Translations for the Medical and Pharmaceutical Industries

Package Insert

Know-how and information for mt-g customers No. 28 | November 2012

Visions:

mt-g moves to new premises

Page 3

Versions:

2,665 pages in 55 days for Biotest

Page 4

People:

Six new faces at mt-g

Page 5

www.mt‑g.com

Page 2 mt‑g Package Insert

Editorial

We’ve made it

When I started working for mt‑g in

1999, its founders Gerlinde and Andreas

Bendig had a vision: to become the

world’s most successful provider of

technical translation services to the

medical and pharmaceutical industry.

At that time we were working on the

banks of the Danube in Neu-Ulm, with

just 55 square metres of office space.

The company consisted of three mem-

bers of staff, and I was employee num-

ber one.

Today mt‑g is the leader in Europe

and active worldwide. Recently we

moved into our new office building with

a floor space of more than 1,000 square

metres. As a member of the company

management I bear some of the respon-

sibility for our permanent employees,

who now number more than 50, as well

as about 1,000 freelance translators

and experts. This is a fantastic develop-

ment of which I am very proud. I’m look-

ing forward to the continued expansion

and success of mt‑g in the future.

In this 28th edition of the Package

Insert, you can read a best-practice

example that illustrates very well the

level of service presently provided by

the mt‑g team. As a result, Biotest has

become another satisfied customer.

This demonstrates that mt‑g made the

right decision to invest in its own Across

Language Server.

We hope you enjoy reading this

issue.

Bernd Mayer,

Member of Management

mt‑g | Values bring people together –

quality makes the difference

Bernd Mayer

mt‑g Package Insert

the medical information company

mt-g medical translation is the leading provider of medical and pharmaceutical translations, covering 46 native languages and 560 language pairs. State-of-the-art translation technology ensures efficient processes, with measurable benefits in terms of costs and time.

mt-g’s most valuable asset is its 50 project managers and more than 1,000 highly qualified native speaking translators and experts with medical and lin-guistic expertise.

Worldwide 75% of the top 100 companies in the medical and pharmaceutical industry benefit from mt-g’s translation exper-tise.

Is your company one of them?

Specialities and teams

Medical Devices & Translation Technology

Global Regulatory Affairs Clinical Studies Pharmaceutical & Medical

Communication Dentistry & Dental

Technology Translation & Localisation

Engineering

ContentsEditorial

We’ve made it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2

Company News

Stuttgarter Str. 155 vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3

Best Practice

Mission possible: Biotest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4

People at mt‑g

Of star chefs and snowboards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5

Company News

37° but still partying. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6

Social Sponsoring

Flash of inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7

Social Sponsoring

Two pairs of hands for a good cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8

mt-g was the first European medical translation services company to achieve DIN ISO 9001:2008 accreditation.

mt‑g Package Insert Page 3

28 September 2012 was removal day:

the new address for mt-g now reads

'Stuttgarter Strasse 155 in Ulm'. Our

staff of more than 50 are now working

in newly built company premises with

all mod cons. Gerlinde and Andreas

Bendig, Managing Directors, give us

an initial account of the new working

environment.

Why did you decide to have your own

office building? What ultimately

prompted the decision?

Andreas Bendig: After spending a

long time searching for suitable prem-

ises for all our teams, we realised we

would have to build our own offices in

order to achieve what we had in mind

without having to compromise.

What ideas were they?

Gerlinde Bendig: Open-plan offices

with silent rooms and lounge areas. We

want our colleagues to feel comfortable,

which is why we also included a fitness

area. We wanted to put our vision of

'Working' into practice.

What is this vision exactly?

Andreas Bendig: The focus is com-

munication and a commitment to val-

ues. In open-plan spaces the entire

team is not only working together, but

truly working with one another. Infor-

mation and know-how can be exchanged

at any moment. Separate rooms also

offer quiet areas in which to communi-

cate, such as for telephone calls with

customers.

Gerlinde Bendig: An important

value in our corporate philosophy is

sustainability – we have managed to

embody such a concept by building a

zero-energy property. At present, the

building would have to be one of the

most sustainable and environmentally

friendly office buildings in Ulm and way

beyond. Pictures of the finished build-

ing will be published in the next issue of

our Package Insert.

What can staff expect?

Andreas Bendig: The latest that

modern office design and technology

have to offer. Whole storeys flooded

with light and exuding a unique atmos-

phere. In other words, we have made

mt‑g attractive to both present and

prospective employees. The former

want to move in completely!

When will the doors open to mt‑g’s

customers?

Gerlinde Bendig: The first meetings

are already taking place. We’re planning

to hold an exclusive opening party for

our customers at the new premises in

spring 2013. But we’re already delight-

ed to welcome customers here at our

new offices in Ulm.

