The Langenscheidt Group is one of the most internationally renowned and leading publishers in the fields of Languages, Travel/Cartography and Reference/German Language. Founded in 1856 as a small Germanbased publisher, it has now become a group of brand names operating internationally and currently employing a staff of about 1,400. A wide-ranging network of companies in eleven countries works together to create, develop and market books, cartographical and multimedia products and other services.
The Langenscheidt Publishing Group puts its faith in modern media, technology and new ideas. This traditional company has always responded to educational challenges and to changes in people’s use of information sources and recreational behaviour. It started with self-study learning materials, then came language courses on gramophone records, then alpha 8, the world’s first electronic dictionary, followed by multimedia reference works with Internet links, online translation services and recently even language and travel information via mobile devices such as PDAs and mobile phones. Langenscheidt sets trends and plays a pioneering role in the use of technology in many areas.
The Langenscheidt Publishing Group employs highly qualified international teams, whose experience is reflected in the over 10,000 titles that are currently available. On editorial and production levels alike: no printed page, no CD, no packaging or website goes out without numerous checks. Every new product or reprint that appears on the market has to satisfy our company’s very high standards. Even our most modern products have to meet the same high demands on quality that have typified our compa- [innovation] ny’s philosophy from the outset.
Langenscheidt has an unrivalled range of strong individual brands compared with similar publishing houses. Many of the brands under the yellow Langenscheidt umbrella, each with its own unique profile, are familiar to customers all over the world. In the course of the history of the publishing group, close observation of core market segments has led to many developments, strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Brands such as Langenscheidt, Brockhaus, Duden, Meyers, Berlitz, Polyglott and Insight Guides are household names for many people.
Langenscheidt has been global market leader for bilingual dictionaries for decades. In the USA, it is the number two publisher of road maps and atlases, and on the East Coast it is number one. It is also one of the global leaders in the German as a Foreign Language sector. With the foundation of Langenscheidt Polska (Warsaw) in 2000, the Group secured one of the strongest growth markets in Europe before the expansion of the EU. This list could go on and on. For some time now, Langenscheidt know-how has been available not only in print form. The full range of modern multimedia platforms is utilized to reach our various target groups.
Langenscheidt has been managed for 150 years by outstanding publishers who combined publishing know-how with vision. Company founder Gustav Langenscheidt developed the first easy-to-use system of phonetics in 1856 and thus laid the foundations for a company that has always felt duty-bound to improve communication and understanding among nations. His heirs have continued this tradition and have also developed pioneering ideas for the future. The diversity of the company’s products and the expansion of its range have developed steadily over four generations.
