Berlitz-Germany Reports Higher Profits

Berlitz-Germany is reporting an increase in turnover for the year 2000. Berlitz runs 45 languages centers in Germany. It provides language instruction, translation, and publishing services.

Berlitz-Germany spokesman Rüdiger Rettberg on Tuesday said he is satisfied with the pre-tax profits for 2000. Results were up 3 % from 1999 to DM 79 million ($ 36 million). In 2000, the company invested close to DM 3 million ($ 1.35 million) into modernizing its language centers in Germany and in improving its information technology sector.

Rettberg is confident that demand for language training in Germany will increase in the future due to European integration. In addition, many companies are becoming more international due to globalization: they are expanding into international markets, hiring people from abroad or acquiring goods and services in other countries.

Expansion and diversification

Berlitz Germany presently employs more than 730 people and some 1,300 freelance language teachers. They offer more than just the traditional student-teacher language courses. Today, the company also offers new products like cross-cultural training courses, for instance. With these, Berlitz wants to bridge cultural gaps for international travelers as well as for business transferees and their families.

Other innovative products include specialized language training for individual companies or professions. In addition, Berlitz is trying to tap into the IT market by producing adaptations of foreign-language computer software.