Heathline team

Heathline Commercials said its decision to open a £500,000 workshop at the start of the pandemic had paid dividends, after revenues soared by 44%.

The increase in business also enabled the commercial vehicle service and repair specialists to expand the workforce from six to 11 and recruit four additional HGV technicians.

The Northumberland firm said construction of its 6,000 sq ft facility in Cramlington began in autumn 2019 but freezing conditions pushed the completion date back to the spring of 2020 – by which time the country was in the grip of Covid-19.

Gavin Cape, engineering director at Heathline Commercials, said: “We quickly resolved to press ahead and remain open to ensure vans, trucks and buses remained on the road.

“There was a huge amount of uncertainty at the time as everyone was coming to terms with the pandemic, but once we emerged from an initial quiet period, the business has really taken off.”

Cape added that the Department for Transport had written to the company saying its work was essential in supporting the logistics industry: “Healthline Commercials is proud to be playing its part,” he said