Streamline Packaging Translation: Creating Klein Tools’ InDesign Translation Workflows

Packaging translation sits at the intersection of language, layout, and logistics. And when the packaging supports a global product rollout, even the smallest delays or formatting inconsistencies can ripple across teams and launch dates. At Interpro, we specialize in solving not only the language piece of the puzzle, but also the production and formatting challenges that come with high-volume, multilingual InDesign projects.

This is the story of how Interpro worked closely with Klein Tools to create a fully customized packaging translation workflow that saved their internal team hours of manual rework, while maintaining complete control over brand, imagery, and layout.

What Is Packaging Translation? (And Why It’s So Complex)

Professional packaging translation is a meticulous process of adapting product labeling, instructions, and branded messaging into multiple languages without compromising message integrity, visual structure, regulatory accuracy, or time-to-market.

Unlike standard documents, packaging files are usually both text and design-heavy (often built in Adobe InDesign or Adobe Illustrator), full of linked graphics, layered elements, and formatting; all of which need to be tightly controlled for placement, regulatory compliance, and branding. When you factor in the need to produce these files in multiple languages across dozens of product SKUs, things can get complicated fast.

Interpro’s DTP team provides formatting for Klein Tools’ translated materials such as promotional advertising, a global website, product manuals, and packaging. 

Klein Tools’ Challenge: Manual Workflows and Broken Image Paths

Klein Tools is a respected, family-owned manufacturer based just outside Chicago, and the go-to brand for tradespeople and professional electricians. With increased demand from international markets, their marketing team needed to produce their English packaging into three core languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Canadian French, and Spanish.

Originally, their internal team worked with a translation provider that couldn’t handle their design source files. They had to extract text from InDesign, send it in Word documents for translation, then manually re-insert and reformat the translated text. This burdensome process left their translated materials at high risk of errors and layout issues.

When Klein Tools began working with Interpro, they saw immediate value in our ability to provide both translation and multilingual desktop publishing (DTP) services. We could work directly in InDesign, returning fully formatted, print-ready files. 

Interpro has partnered with Klein Tools to translate scores of documents with images and critical formatting for product catalogs, product packaging, and technical instructions.

But there was still one problem: image linking.

“We maintain a large image library across multiple servers,” explained Thomas Sprouse, Graphic Designer at Klein Tools. “When we’d send out packaged InDesign files, all the image paths would get lost. Once the translated file came back, someone had to go in and manually relink every image to its original network path. It was tedious.”

Packaging a file in InDesign copies all fonts and linked images into a new folder, breaking original file paths. For teams like Klein Tools that rely on a robust, dynamic image library, restoring those links manually added unnecessary work. Embedding the images was off the table (it inflated file sizes and interfered with our translation tools), and skipping the images would compromise quality assurance.

Interpro’s Solution: Custom Workflows for Adobe InDesign

That’s when our team proposed a new solution, something tailored specifically to their workflow.

“At Interpro, we’re always looking for ways to make the translation process easier for the client,” said Larry Pilotto, Manager, eLearning and DTP and the subject matter expert behind the solution. “What works for one client’s workflow may notwork for everyone. We knew there was a smarter way to approach image relinking, so we turned to a custom solution – ExtendScript.”

ExtendScript is Adobe’s JavaScript-based scripting tool for applications like InDesign. Using it, Interpro built a custom script that solved the image relinking challenge in two key steps:

1. Capture Original Image Locations: Before packaging, Klein Tools runs the script to take a snapshot of the original image locations across their server network. They can then package the InDesign file and send it to us.
2. Restore Those Paths Post-Translation: Once the translated InDesign files are returned, they run the script again, automatically relinking every image to its original network location.

“The script was a game-changer,” said Sprouse. “It completely eliminated a manual step we’d dealt with for years and ensured everything lined up exactly the way it needed to in our layouts.”

Results and ROI: A Workflow That Works at Scale

Solving Klein Tools translation problems didn’t stop there. Their designers worked on both Windows and Mac systems, and they were experiencing issues with images linking inconsistently between the two platforms.

Interpro is proud to maintain a relationship with Klein Tools as a translation and localization partner.

“The fact that the script works cross-platform was huge,” added Jeff Grampovnik, Creative Services Manager at Klein Tools. “We now use it internally even outside of translation projects, just to streamline our design process. It’s incredibly efficient.”

By partnering with Interpro and implementing this custom ExtendScript solution, Klein Tools was able to:

• Eliminate hours of manual image relinking
• Improve translation QA by ensuring Interpro was able to work with complete packaged layouts
• Reduce project timelines
• Enhance internal workflows across their entire design team

“Interpro’s ability and willingness to work with our INDD files as well as PDFs has been a godsend,” Sprouse shared. “Our overall experience has been 110% positive. Especially with the script. Honestly… that was just above and beyond.”

Translating Packaging? What to Look for in a Translation Partner 

Interpro’s clients and success stories highlight a key truth about packaging translation: it’s not just about translating copy. It’s about integrating language services with your production environment, your tools, and your internal processes.

When choosing a partner, look for one that offers:

• Native-language expertise + multilingual DTP
• Experience with InDesign, Illustrator, and file packaging workflows
• Willingness to develop and customize tools or scripts based on your workflows
• End-to-end QA across both layout and language
• A collaborative approach that treats your team’s workflow as central, not secondary

Let’s Get Started with a Single Document

At Interpro, we help engineer translation solutions. Whether that means handling multilingual packaging layouts, building custom scripts, or relinking thousands of image files without breaking your creative flow, our goal is always the same: make translation seamless for your team.

Want a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the professional translation experience? Book a free consultation and sample translation to see how we provide localization strategy advice and approach your branded materials.

Let’s talk. We’ll walk you through your content and tailor a workflow that works for your team.