Company News

Stuttgarter Str. 155 vision

Page 4 mt‑g Package Insert

2,665 pages to be translated in just 55

days: this was the challenge laid down

by Biotest AG when it first contacted

mt-g with its vast project.

The content of its standard operat-

ing procedures, or SOPs, needed

to be translated from German into

English, which is noth-

ing new to the special-

ists at mt‑g. But this

time we were required

to deal with more than

80,000 standard lines

of text divided across

roughly 600 different

Word documents, all to

be translated in just

two and a half months.

“A good translator,

who can manage be-

tween 250 and 400 lines of text per

day, would need at least 200, if not 320

days even, for such an amount”, ex-

plained Isabel Schenker, head of the

Pharmaceutical & Medical Communi-

cation team at mt‑g, when describing

the challenges of such a tightly sched-

uled project. “The biggest challenge

was the planning and document man-

agement. Key elements had to be de-

fined, such as how to meet the desired

deadline, keep control over all the doc-

uments and assign the various transla-

tors whilst at the same time ensure

consistency and guarantee cost sav-

ings for the customer. To account for all

these factors, a project workflow was

developed to begin with together with

colleagues from the Translation &

Localisation Engineering team. This

workflow, the collaboration of two spe-

cialised teams and the utilisation of

translation technology (Across) ena-

bled us to achieve our goal in such a

very short period of time.” Project man-

agers and customers of mt‑g can

rely at any time on the support and

expertise of the company’s own techni-

cal TLE team. The team’s experts ana-

lyse projects not only with a view to the

most efficient and optimal means of

technical implementation but they also

take the individual preferences of the

customer into account.

Consistency as a prerequisite for

highest quality

A crucial argument in favour of

using the Across Language Server dur-

ing this project was the harmonised

structure of the documents delivered

by Biotest. Despite being of varying

lengths, the format of all the docu-

ments was very similar. Another essen-

tial element in managing the project

with Across was that the documents to

be translated were in an editable for-

mat. Only PDF files were available at

the start of the project, but thanks to

the efforts of Biotest’s project manag-

ers all the documents were ultimately

available in MS Word format. Using

Across as a central language technolo-

gy platform, measurable benefits could

be achieved in terms of timing. By

using Across and at the same time lim-

iting ourselves to two principal transla-

tors, mt‑g was able to guarantee the

greatest possible terminological con-

sistency despite the tight deadline,

thereby assuring that Biotest would

not suffer any loss of quality. Work

began immediately on carefully gener-

ating the requisite term base, which

was continually updated and main-

tained during the entire process. With

optimal support from the partners at

Biotest responsible for the project, any

queries concerning

terminology could

also be resolved

very rapidly. In the

case of frequently

used technical terms

of particular impor-

tance, standardised

terms – called

'crossTerm entries'

– were laid down in

Across so that even

the slightest devia-

tion in a translation would become im-

mediately identifiable. Such detailed

work proved beneficial to all involved

as the project progressed: larger quan-

tities of text did not have to be newly

edited in each document but could be

pre-translated using the database. So

every translator was kept up-to-date

with the current status. The time that

was saved as a result meant that the

costs to Biotest could also be reduced.

“This was our biggest Across project so

far in one language combination.

Without the CAT tool, we wouldn’t have

been able to achieve the high levels of

quality that were demanded in such a

short timeframe”, Isabel Schenker

concluded.

Joining forces

But it wasn’t technology alone that

gave this ambitious project its happy

ending. The team spirit of all the staff

and the willingness of Biotest to give

mt‑g free reign to manage the project

rendered what at first seemed impos-

sible, possible. When it came to the

Best Practice

Mission possible: Biotest

mt‑g Package Insert Page 5

People at mt‑g

Of star chefs and snowboards

The mt-g team is growing and growing.

More than 50 employees have just relo-

cated from Eberhard-Finckh-Strasse to

Stuttgarter Strasse in Ulm. And there’s

still plenty of room for more. These six

colleagues have already found their

way to mt-g.

Katrin Glock

Project Manager in the Medical Devices

& Translation Technology team

“Something with languages” was

the answer Katrin Glock would give

when at school if asked what she want-

ed to do when she grew up. After gradu-

ating from school in 2008, she went on

to become a state-certified interpreter

and translator in Ingolstadt. She first

joined mt‑g in 2011 as a trainee,

impressing the whole team not only

with her work but above all her enthusi-

asm for customer support. Today she

works as a project manager in the

Medical Devices team. In her leisure

time Katrin enjoys hiking with friends,

doing a lot of sports, going to concerts

and cooking.

