From Derbyshire to Dubai – the Midland Lead journey to international growth

When Midland Lead was founded over 40 years ago, our focus was to supply local and national merchants with quality lead, manufactured in our recycling site in Swadlincote, Derbyshire. In fact, the Midlands was chosen as a strategic geographical location for Midland Lead, in the heart of the UK and easily accessible by rail and road.  Now, it’s not just these domestic links that we leverage. Our machine cast lead is shipped all over the world, and exporting is truly at the heart of our growth and resilience!

We’re delighted that our growth in export is being recognised by the East Midlands Chamber, who have just named Midland Lead as finalists in the 2025 ‘Excellence in International Growth’ awards.

From humble beginnings…

We’d describe the start of our export journey as ‘modest but curious’. Our export business has been led for years by Dave Woolley, Business Development Manager for Export, who has handled most export challenges in his 40+ year career at Midland Lead! Since the outset, we never assumed that what worked in the UK would work in other markets, and over the years we’ve gained significant experience in the local requirements for each order, tailoring our approach accordingly. From bills of lading to letters of credit, certificates of origin to compliance packs, every export order is handled carefully and the details managed closely to ensure the lead arrives in the right place, at the right time.

A tailored approach for each consignment

In the Middle East, for example, we were asked to demonstrate how our lead would perform in extreme heat. Within two days our team produced a full heat-resilience specification, giving the customer confidence and keeping their project on track. We also adjusted the packaging and documentation to match Gulf customs’ requirements, enabling 200 tonnes of lead to clear ports and reach site within three weeks.

In Hong Kong we supplied over 5,000 lead-lined boards for a hospital project. Here the goal for our export team was precision. We adapted the board sizes and specifications to match local standards, while reworking the paperwork to satisfy local authorities. That attention to detail prevented costly delays and gave the contractor peace of mind.

Across Scandinavia, Asia and North America, we routinely double-wrap rolls for humid ports, create translation-ready documentation, and prepare country-specific Declarations of Performance. This responsiveness has enhanced our reputation for reliability, converting first orders into repeat, multi-year contracts. Our export team has subsequently grown – both in knowledge, and in people – to support our rapidly growing base of global customers.

Sustainability first

Increasing our export activities comes with an environmental responsibility, which we take very seriously at Midland Lead. Our lead sheet has an environmental product declaration (EPD) – a document that contains lifecycle data, providing a transparent overview of its lifetime impact on the environment, from cradle to grave. In 2024 we received the highest business accolade for our environmental performance – The King’s Award for Sustainable Development – and we won’t stop here, aiming for net-zero manufacturing by 2050.

Our global future

We anticipate that by 2027 export sales will comprise 25% of our overall sales, and we’re investing in resources to support this. This involves increasing our manufacturing capacity for specialist thin lead sheet (0.5mm), expanding our radiation protection portfolio, and investing in additional headcount for our export team. Thomas Knighton has recently joined Team Midland Lead as Business Development Manager, and is working closely with East Midlands International Trade Network to collaborate with peer organisations who are also accelerating their efforts in export.

Lucy Granger is East Midlands Chamber Head of International Trade and has been supporting Thomas and Midland Lead with our export activities. Lucy comments: “There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ on export documents needed and this can pose a challenge, particularly to small or medium sized companies with lower resources.  Support is essential, and our team here at East Midlands Chamber can help businesses overcome these challenges. I’m delighted that Midland Lead are embracing networking opportunities with us and other local organisations, to leverage the global market for machine-cast lead.”

We are proud that our products made in Derbyshire are helping patients, builders and communities across the globe. Entering the East Midlands Chamber International Growth Award is our way of celebrating that journey and showing how a close-knit, 40-strong team can achieve world-class reach and impact!