About us

About us

Über uns

Connecting your visions, technologies and customers

STAR Group is a global leader in comprehensive information solutions. By combining professional services – from authoring and translation to multi-channel and multimedia publication – with enterprise technologies, we can help you to present your company, products and services in the best possible manner.

In a world of ever connected products and services, STAR’s next generation single sourcing model for semantic information provides innovation readiness for digitalization, personalized knowledge delivery, IOT and smart content services. Our market-leading information technologies are powered by artificial intelligence to deliver digital continuity and accelerate human-machine teamwork.

The STAR Group was founded in Switzerland in 1984 and maintains headquarters there, along with more than 50 additional locations in 30 countries. It employs over 1000 people with long-standing industry experience and well-founded specialist knowledge in the areas of software development, engineering, information and language.

We transform your information into the intelligence that understands every customer and every user to enhance the customer experience, promoting brand loyalty and value.

Reliability you can trust today – innovation leadership for tomorrow.

History

History

STAR (Software Translation Artwork Recording) AG was originally…
1984–1989
STAR brings localized versions of its Transit translation memory…
1990–1995
Beta version of GRIPS is finished. It is extensively tested to…
1996–2001
GRIPS supports XML and gains new customers in the mechanical…
2002–2007
Daimler Group Headquarters selects STAR technology for their…
2008–2013
STAR develops an application for Smart Content Services (PRISMA for…
2014–2024

1984–1989

  • STAR (Software Translation Artwork Recording) AG was originally founded in Stein am Rhein in Switzerland with just two employees. STAR AG provides language services with a focus on supporting the entire information life cycle process (content creation, illustrations, translation, localization and publishing).
  • STAR is selected as a service provider for the ADATS project (Air Defense Anti-Tank System) by Oerlikon Contraves (spare parts catalog, maintenance and operating documentation) in accordance with the US MIL-SPEC and the German B007 standard. STAR develops a PC-based spare part logistics system in accordance with the German B007 standard.
  • STAR carries out its first localization project: Microsoft DOS is localized for IBM.
  • STAR Deutschland GmbH founded in Böblingen, Germany.
  • STAR translates training and user documentation for CATIA (Dassault Systèmes) for the introduction of the 3D CAD system at BMW.
  • STAR supplies standardized documentation and translation services, including for MTU, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG, NCR, Olivetti, Commodore, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Ascom, Siemens, Alfa Romeo Avio.
  • STAR begins the development of its own translation memory system with integrated terminology management and forms a dedicated STAR development team: The green light is given for Transit and TermStar.
  • MOWAG chooses STAR as its documentation supplier for the Piranha project. Spare parts catalogs, training material, maintenance and repair documentation and troop-specific instruction manuals are compiled for the Swiss army.
  • FIAT Avio and BMW choose STAR as a service provider for diagnostics and troubleshooting documentation, and for localization.
  • STAR Germany becomes a strategic supplier for all types of IBM localization projects (including for operating systems such as AIX and industry solutions).
  • The first Asian subsidiary is established in the form of STAR Japan, based in Tokyo. It supports prominent customers in industry (e.g. BMW, Mercedes, SAP) with translation services for the Japanese market.

1990–1995

  • STAR brings localized versions of its Transit translation memory system to the European market, signifying the start of STAR providing both service and technology partner from a single source.
  • The spare parts logistics system in accordance with B007 standard becomes the standard solution for the European defense industry.
  • STAR becomes a Beta tester for the new Microsoft Windows NT operating system and implements Unicode in its software solutions. Transit and TermStar are localized for and offered on the Asian market.
  • STAR develops a concept for global information management on the basis of Unicode and SGML. From this, the first prototype for GRIPS (Global Real-time Information Processing Solution) is developed, which employs a semantic, media-neutral approach to support all kinds of technical documentation and fully automated publication in all languages.
  • Eight new STAR companies are created, including China, Russia, Indonesia and Spain.
  • The STAR Group has grown to 150 employees. It is supported worldwide by more than 500 contractors and freelancers.

1996–2001

  • Beta version of GRIPS is finished. It is extensively tested to validate the support of all documentation types in the industry (mechanical, electronics and software).
  • A global support structure is established and ensures global 1st and 2nd level support for STAR language technology.
  • STAR Group moves its headquarters to a larger office building in Ramsen (Switzerland) to accommodate the continued growth of the company.
  • First customized installation of GRIPS at EvoBus (Daimler Group).
  • STAR Paris (France) founded to support the Renault Group (PENT) in strategic translation and outsourcing projects.
  • General Motors and Rockwell Automation make the decision to become STAR’s first customers of translation and localization services in the USA.
  • The STAR Group has 20 subsidiaries in Europe, Asia, the USA and North Africa.

