It has been announced that Jef O'Riley has joined FGM Claymore as head of marketing.

Jef O'Riley (left) with Paul Butterly, md of FGM Claymore

Since acquiring distribution rights to the Echo brand two years ago, the company says they have seen significant growth in the U.K. market.

Paul Butterly, MD of FGM Claymore, said, "We’ve had a fantastic couple of years. But we have even bigger ambitions for the future. To get there, we know that we need to invest in building our marketing effort here in the U.K.

“Jef is a well-respected figure in the industry and has a proven track record for developing brands that can go toe-to-toe against the biggest names in the industry.” 

As head of marketing for both the U.K. and Ireland, Jef brings with him 27 years’ experience in the garden machinery industry. Most of this time was spent marketing Echo, alongside other industry stalwarts including Ariens, Gravely, Countax, and Westwood.

This latest appointment follows a series of investments made by FGM Claymore. A new, state-of-the-art training facility at their Bidford-on-Avon office is set to open later this month. The new purpose-built space will serve as a sales and technical training centre for U.K. dealers.

Behind the scenes, the company also says it has invested in new IT infrastructure and systems - all necessary to process the increased levels of orders for wholegoods and spares