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seuil de rentabilité (in context)

English translation: you're right

16:43 Dec 16, 2003
French to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Printing & Publishing / printing
French term or phrase: seuil de rentabilité (in context)
Le seuil de rentabilité de la XXXXXX (digital production press) se situe à 400 000 pages A4 par mois, une exception sur un marché où les seuils se situent plutôt entre 200 000 et 300 000 pages A4..

My problem is with the figures. If I interpret "seuil de rentabilité" in the "normal" way then I don't see why the new gizmo is better than the others. It's the end of the day and I've been at it (work!) since 7.30 this morning, so maybe I'm jaded but it is there a translator who is also hot stuff in mathematics out there?
Thanks
CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 06:39
English translation:you're right
Explanation:
If the break-even point requires a bigger lot, it's not more profitable. I only see three possibilities:
1) different units (per month) versus ... (per day)??
2) a typo
3) maybe it has a higher break-even point but has other selling points that outweigh that factor

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 46 mins (2003-12-16 22:29:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It\'s definitely an \"ask the client\" situation. It\'s absolutely impossible to determine what the typo is and it would be foolish to guess. And I think you knocked the wind out of 3) pretty well, if there are no other arguments.
Selected response from:

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 22:39
Grading comment
Your answer convinced me to ask the client - here is the reply
Il s’agit de machines beaucoup plus grosses que les autres machines du marché. Elles coûtent donc plus cher à l’achat et nécessitent, pour être rentables, d’imprimer de plus grandes quantités.

All of which is fair enough but out of context in the article, it is all fairly unsettling......
We will adapt the text slightly in both languages to avoid confusion.
Thx
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4you're right
William Stein
5break even point
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4breakeven / breakeven point / profit treshold
swisstell
3the minimum economic throughput
Francis MARC
3efficiency/probability threshold
RHELLER


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
seuil de rentabilité (in context)
breakeven / breakeven point / profit treshold


Explanation:
I am totally with you. How can something be an improvement if it takes double the quantity to break even or, in other words, to reach the profit zone ? Beats me.

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 06:39
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the minimum economic throughput


Explanation:
my feeling here

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 07:39
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 12
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
seuil de rentabilité (in context)
efficiency/probability threshold


Explanation:
-

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 14 mins (2003-12-16 16:57:23 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

sorry, profitability :-)

RHELLER
United States
Local time: 22:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
seuil de rentabilité (in context)
you're right


Explanation:
If the break-even point requires a bigger lot, it's not more profitable. I only see three possibilities:
1) different units (per month) versus ... (per day)??
2) a typo
3) maybe it has a higher break-even point but has other selling points that outweigh that factor

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 46 mins (2003-12-16 22:29:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It\'s definitely an \"ask the client\" situation. It\'s absolutely impossible to determine what the typo is and it would be foolish to guess. And I think you knocked the wind out of 3) pretty well, if there are no other arguments.

William Stein
Costa Rica
Local time: 22:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 2
Grading comment
Your answer convinced me to ask the client - here is the reply
Il s’agit de machines beaucoup plus grosses que les autres machines du marché. Elles coûtent donc plus cher à l’achat et nécessitent, pour être rentables, d’imprimer de plus grandes quantités.

All of which is fair enough but out of context in the article, it is all fairly unsettling......
We will adapt the text slightly in both languages to avoid confusion.
Thx

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Emérentienne: good analysis
38 mins
  -> Thanks.
agree  Charlie Bavington: I guess asking the client is the only way out - my money would be on it being 40 000, not 400 000. But I'd ask, I think.
1 hr
  -> Right.
agree  Azure
3 hrs
  -> Thanks.
agree  toubabou: good analysis, but IMO, option 3 doesn't make any sense regardless of the other factors
5 hrs
  -> Well, it could be like Jaguar: it's true we're more expensive, BUT...
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
break even point


Explanation:
In Printing, the marginal profit increases as the price to the customer increases BUT the COSTS for the PRINTER are also higher depending on the efficiency of the machine, how much ink it uses, how many runs it can do etc.

So here, the efficiency of the machine is keeping down their other costs, so they are making MORE money at a higher print run level...

Old machine
normally,
for 2, they make 1
for 3, they make 2
for 4, they make 3

BUT
with their new gizmo
for 2, they make 1
for 3, they make 2
for 4, they make 3.5

because the machine is more efficient and uses less inputs {paper, electricity, faster) etc..

It;s the marginal factor that makes the difference not the absolute factor...

cheers

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 29
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