Markus Oehl

Localisation Engineer in the Translation

& Localisation Engineering team

Markus was born in North Hessen,

and has been with mt‑g since August

2011. Having attained an advanced

technical certificate, specialising in

information systems, Markus studied

international professional communica-

tion in Flensburg, majoring in technical

translation. During his studies he com-

pleted a term abroad at the University of

Portsmouth. During his period of practi-

cal training with a manufacturer of wind

energy plants he discovered an interest

in renewable energies. In his private life

Markus loves to travel and pursue his

passion for photography.

Stefanie Majunke

Project Manager in the Pharmaceutical

& Medical Communication team

Three years after finishing school,

Stefanie graduated as a state-certified

translator and interpreter for French,

English and Spanish in 2008 at the

Institute of Foreign Languages and

International Studies in Erlangen. To

requested rolling delivery, Biotest did

not specify that minimum quantities

had to be delivered nor had any partic-

ular texts been prioritised. As the trans-

lations came in, the Medical & Pharma-

ceutical Communication team under-

took the final quality check with the

assistance of colleagues from the

Medical Devices team. Within about

two months, including weekends, all

the documents had been reviewed and

any final queries resolved in consulta-

tion with the translators. “mt‑g was

recommended to us as a translation

provider. So from the start we were

very confident about working with

them and our high expectations were

met”, Dr Michael Kloft, responsible for

the project at Biotest, confirmed. All

the partial deliveries of this massive

project were submitted at weekly inter-

vals: on time and in perfect quality.

Project manager Isabel Schenker also

admits to some pride at this achieve-

ment: “We’re grateful to Biotest for

placing their trust in us! It gave us the

opportunity to prove to ourselves that

the combination of modern technology,

enthusiastic staff and a direct, trusting

relationship with the customer can be a

very successful combination.”

Across as a workflow acceleratorThe Across Language Server, as a central platform, enables mt-g to deliver efficient and compliant translations of highly com-plex documentation. Ask us how it works!

About BiotestBiotest AG in Dreieich is a global spe-cialist in biological drugs. With a sup-ply chain ranging from preclinical and clinical development to global marketing, Biotest has become a specialist primarily in immunology, haematology and inten-sive as well as emergency medicine. In certain pharmaceutical sectors Biotest is a world leader. Biotest products save lives and offer new perspectives to the chronically ill. Through subsidiaries and distributors, products are sold in more than 85 countries in Europe as well as the USA, Asia and South America. Biotest AG employs roughly 1,700 people worldwide. Preferred shares are listed on the German small cap index, SDAX.

Left to right: Katrin Glock, Markus Oehl, Stefanie Majunke, Sarah Herzer, Corinna Ströbele, Benjamin Heinze

Page 6 mt‑g Package Insert

gain experience and improve her lan-

guage skills, she then spent 19 months

in Spain where she earned a living as an

au-pair. After returning to gain some

initial work experience, she joined mt‑g

in June 2011. Stefanie loves cycling in

the summer, swapping her bike in the

winter for her snowboard in the Alps.

Sarah Herzer

Project Manager in the Clinical Studies

team

Born in 1982 in Friedrichshafen,

Sarah grew up and completed her

school education in Lindau. With a uni-

versity degree in German and Romance

languages and literature under her belt,

she went on to train as a state-certified

translator and interpreter for English

and Italian. In August 2011, she joined

mt‑g as a project manager. If her head

isn’t buried in a good book, Sarah loves

to spend her free time dancing.

Corinna Ströbele

Project Manager in the Global

Regulatory Affairs team

After leaving school in 2004, Corinna

spent a year doing voluntary social

work. This was followed by her studies

to become a state-certified translator

along with additional training in busi-

ness administration. In June 2011, she

joined mt‑g just one day after her oral

exam. In her free time Corinna enjoys

having her award-winning chef cook for

her, and exploring new culinary

pastures.

Benjamin Heinze

Project Manager in the Medical Devices

& Translation Technology team

Benjamin studied business adminis-

tration, specialising in English as a for-

eign language and international man-

agement. “If you want to experience the

world’s diversity, you can visit any num-

ber of countries – or choose a country to

which the entire world is drawn: Great

Britain.” This is the philosophy by which

Benjamin lives. On finishing his diploma

he spent four years with an international

sea freight company in the port city of

Liverpool. The desire to return home

brought Benjamin back to Germany,

where he first spent two years working

as a project manager on inter-European

projects. Amongst others, he was in-

volved in implementing logistics servic-

es for the pharmaceutical industry. His

wish to work more intensively with lan-

guages was fulfilled by his appointment

at mt‑g.

