Company culture
Our values
From day one, Hallmarq has been laser-focused on one goal: improving animal health. This core belief drives everything we do and fuels our mission:
To listen to our customers, innovate cutting-edge veterinary diagnostic technology, and deliver unmatched support—making our solutions accessible worldwide.”
Our commitment goes beyond products. It’s about pride in our work, relentless curiosity, and building strong global partnerships. These core values are the backbone of our company, guiding every decision and shaping how we engage with our customers and stakeholders.
A shared pride in our work, never losing our curiosity, and cultivating partnerships around the world are just some of the core values that we believe help drive our decision-making. These shared values form the basis of our company culture and help define how we conduct ourselves and our relationships with our stakeholders.
Over half a million scans
That’s a lot of images by anybody’s standards! To date, our customers have performed over half a million scans on horses, cats, and dogs around the globe. We can proudly say that we, and they, must be doing something right. The industry’s demand for the perfect image is met by our ability to deliver advanced diagnostic solutions that meet those exacting requirements.
Over 150 sites
With system installations at over 160 customer sites worldwide, we continue our collaboration with the veterinary industry to deliver advanced imaging solutions for improved animal health. Our Standing Equine MRI paved the way for veterinary specific imaging solutions for your practice. Today, Hallmarq’s unique Vision CT for fast 3D imaging of the equine lower limb, and small animal veterinary-specific, zero-helium MRI, continue to make advanced imaging accessible for every veterinary practice.
Over 25 countries
Since the installation of the world’s first standing equine MRI system two decades ago in the UK, to the latest small animal MRI and equine CT machines in the USA, Hallmarq continues to see global growth. With customers located in 26 countries, get in touch today and join the forward thinking practices already on the map.
Founding
2001: The story begins
Pioneering development
Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging was co-founded by Dr Nick Bolas, ex Oxford graduate and keen horse owner and rider. Working alongside a highly skilled team of specialists, some of whom remain with the company today, Hallmarq pioneered the development of the world’s only MRI scanner for the standing, sedated horse. Key personnel, each with over 20 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of clinical MRI systems, worked to install the world’s first Standing Equine MRI system at Bell Equine, Kent, in January 2002. The rest, as they say, is history…
First steps
2003 – 2006: The revolution
Ongoing refinements
With the safety of both horse and handler ensured, interest levels peaked as vets around the world became increasingly able to see a wide range of previously unknown pathologies. The revolution in lameness diagnostics had begun! Intense R&D development brought improvements to the original scanner and a major upgrade program and rebranding to our EQ2 system followed in 2006. Safe, fast and accurate equine MRI was rapidly becoming the global gold standard in lameness diagnosis.
Expanding
2009: Sharing knowledge
The power of education
Our first European Clinical User Meeting was held in Chamonix, France in 2009. Industry experts delivered invaluable insights, attendees brainstormed with us and each other, both in the classroom and on the ski slopes; it was an instant success. Chamonix continues to be a key date in our calendar, providing an opportunity for the company to learn from its customers and vice versa. Aware that the value of education and peer to peer learning cannot be underestimated, we continue this today with webinars, case studies and other invaluable resources available exclusively to our Hallmarq Community.
Continued innovation
2012: Branching out
Introducing Small Animal MRI
With standing equine MRI firmly established, and building on years of industry experience, 2012 saw the introduction of the company’s first Small Animal MRI machine. This 1.5T high-field system meant rapid growth in our R&D and Sales teams globally, and the introduction of a new type of customer base. Designed specifically with small animal anatomy in mind, this innovative system was always intended to be a far cry from a refurbished human MRI. With vet and pet a priority, we designed the machine so that there’s no need for an RF shielded room or helium refills. In addition, the patient bed and top-open coils allow for optimised positioning; keeping operating costs down and reducing staffing expenses.
Adapting
2013: The Equine Modular Room
Cost-effective MRI ready to go
Our first Equine Modular Room is installed at Veterinair Centrum Someren in the Netherlands. Understanding the limitations that lack of space within a practice can bring, we designed our modular room to be shipped “ready to go.” With no need for upfront capital expenditure, a purpose-built room with RF shield, or the headache of obtaining planning permission, the system is simply dropped onto a concrete hardstanding, plugged into power and the internet and is ready to scan. Since then, the demand for modular rooms continues as practice owners see the value that this unique solution offers their business.
