Comactiva Acquires Textforum, Moves Away from Price Per Word

Swedish language solutions integrator (LSI) Comactiva has announced that it has acquired Swedish-based competitor, Textforum i Göteborg AB. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Commenting on the rationale behind the acquisition, Linda Gårdlöv, CEO at Comactiva told Slator that “Textforum brings deep expertise in technical translation and a strong client base in the manufacturing industry. By combining our strengths, we can now offer an even broader range of services, from marketing localization to large-scale technical documentation.”

Gårdlöv added that Textforum’s Optimizely integration “is also a great example of how we can streamline workflows for clients. We share the same values and vision for growth, so this acquisition creates real value for both our teams and our customers.”

According to Textforum’s website, the company employs eight people and has one office in Gothenburg. Gårdlöv confirmed that for the time being, both companies will operate separately.

Pivot to AI-Powered Language Solutions

Comactiva’s acquisition follows a two-year transition to becoming an “AI-powered language partner.” Gårdlöv told Slator, “It started with a simple but powerful question: how can we bring more value to our clients in a rapidly changing business world? That question led us to rethink our entire business, from structure and services to mindset and tools.”

“We have transitioned from being a traditional translation agency to becoming a language solutions partner. Our team now works more consultatively, supporting clients from early planning through to execution and optimization. It’s a more strategic and collaborative approach,” she added.

The LSI introduced Localization Success Managers, established partnerships with Language Technology Platforms (LTPs) such as Phrase, DeepL, and Lokalise, and pivoted away from traditional per-word pricing.

Gårdlöv told Slator, “Traditional per-word pricing didn’t reflect the complexity or strategic value of our work. Our new model is based on the scope and nature of each task, offering more transparency and better alignment with the outcomes our clients care about.”

“We now take a data-driven approach, pricing based on the volume of content processed through our systems and the human expertise required for each task, charged by the hour. We’ve also introduced consultancy services billed by the hour or project, reflecting the strategic role we now play for many of our clients,” she added.

Following the acquisition of Textforum, Gårdlöv confirmed that the company will continue to develop its offering. “We’re an agile company that constantly rethinks and improves the way we work, all with one goal in mind, to be the best possible solution for our customers.”

Gårdlöv concluded: “We are also expanding and strengthening our partnerships with industry leaders across various sectors, with several new collaborations already in the pipeline.”