When West Special Fasteners attended the King’s Award for Enterprise reception, we wanted to give His Majesty something that reflected who we are and what we do.
Rather than choosing a traditional gift, we decided to give him something made by our own team: a 316 stainless steel bolt manufactured at our Derbyshire facility for HMS Victory, as part of the historic restoration project known as “The Big Repair”.
It might only be a bolt, but it has quite a story behind it. It brings together specialist manufacturing, British engineering and the ongoing work to preserve one of the country’s most famous ships.
Celebrating a Royal Honour
Receiving the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation was a hugely proud moment for everyone at West Special Fasteners.
The award recognises our Innovation in advanced hot forging and the manufacturing process we have developed to produce high-integrity fasteners while using significantly less material than traditional machining methods.
The reception was a great opportunity to celebrate alongside other award-winning businesses and to talk about the work we do here in Derbyshire.
It also seemed like the right occasion to present something that had come directly from our own factory.
A Bolt Destined for HMS Victory
The bolt we presented to The King was made specifically for HMS Victory, one of the most famous ships in British naval history.
As part of The Big Repair programme, some of the fasteners within the ship are being upgraded to 316 stainless steel. The material provides the strength, durability and corrosion resistance needed to help protect the vessel for many years to come.
Although the fasteners are modern components, the restoration work takes great care to preserve the appearance of the historic ship. The new fasteners are installed using traditional conservation techniques, including bedding them in tar and covering them with wooden plugs.
So, when you visit HMS Victory, you won’t see these fasteners. They’ll be hidden inside the structure, quietly doing their job.
That’s something we can relate to. Fasteners aren’t usually the most noticeable part of an engineering project, but they’re often critical to making sure everything stays together.
British Manufacturing Supporting British Heritage
The HMS Victory fasteners were manufactured at our Derbyshire facility using the specialist skills and equipment that we use for customers around the world.
For our team, being chosen to manufacture components for HMS Victory was a special opportunity. Knowing that parts made here in Derbyshire will become part of such an important piece of British history is something we’re very proud of.
HMS Victory has been maintained and restored by generations of skilled craftsmen. We’re pleased to have played a small part in that work, bringing modern manufacturing techniques to a project where the requirements of historic conservation are just as important as engineering performance.
Innovation and Sustainability Working Together
The King’s Award recognised the innovation behind our forging process, but for us, the important thing is what that innovation achieves in practice.
When a bolt is produced from solid round bar using traditional machining, a considerable amount of material can be cut away before the finished shape is achieved.
Our induction heating and hot forging process allows us to form the material much closer to the final shape. This means we can save approximately 40% of the raw material that would otherwise be needed.
We’ve also invested in solar generation at our Derbyshire factory, which currently supplies around one-third of our electricity requirements.
The stainless steel used for the HMS Victory fasteners brings another benefit. It offers excellent durability and corrosion resistance, while stainless steel is highly recyclable and can contain a high proportion of recycled material without losing the properties needed for demanding engineering applications.
These are practical steps that help us reduce waste and make our manufacturing more efficient, while still producing the high-quality fasteners our customers need.
More Than Just a Fastener
The bolt presented to The King was engraved with: “HMS Victory – The Big Repair 2026” “Made in Derbyshire” and “King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation”
The engraving gives the bolt a permanent connection to both the occasion and the project it was made for.
Its journey is also a little unusual. It was manufactured in Derbyshire, made for a historic Royal Navy ship and then presented to The King at a reception celebrating our King’s Award.
That’s quite a story for a bolt.
A Proud Moment for West Special Fasteners
Presenting the bolt to His Majesty was a genuine privilege and something our team will remember for a long time.
The King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation recognises the expertise, investment and development behind our manufacturing processes. Being able to mark the occasion with something made by our own team made it even more special.
Our fasteners are used by customers and industries around the world, but this particular bolt had a very different destination. Rather than becoming part of HMS Victory, it became a way of sharing the story of the restoration project, our Derbyshire manufacturing heritage and the King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation
For us, that made it a fitting way to mark receiving a King’s Award for Enterprise: a small piece of Derbyshire manufacturing that connects innovation, heritage and one very memorable Royal occasion.
Contact West Special Fasteners
The King’s Awards for Enterprise: Apply – GOV.UK
