22. Forbes. en.
  24. Web site: Lionbridge. Lionbridge Again Named One of America's Best Employers by Forbes. 2021-01-22. www.prnewswire.com. en.
  25. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20191221060750if_/https://www.forbes.com/companies/lionbridge-technologies/#2471be3454db. December 21, 2019. unfit. Lionbridge Technologies. Forbes.
  26. Web site: Lionbridge Technologies. Forbes. July 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210207101543if_/https://www.forbes.com/companies/lionbridge-technologies/?sh=1c7d84a754db. February 7, 2021.
  27. Web site: America's Best Employers For Diversity 2021. Forbes. en. Kristin. Stoller. April 20, 2021.
  28. Web site: Lionbridge Technologies. Forbes. July 1, 2021.
  29. Web site: Stoller. Kristin. The Top 100 Companies For Remote Jobs In 2021. January 22, 2021. Forbes. en. January 11, 2021. Lionbridge’s existing work-from-home infrastructure enabled it to successfully pivot to a remote environment when the pandemic began. This has earned the company the top spot on FlexJobs’ eighth annual list of the Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2021. The job-search site based its ranking on an analysis of 57,000 companies’ remote-job postings in FlexJobs’ database during 2020. .
  30. Web site: America's 100 Most Loved Workplaces 2022. Newsweek. en. April 4, 2023. The company asks for feedback from employees regarding sense of belonging and barriers to execution. It has shared over 5,000 feedback results and provided follow-up action items..

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