Heald partners with German distribution associate, truckBloc, to secure Christmas Markets

HEALD, a world-class innovator in the field of perimeter security technology and the largest manufacturer of quality security equipment in the UK, along with its German security manufacturer and distribution partner truckBloc, has secured one of Germany’s leading Christmas Markets in the city of Mainz.

Set in the historical backdrop of the 1,000-year-old St. Martin's Cathedral, the Mainz Christmas Market features over 100 decorated stands and welcomes hundreds of visitors every year.

Following a number of vehicle attacks including the terrorist attack on the Breitscheid Platz Christmas Market in 2016 in which 12 people lost their lives and an additional 50 were injured, along with a drunk driver killing 5 and injuring 15 others in the city of Trier in 2020, German officials have been ensuring measures are put in place to reassure and protect visitors.

Working in partnership with Germany based truckBloc, Heald has provided two of its surface mount mechanical Matador 4’s to complement truckBloc’s tB18 fixed barriers. The Matador 4 is a sliding bollard solution that can be opened to allow access to service, delivery and emergency response vehicles. 

Both Heald’s Matador and truckBloc’s tB18S are crash tested to IWA-14 and PAS 68 standards. The Matador 4 also holds a CPNI Vehicle Attack Delay Standard (VADS) rating. VADS rated products provide an alternative risk-based option for event managers and other risk owners: pragmatic, affordable and achievable levels of protection, typically for, but not exclusively, temporary events.

Debbie Heald MBE, managing director at Heald Ltd, commented: “We are delighted to be working alongside truckBloc to bring the industry-leading Matador to the German security market. After Christmas Markets were cancelled around the globe in 2020, it is an honour to ensure that Christmas Markets can resume safely once again”.

Michael Dahinten, head of sales and business development at truckBloc GmbH added: “Thanks to our excellent partnership with Heald, we are now able to ideally combine the truckBloc tb18 high-security bollard with the Heald Matador. For events such as Christmas markets, a flexible, yet highly secure security line can be installed with little effort”.

The installation in Germany follows the announcement that Chester is to keep security bollards it recently installed, including Heald’s Matador, in the closed position throughout the Christmas season to offer added security to shoppers.