The staff at mt‑g are not only skilled in

managing translation projects, but also

know how to party – this was clear for

all to see at the company’s construc-

tion party. At the invitation of Gerlinde

and Andreas Bendig (who were also

celebrating their wedding anniversary

that day), the shell of the new company

building was turned into one huge party

venue. At temperatures of 37 °C in the

shade, the specialised teams compet-

ed to become the mt‑g champions of

human table football, and danced to the

sounds of Ulm’s representative in the

X-Factor talent show.

Company News

37° but still partying

Absolute commitment – the mt-g team play human table football

mt‑g Package Insert Page 7

More than 222,533 donors have helped

4,038 projects in 139 countries: this is

the achievement in terms of good deeds

as announced on the homepage of the

transparent online donation portal, bet-

terplace. An achievement that is grow-

ing on a daily basis. Eleven projects

alone have been supported by mt-g and

readers of the Package Insert.

Three projects that currently need

help are listed at http://www.better-

place.org/de/companies/mt-g/projects.

They include the children’s centre

Pfiffikus e.V., a parents' initiative in

Nuremberg collecting donations in order

to buy an awning, doll’s house and sofa,

and the Rollberg school aid project in

Berlin that is still looking for supporters

to fund hot lunches for children in

socially deprived areas.

For every correct solution to the

crossword puzzle, mt‑g will make a

donation to a betterplace project. Send

your solution to info@mt-g.com.

Social Sponsoring

Flash of inspiration

1 2 3

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the medical information company

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The aim of Kakuro is to fill in the empty fields using the numbers 1 to 9. These numbers can only be used once in each row or column. The sum of each row or column should total that of the clues provided in the black squares. The black square containing the clue is divided diagonally into two parts. The number in the top half of the square is the clue for the row, and the number in the bottom half of the square refers to the column.The aim of Sudoku is to complete the grid so that each row, column or block of 9 squares contains the numbers 1 to 9, which can only be used once in each case.The sum of the numbers already placed in the fields is the clue to the solution.

Page 8 mt‑g Package Insert

Imprint:

Publishermt-g medical translation GmbH & Co. KGStuttgarter Strasse 155, 89075 UlmTel. +49 731 176397-0 Fax +49 731 176397-50 info@mt-g.com | www.mt-g.com

EditingJOLE KommunikationDesign | Text | PRPO Box 10 13 1541545 KaarstTel. +49 2131 314612-0 Fax +49 2131 314612-1mail@jole-kommunikation.comwww.jole-kommunikation.com

Cartoon: Evelyn Neuss | Hanover

Layout and Typesetting: mt-g | Ulm

Printing: Druckerei Bittera | Munich

Circulation: 2,700Feedback: info@mt-g.commail@jole-kommunikation.com

© 2012mt-g medical translation GmbH & Co. KG

Your direct contact in our Sales Department

Dr Frank KuhnertTel. +49 731 176397–27frankkuhnert@mt-g.com

Your direct contact to the teams

Medical Devices & Translation Technologymedicaltechnology@mt-g.com

Global Regulatory Affairsgra@mt-g.com

Clinical Studiesclinicalstudies@mt-g.com

Pharmaceutical & Medical Communicationmedcom@mt-g.com

Dentistry & Dental Technologydentistry@mt-g.com

Translation & Localisation Engineeringinfo@mt-g.com

Quality ManagementSamuel Aubinqm@mt-g.com

Managing DirectorsGerlinde and Andreas Bendig, Bernd Mayer (member of management)md@mt-g.com

mt‑g Package Insert

the medical information company

Social Sponsoring

Two pairs of hands for a good cause

Schoolgirls Merlin Yoko Geiger and

Anna Eleonor Gewald spent an entire

day hard at work at mt-g as part of the

national social day, 'Pupils Help Life':

folding leaflets, sticking stamps, copy-

ing files and sorting documents. They

donated all their earnings to 'Pupils

Help Life' projects in South Eastern

Europe.

This year, pupils across the

country have decided that the

money should go to Serbia, where

initiatives are being supported

that give young people a perspec-

tive on life without violence.

Examples are assisted profession-

al training and psychological sup-

port. Using the slogan, 'Lend a

Hand', roughly 100,000 pupils

throughout Germany spent a day

doing a variety of jobs, from mow-

ing lawns to picking strawberries.

The pupils were paid at least the

same as temporary staff for their

efforts.

At mt‑g, the pupils were paid

250 euros each for their excellent work

in aid of a good cause. “It was really fun

for us to work at mt‑g”, says Merlin

Yoko, who will definitely join in again

the next time around. Aside from

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the

patrons of the social day campaign in-

clude a number of prime ministers.

Merlin Geiger and Anna Eleonor Gewald enjoying their work