Lifeline credited with six-fold export success

UK wood chipper and shredder manufacturer Timberwolf has credited Preston-based Lifeline Language Services with helping it achieve a six-fold increase in exports over the last six years.

Timberwolf have long been the most popular chipper with professional arborists in the UK and now is proud to say the brand is attracting significant attention with professional tree surgeons across Europe.

Based in Stowmarket, Timberwolf has been designing and manufacturing wood chippers and shredders for nearly 30 years. With UK sales affected by the recession, the company made the decision to take export seriously in 2009 and called in Lifeline Language Services to provide translation of its manuals to meet European regulations.

Since then, Lifeline has provided Timberwolf with translation in French, Dutch, Spanish, German, Norwegian, Danish, Czech and Bulgarian.

Timberwolf managing director Chris Perry says: “When moving into new export markets, quality translation of the manuals is obviously paramount. When purchasing a Timberwolf product, buyers are investing in their own business, so proper use and maintenance is essential, while health and safety is also critical.”

“Lifeline’s services have therefore been essential in helping us establish an expansive dealer network across Europe. We are fast approaching our 1,000th export unit including road tow, tracked, tractor mounted, gravity and hydraulic feed wood chippers and shredders.”

Established 25 years, Lifeline provides a full range of language services including translation, interpretation, voiceover, multilingual typesetting and subtitling to clients throughout the UK and around the world. With 11 staff at offices in Preston city centre, the company maintains a team of approximately 3,500 freelance linguists worldwide covering over 150 languages. Lifeline production director Mark Everson says: “We’re passionate believers that good translation is essential to UK export. Companies such as Timberwolf are prime examples of how taking export seriously can pay dividends, all of which provides a boost to British manufacturing and UK plc as a whole.”