Chamber member awarded MBE to top off 'a tremendous year'

Debbie Heald - MBE was a huge surprise.

THE managing director of a long-standing Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce member company has been honoured in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for her services to Export and the promotion of STEM careers for women (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Debbie Heald, of Hornsea-based Heald Ltd, in East Yorkshire, said her MBE came as a “huge surprise” and topped off what has been a tremendous year for the business she runs with partner Rob.

Heald Ltd is a family-run firm which has seen revenues increasing 25 per cent as well as landing some major new contracts overseas. The company develops innovative barriers and systems to protect against hostile vehicle attacks.  Its latest major contract is for the city of New Orleans to protect those attending the famous Mardi Gras.

Heald Ltd manufactures hostile vehicle mitigation systems and its products protect some of the world’s most high-profile locations including embassies, airports and shopping areas with award-winning road blockers and bollards.

Heald Ltd has made significant advances with exports and is a regular customer of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce’s International Trade Centre which specialises in helping companies with export documentation as their goods head off to destinations around the world. The company also won the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Heat in the BCC Awards in the Export Business of the Year Category in 2016.

Debbie said: “We have been involved with the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce for a number of years and the Chamber has always been a great help with our export documentation. In our early years Chamber staff worked with us on the eCert electronic documentation system for our exports and we continue to use their expert services to this day”.

Destinations for Heald Ltd’s security products include the Middle East, Australia, Europe and now the USA, with their equipment helping to secure the UN Building in New York.

Heald Ltd manufacture all their products in the UK and says its growth will support the firm’s plans to recruit for a range of roles including apprenticeships in 2018.

Debbie added: “It has been a tremendous year for Heald and we are proud that our products have been chosen to secure both buildings and people from the heightened risk of vehicle attacks. It gives us the opportunity to offer even more real career prospects for people in the area”.