2002–2007

  • GRIPS supports XML and gains new customers in the mechanical engineering industry (e.g. Rieter Group, manroland and Hilti).
    A STAR-internal team develops a solution for the control and automation of processes in information and language management using STAR CPM.
  • Creation of STAR user groups for users of information and language technology products.
  • Language technology (software, training, maintenance, support, consulting) becomes increasingly important and exceeds 20% of STAR Group total revenue for the first time.
  • Foundation of the STAR Group Steering Board with regular management meetings for all subsidiaries.
  • IT officers and managers of all development centers establish the STAR Group Software Board in order to make strategic technology decisions and ensure long-term product planning with the highest level of integration.
  • Market launch of WebTerm as a web-based terminology management system based on TermStar.
  • STAR develops a standard solution for SPEC1000 documentation based on GRIPS technology for the aerospace and defense industry.
  • The management at the STAR Group makes a strategic decision: The STAR Group remains privately owned and holds no aspirations to mergers, takeovers or flotation on the stock market. Instead, the STAR Group continues to focus on long-term customer relationships, organic growth and technology and service support for the after sales organizations of global players.
  • With the first commercial installation of STAR CLM, the first customer uses the control and automation of language processed based on the STAR CLM Platform.
    STAR develops FormatChecker for various third-party DTP products for automatic data quality assurance.
  • BMW chooses STAR technology and automates the processes within their after sales information exchange platform (Oscar, Puma).
  • BMW Motorrad selects GRIPS for the production of all of their after sales and owner’s manuals.
  • The STAR Group has 30 subsidiaries with over 650 full-time employees and more than 1500 contractors and freelancers.

2008–2013

  • Daimler Group Headquarters selects STAR technology for their corporate terminology solution (DC Term) based on WebTerm and automates their translation processes for maintenance, repair and user documentation with STAR technology.
  • Ferrari makes the strategic decision to outsource documentation to STAR Italy (based on GRIPS technology).
  • MindReader authoring assistance is integrated into GRIPS and is implemented for third-party editors (e.g. Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker, XML editors).
  • The subsidiaries introduce certified quality assurance systems (e.g. in accordance with ISO 9001).
  • GRIPS supports fully automatic multi-channel publishing in all languages (CD, memory stick, web, paper) and is now used by two dozen customers.
  • US Department of Defense declares the GRIPS semantic technology to be “seven years ahead of anyone else in the market”.
  • The first customer in the finance sector moves away from SDL Trados and selects STAR’s CLM Platform.
  • STAR develops the IRIS standard for a semantic information model which meets all information requirements of mechanics, electronics and software.
  • Transit NXT is released and supports translation, localization and multimedia language processing (e.g. subtitling) in one tool.
  • BMW selects the STAR CLM Platform to centralize and automate their global language processes and requirements.
  • The STAR Group receives increased recognition from multi-national corporations and reinforces its global leadership position as a full service provider of services, tools and tool-specific services (consulting, support, maintenance, training).
  • STAR decides to extend its range of services and solutions to the financial and pharmaceuticals/life sciences sector.
  • Manitowoc choses STAR as their global partner for after sales documentation based on GRIPS, including process automation.
  • Vehicle-specific customized documentation for Ferrari is published on memory sticks (pen drive).
  • STAR technology is used by all major players of the European watch industry for technical sales and after sales communication via CD-ROM and the Internet (e.g. Richemont Group, LVMH, Swatch Group).
  • John Deere selects STAR as a strategic global translation provider.

2014–2024

  • STAR develops an application for Smart Content Services (PRISMA for after sales/PRISMA for compliance).
  • Release of WebTerm 7, CLM WebEdit (web-based translation and review)
  • STAR expands its range of connectors for connecting third-party systems such as AEM and Salesforce.
  • The STAR Group is awarded an EU project for digital reference terminology (terminology workflow solution for implementing DIN EN ISO 18542).
  • AnsaldoBreda (Hitachi Rail) decides to outsource documentation to STAR using GRIPS technology. The use of GRIPS extends to additional industries such as shipbuilding (Azimut, Italy), heating technology (Vaillant) and construction and machine tools (Liebherr, Gehring).
  • Daimler uses STAR MT Translate (machine translation based on NMT) and automates terminology processes (WebTerm, terminology workflow).
  • The product range of STAR language technology solutions is extended again. In addition to the file-based translation memory, the TM Container is introduced as a database variant.
  • BMW Motorrad and KTM are ranked best in class for their owner’s documentation produced by GRIPS.
  • Companies from various industries use the STAR Corporate Language Management Platform (CLM) for their language processes: The Swiss Radio and Television Corporation (SRG), Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Eppendorf, Rohde & Schwarz, and many more.
  • Volvo Trucks selects GRIPS as a strategic solution for company-wide after sales information management.
  • GRIPS supports guided diagnostics using semantic technology (e.g. to calculate optimized diagnostic trees from a single-source diagnostic network).
  • Fiat Chrysler Automobiles selects STAR pen drive for global after sales for all brands.
  • Dassault Systèmes and STAR form a strategic technology partnership for product information lifecycle management.
  • Iveco signs a multi-year outsourcing contract for authoring services based on GRIPS technology.
  • STAR develops semantic information models for additional sectors (e.g. financial and pharmaceuticals / life sciences).
  • STAR continues to grow organically and to support after sales organizations of export-oriented companies with tools and services for multilingual information lifecycle management.
  • European CEO Award – best service provider in the translation and localization industry.
  • The John Deere Achieving Excellence Program awards STAR partner status.
  • Cooperation with Bosch for joint solutions in the area of augmented reality solutions.
  • STAR launches apps for its MT technology and terminology management components on the market.