As part of its on-going growth strategy, Sussex-based Dugard Machine Tools has taken on Gerald Coyle as a new area sales manager supporting customers in Scotland and the North East of England.

Mr Coyle started his manufacturing career in the late 1980s with a renowned Scottish sub-contractor, where he began a machining apprenticeship.

He subsequently rose up through the ranks to be machine shop manager and production manager, before being appointed plant manager.

He has also had spells with a leading cutting-tool manufacturer, serving the Scottish and Northern England territories as a technical sales engineer.

Mr Coyle said: “The Dugard brand is well-respected for both its quality and service, and in my previous role, I got to know Colin Thomson and Mark Anson, who are now both enjoying life at Dugard.

"Their experiences of working at the company made me realise that it was a company I wanted to work for.”

Mr Coyle will be tasked with developing new sales opportunities and introducing a raft of new Dugard brands that are now available to manufacturers in Scotland and the North East of England.

Managing director Eric Dugard said (www.dugard.com): “For a number of years, we have maintained market share in Scotland, but our efforts have been built around servicing existing customers — essentially ‘good housekeeping’.

"However, we have recently added the Hanwha brand of sliding-head turning centres and automation solutions, the high-end range of Kitamura machine tools, and the Ibarmia brand to our stable.

"We already have an extensive range of machine tool solutions for industry, but these latest additions are really giving us the impetus to increase our footprint in all regions of the UK.”