Lochaber knows the language of success

IF it is true that the government is keen to promote the entrepreneurial spirit, then Paul Motley, founder of one of Scotland's most innovative language businesses, should be on Tony Blair's list of favourites.

Motley can point to a record of success which has seen his core company, Lochaber International, and its subsidiary, European in Scotland Ltd, bring more than #1 million worth of business since it was founded in 1991. Indeed, European in Scotland's turnover last year had doubled from the previous year and profits were up by 30%.

Motley, who started out as a one-man operation in Fort William eight years ago, has just signed the lease on a prestigious building in the West End of Edinburgh - the former City Business Venue, now renamed the European in Scotland building - which he intends to turn into a "high-tech global communications centre and a place for Edinburgh and Scottish business to meet and conduct international business". In one fell swoop, this new acquisition has more than trebled the size of European in Scotland as it enters its third year. Motley sees his enterprise, the only language services business in Scotland to be a CBI member, as a facilitator, enabling companies to surmount the inevitable language and communications difficulties of conducting international business. With the euro now a reality, he says: "I want the building to become a Scottish gateway into Europe, and a European gateway into Scotland." What's the secret of Motley's approach? The enterprise has not been afraid to branch out into new areas whenever Motley has spied an opportunity. What started out as a pure translation business now provides translation, interpreting, and multi-lingual video- conferencing services from its new premises to clients which include the Scottish Office, EU institutions and the Edinburgh Festival. In another venture, the company last autumn attended a workshop in Berlin - with financial assistance from Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Ltd - drumming up business for a new language school, English for Executives, part of what is fast becoming the European in Scotland group of companies. This international forum brought together language teaching businesses and commission agents from across the world. As a result, the company has had inquiries from 67 countries. This drive does mean that the business - winner of the Excellence in Edinburgh award - can occasionally get a bit too far ahead of the pack. In anticipation of the introduction of the euro in January, it was the only one to state its prices in that currency at the Berlin conference, prompting one German agent to ask for a quote in equivalent prices in German marks and in sterling. When the others do catch up, Motley is ready and waiting.

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