ŞİRKET TARİHÇESİ
UNIVERSAL Translation Services and Publishing Inc. is a leading language solutions company with a strong presence in both Turkey and abroad with 32 years of experience and expertise in translation and interpreting services and with a customer-oriented approach to service.
Universal, which started out as a translation agency under the name Universal Translation Agency in 1976 and grew by opening new branches in order to extend its services to more clients. The Company was restructured into a joint-stock corporation in 1985, and began creating a more efficient work environment in order to improve its services to its individual and corporate client base. Today, Universal provides services to its thousands of clients through its 600 m2 centre in Mecidiyeköy, Istanbul and a network of hundreds of highly qualified translators and interpreters.
Universal has translated continuously updated Turkish Legislation into English, German and French, with a view to meeting the need arising from a new phase in international relations beginning with Turkey’s 1983 policy regarding foreign investment. It continued to develop this activity over time, and thus fulfilled a crucial mission for the translation sector while contributing to Turkey’s foreign trade and the country’s efforts to open up its domestic markets to foreign investors.
Universal has, in recent years, prepared the English translation of Turkish Legislation in 15 separate sets, each in a ring-binder format, and delivers annually to its corporate members all amendments made to them.
Closely tracking rapid technological developments, Universal built a computer-based network system in 1984 and, one year later, introduced a Tele-Translation service. During the same year, a Data Processing and Documentation Department was set up within the Company. Rapidly completing its institutionalization project, and expanding its service network by opening a branch in Ankara and another in Gümüşsuyu, İstanbul in late 1985, Universal set up its Desktop Publishing Department in 1987; here type-setting, graphics, pre-printing and printing operations are handled.
Launching a project in 1988 to create dictionaries and reference books, Universal published an encyclopaedic dictionary entitled, Turkish-English Dictionary of Electric-Electronic-Computer-Nucleonic Terminology in 1991. In the same year, it formed a Projects Unit to handle comprehensive projects. In 1993, with the support of the World Bank, Universal rolled up its sleeves to translate and print textbooks for the Industrial Schools of the Turkish Ministry of National Education. As a result, 28 textbooks on 9 different subjects were translated by the technical translators of Universal, edited by contract lecturers and then submitted to the Board of Education for approval. Upon approval by the Board of Education, the textbooks were printed and distributed to Industrial School students by the Turkish Ministry of National Education.
In 1994, the construction and interior design of Universal’s Head-Office, planned carefully to ensure a seamless integration of its services, were completed. Again in the same year, Universal restructured its corporate organization and began to focus more on its publishing operations with greater enthusiasm and energy. Universal has provided support to many domestic and foreign publishing companies as a solution partner, and also performed or assisted in the translation, pre-printing and printing operations of dozens of periodicals and thousands of books.
In the nineties, when automation and other software programs were being developed and offered for multinational services, Universal achieved an excellent track record in the localisation of such comprehensive programs from the world’s leading software companies. This has earned the Company a well-merited reputation in this field.
Universal has always created a benchmark of its own. It began to work in the Internet environment and launched its website by setting up an Intranet system in its office in 1997. In the following year, Universal completed its archiving and digital printing systems project and integrated its translation and desktop publishing operations. In 1999, we began to offer on-line translation services and accept on-line payment. During that period, Universal actively contributed to the formation of the Translation Association which is an umbrella organization for the translation sector.
In the early 2000s, with a view to meeting the need for website localization, transcription, website design and website building services increased along with the Internet’s expected spread throughout the world and its seepage into our business and social lives. With this in mind we set up our Uniweb Department which helps us maintain our dedication to client satisfaction and to our providing integrated services.
In recent years, Universal has focused on building and developing an International Network of expert translators and business partners and, by signing agreements with leading-edge translation companies and freelance translators in many countries around the world, managed to leave behind its competitors in the race for providing multilingual services to both Turkish business people and world trade.
After some long and detailed work, we created a Turkish-English Dictionary of Biology and delivered it to distribution channels.
As a founding member of the "Association of Translation Companies", which was founded by 22 translation companies in May 2007, Universal played an important role in the formation of the said Association.
Since 2007, we, at Universal, have been using the latest informatics technology throughout our translation production and services management process.
Universal offers its clients a wide range of online and interactive multilingual and publishing services and integrated systems that are built on advanced software programs, some of which were developed originally by ourselves.
