Operations Manager celebrates 20 years at Heald

Having joined Heald back in 2000 as a Sales Assistant, this month, Wendy Chew celebrates her twenty-year anniversary with the business.

Now Heald’s Operations Manager, Wendy has seen the business go through considerable growth as the years have gone by.

We caught up with Wendy to reflect back on the past twenty years to understand her proudest moments and what significant moments have stood out.

Tell us about joining the business, what was your role?

I started out as a Sales Assistant managing incoming sales enquiries. Back then we mainly sold standard road blockers and bollards before moving on to create the award-winning, innovative crash-tested security products which now protect some of the world’s most prestigious buildings.

How has the business changed over the years?

The team has grown considerably, and as a result, so have our offices and manufacturing facilities. We now sell our products all over the world and it’s exciting to see that the growth momentum is continuing.

What has been your proudest moment while working at Heald?

There have been many but one of the standouts for me is when Heald secured a contract which led to 100 Commander road blockers being manufactured at our site and shipped out to the Middle East. Other standouts have been supplying our unique products to prestigious sites all over the world, most of which we can’t talk about.

What is your favourite Heald product, and why?

The Matador! The industry had been crying out for a shallow mount product that would address so many challenges faced by retrospective installation. Not only did Rod come up with the idea for a sliding bollard which could be installed to a shallow mount application, but this could also be fitted on the surface! It’s certainly been a very popular product and has now been installed in countries across the world.

Why do you enjoy working at Heald?

Every day is completely different. It’s always busy and we have a great team. Over the years I have really enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside Debbie and Rod. They’ve created a fantastic business and developed some of the world’s most impressive hostile vehicle mitigation products. It really is a pleasure to work alongside and learn from them.

What would you say to someone getting started out in the manufacturing sector?

It’s a really interesting industry and one which constantly evolves. What I enjoy most about it is taking a challenge faced by industry and seeing how colleagues come up with ideas to address these challenges then seeing that idea go into production and finally be installed. Ultimately though, the manufacturing sector presents so many opportunities for career progression, whether you’re starting out as an apprentice or coming in at a higher level, there are always new things to learn.

If you’re interested in joining the Heald team, click here to find out more.