Leading Asian Localization Firm Launches TOIN USA

MINNEAPOLIS--TOIN Corporation launches TOIN USA Inc. to focus on the North American localization market, worth just under $4 billion in 2006 and projected to grow beyond $5 billion by 2010, according to Common Sense Advisory. Founded in 1964 in Tokyo, TOIN is the oldest and best-known localization firm in Asia and has long worked with Global 1000 companies such as IBM, Microsoft, DaimlerChrysler and SAP to prepare their products for international markets. TOIN USA offers a comprehensive suite of services including localization, authoring, content management and workflow/process consulting to help companies effectively market products and services to businesses and consumers worldwide.

Localization refers to the process of preparing a product for a local market. When companies like Panasonic or Yahoo! – TOIN has worked with both – need to market a product in several countries, expert companies like TOIN “localize” the product, to make it blend in seamlessly with the language and consumer preferences of the target market. This may involve human and machine translation of texts and web sites, software reengineering, content management and other services that make global marketing more effective and efficient for the enterprise.

“This was a natural move because we have been helping companies with interests in North American for so long. We will be better able to serve our clients and apply our proven processes to build a bridge between Asia and North America and beyond,” said vice president Aki Ito, who will lead TOIN USA with offices in Minneapolis.

Ito is also board chairman of the Globalization and Localization Association, one of the industry’s top trade organizations. “Building awareness of this industry is important right now,” says Ito. “But we’ve found that once companies recognize our expertise, they immediately see the benefits of working with specialized localization firms, such as speed to market and cost savings.”

ABOUT TOIN: TOIN Corporation is a full-service localization company with over 40 years of experience working with Global 1000 clients in industries such as automotive, gaming, IT, life sciences, manufacturing and semiconductors. TOIN is headquartered in Tokyo, with additional operations in the United States, Europe and China. For more information: www.to-in.com.