EUROPEAN: Selina Bayrl, from Germany, has worked at Plymouth’s Audax 

C’EST magnifique! A French-speaking work placement has helped a Plymouth firm translate important documents.

Stonehouse-based Audax Global Solutions Ltd, pioneers of body-worn video cameras for security and defence personnel, benefited from the expertise of Doriane Songne from the Caribbean island of Martinique.

Miss Songne, aged 18, worked with Audax for six weeks under the 14.7billion-euro European Union-funded Erasmus+ programme.

And Audax bosses Adam Liardet and Mike Pitt said the arrangement worked out well for both parties.

“One of our customers is the French ministry of the interior,” said Mr Liardet.

“We’ve had a contract to supply body-worn cameras for the past three years.

“We’ve just released a new product and need to have the literature in French and engage with customers in France, so we thought we’d give it a try.

“Doriane achieved a number of work projects for us in translating highly technical documents, marketing literature, user instructions, and technical specifications from English to French.

“She prepared reports, assisted in exhibitions, emails, power point displays, and attended meetings at top-level exchanges and was amazing with clients.”

Miss Songne’s placement was arranged by Mutley Plain-based Tellus College under the Erasmus+ scheme.

And she hasn’t been the only placement at Audax.

Recently the firm hosted Selina Bayrl from Stuttgart, in Germany, and Mr Liardet said: “She was also very good. She had a background in marketing and was very useful.” Mr Pitt added: “We wanted to give something back. For Doriane, getting her to do translation was beneficial for her English as well.”

Audax is one of the UK’s leading digital evidence-gathering technology firms.

It was set up in 2003 by Mr Liardet, a former soldier, and Mr Pitt, formerly in the Royal Navy.

Its body-worn video technology is manufactured abroad, to Home Office standards, and sold internationally, including to several UK local authorities and even hospitals. Footage recorded is admissible in UK courts.

“We work in 18 countries including Cuba, Vietnam, Australia, India and Venezuela,” said Mr Liardet. “France is a big market.”

He said the firm is on the cusp of huge growth, in turnover and staffing.

Each year the Erasmus+ programme funds European students to gain valuable work experience at Plymouth and Portsmouth companies, in addition to enhancing their language and other skills.

The seven-year programme, which has an overall 14.7billion-euro budget, is delivered in Plymouth by Tellus College, which works with more than 500 businesses in Plymouth and Portsmouth.

Lisa Fleming, business development co-ordinator at Tellus College, said: “We are really proud that Doriane Songne supported Audax in all areas of their marketing activities and made a great contribution for a local company working on the global stage.”