Neil Hay

"Bringing in contracts for all yards”

Neil Hay joined Heerema Hartlepool Limited in the UK in 2001 at the age of 20. He started with a three year training agreement as a trainee estimator. This provided him with a thorough introduction to the company and to the role he was being trained for.

From estimator, Neil made it to senior estimator, then tender coordinator, and ultimately Tender Manager in 2007. The tendering process involves three different classifications of the company: commercial, operations and support. People from these areas contribute to the preparation of tenders, the tender manager is the linking pin between them and a key factor in bringing in contracts.

HFG’s UK operation used to operate quite independently, but over the 10 years of Neil’s career at Heerema a lot has changed.


Hartlepool is now an integrated part of Heerema Fabrication Group, together with the Vlissingen and Zwijndrecht yards in the Netherlands, the in-house engineering company HFGE and the Polska yard in Poland.

HFG is now firmly built from three interlocking divisions, classified internally as the ‘getters’, the ‘doers’ and the ‘supporters’. As far as Neil is concerned, the new situation has brought great improvement for people determined to achieve.

“Heerema is a fantastic company to work for. They have also fully supported my studies. I completed my university degree part-time: working for four days a week and attending university on the fifth. This company gives lots of opportunities to young people who have ambition, drive and are willing to learn, very often on a pay-as-you-learn basis. My experience is completely positive."