Recognition
2015: Industry recognition
A hat-trick of awards
One of only two companies in the UK to be awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in two categories, we were proud to be recognised for innovation and international trade. A visit from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal provided an opportunity to show just some of what goes on behind the design and manufacture of our MRI machines. In addition, we were awarded the prestigious Institute of Physics Award for our Motion Correction Software; designed to compensate for the slightest movement of a horse’s limb during image acquisition; faster scan times means more cases and lower costs for our customers.
In 2017, Hallmarq was listed as one of the FT1000’s fastest growing companies in Europe and, in the same year, were also Surrey Super Growth (UK) winners.
Landmarks
2018-2019: Our 100th site
Making our marq
2018 saw refinancing, refocus and relocation with a change to a non-technical Senior Management team and a focus on growing the companion animal market in North America. Our 100th site installation took place at Pferdeklinik Dalchenhof in Switzerland and we passed the 100,000th scan mark. It was quite a year! 2019 saw the UK offices get a long-overdue makeover, providing a bright and airy space in which our growing team can work; long gone are the days where we sat amongst the boxes of component parts in the factory unit!
New Products
2021: Standing Equine CT
Branching out
Designed to image the limb of the standing, sedated horse, Vision CT was launched as the next step up from X-ray for equine veterinary practice. To aid the evaluation of bony structures, Vision CT captures 3D image sets in just minutes. The unique walk-in-scan-walk-out design leaves the horse unrestrained for easy entry and exit. With input from early adopters, we continue to refine and improve the system for safe, effective, and affordable advanced imaging.
Delivering change
2022: Future-proof technology
Zero-helium 1.5T MRI
As Hallmarq approaches its third decade, we launched MIRA, the world’s first zero-helium small animal 1.5T small veterinary MRI machine to address the growing problem of helium scarcity. Redesign and rebranding continues to meet the exacting specifications of a growing customer base and our 2021 Queen’s Award for Innovation reflects that hard work. In addition, the introduction of Q-Care, our world-class support programme, confirms that commitment and encompasses all that we do to support your business success.
Streamlining
2024: Strategic operations
All products manufactured in-house
In a strategic move to expand our manufacturing capabilities, meet increased demand, and improve overall efficiency, we increased production space by 35% at the head office site in Guildford, UK. Bringing all manufacturing in-house reflects the company’s growth and commitment to delivering high-quality advanced imaging products to a global market. With this expansion, the company can respond more quickly to customer needs, while continuing to meet international demand.
Future Focus
2025: Introducing Q-AI
Revolutionary patient care
Revolutionising the approach to equine lameness examination for over two decades, MRI is still evolving to deliver detailed images that are truly transformational. AI technology can now help images that have even more clarity with enhancements to motion correction software, and with image denoising that can reduce scan times by up to 75%. With an unwavering Commitment to innovation, Hallmarq is redefining what’s possible with Q-AI; our state-of-the-art AI algorithms for equine and small animal imaging.
We continue to grow our global team of experts led by our CEO, Mick Crosthwaite, to ensure that we can provide the knowledge, experience, and passion, to help your veterinary imaging service thrive. Most of all, we will strive to innovate and continue to offer solutions that help you provide exceptional patient care.
The Environment
“Hallmarq recognises its responsibility to the environment and is committed to reducing our environmental impact while striving to improve our performance.”
In addition to a passion for animal care, we strive to understand and embrace the challenge of caring for our planet. From shipping carbon neutral, to using recycled consumables and everything in between, we endeavour to minimise the impact of our business on the environment.
We offset the annual CO2 emissions from our global travel and energy usage, to support projects that help combat climate change as well as caring for local communities. We’ve planted hundreds of native broadleaf trees at schools local to our UK offices, participated in beach cleans in a bid to reduce the plastic in our oceans and, latterly, supported reduced deforestation in Brazil through Carbon Footprint’s America’s Project.
The work continues and, led by our passionate and pro-active “Green Group,” the entire company gets behind our mission to be environmentally responsible. It’s in our hands!
Read more about Hallmarq’s ESG Policy here.
