HRH The Princess Royal presents two Queen's Awards to Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging.

With her well-known interest in horses Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was a most welcome guest at the presentation of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise to Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging on 22nd September. 

Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging Ltd is one of only two companies this year to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in two categories.  The innovation award recognises the equine standing MRI (EQ2) developed by Hallmarq, which has completely changed how vets approach the diagnosis of lameness in horses.  The international trade award reflects the company’s global success, with the EQ2 now used in 23 countries.

Her Royal Highness was introduced to the Directors and to Hallmarq's UK and internationally based staff, and was shown how the scanners are manufactured in the Guildford factory, from components under construction through to a fully working system.  Hallmarq's technical support team followed with a demonstration of the on-line operation and support of scanners installed at clinics across the world. 

Jos Belgrave CEO welcomed as special guests many of the company's customers and suppliers from the UK and overseas, and outlined how they had driven the rapid uptake of MRI for diagnosis of equine lameness once Hallmarq's EQ2 removed the need for general anaesthesia.  With its ability to detect subtle changes in both bone and soft tissue, from the foot up to the knee and hock, MRI is now routinely used to aid veterinary investigations of every type of horse from children's ponies to internationally competing sports and race horses. 

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Shahid Azeem, formally announced the awards, and Her Royal Highness presented the engraved rose bowl for the Innovation award to Hallmarq's Founder Director Dr Nick Bolas and that for International Trade to the Operations and Technical Director Dr Steve Roberts. 

With many of the earliest employees still holding senior positions with the company there is no sign that the rate of innovation is slowing down, newer members helping to drive advances in performance, international growth, and development of the company's new 1.5T PetVet MRI scanner designed for the small animal veterinary specialist.