A little trust goes a long way.

Stoquart and Version internationale build on trusted relationship by joining forces

And when it comes to Dimitri Stoquart, founder and CEO of Belgian LSP Stoquart and Françoise Bajon, co-founder and CEO of French LSP Version internationale (https://en.versioninternationale.com/), we’re not talking about just a little trust — more like the kind of trust that comes from years as respected colleagues. So when they began working on a deal for Stoquart and Version internationale to join forces, they already had a strong foundation to get the job done.

Perhaps there’s no better example of that than when it came time to sign the deal. According to Dimitri Stoquart, Françoise Bajon mentioned that they always finalize business over dinner — or at least a drink. As it turned out, Dimitri Stoquart shares the same sensibility. It was a small moment of solidarity, but it was a meaningful connection at the culmination of a major effort.

“I am Belgian,” said Dimitri Stoquart. “We behave like people from Lyon and have clearly the same way of doing things. We like sharing a drink or a meal, even for business things. This definitely showed we were on the same line.”

With all that work finally complete, Dimitri Stoquart, and Françoise and Patrick Bajon are pleased to announce that Stoquart is taking over Version internationale. And they believe that means only good things ahead, both for the clients that rely on Stoquart and Version internationale’s services and for their employees.  After the deal, Version international will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Stoquart, and both companies will continue to offer their services under their respective brands.

“We’ve been working on our acquisition strategy for quite some time,” said Dimitri Stoquart. “I am quite happy we managed to find a perfect match with Version internationale. The bigger family will strongly benefit our clients and employees.”

According to Dimitri Stoquart, the lodestar of the acquisition is continuity. In fact, clients likely won’t notice any disruption to the fulfillment of services — but they may notice some improvements. That’s thanks to the boost to resources that Stoquart and Version internationale’s union brings to the table. Even better, both companies utilize very similar structures: they’re ISO-certified companies, with large in-house teams of quality-focused linguists and project managers. So structuring the two entities under a unified banner will be a seamless process.

After over 30 years in the industry, Françoise and Patrick Bajon wanted to ensure Version internationale’s future belonged with a company that mirrored their first-class clients and employees. They are confident that Stoquart’s industry knowledge and their team’s efficiency and know-how will allow Version internationale reach new heights and maintain their excellent work.

“The people I met in Lyon immediately seemed incredibly familiar to me,” said Dimitri Stoquart. “Although unique, they are quite similar to those I have had the pleasure to be working with on an everyday basis for years. This is just great!”

It also helps that the companies have some key shared experiences. For instance, Stoquart already had a foot in the French market after taking over a boutique operation in Valbonne, France, back in 2009. The care taken to understand each other’s work and operational method means that the two companies are well positioned to work together.

It’s certainly a big change. With the business deal finalized, Stoquart now employs close to 70 in-house staff. Their presence is felt across France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and Canada. What’s more, the deal goes a long way to future-proof both companies. With almost no overlap among their client portfolios, it’s a great example of the maxim “stronger together” in practice.

“There are many things for us to work on,” said Dimitri Stoquart. “This looks challenging and quite promising. There is a lot of exciting technology in our sector, but there is also a talent crunch. In the end, the human factor we bet on may still be the winner.”

Now that the deal is complete, the unified Stoquart team turns its focus to leveraging its momentum and continue delivering the same great service that clients across both portfolios have come to expect.