Worcestershire-based Yamazaki Mazak(UK) Ltd has unveiled a new structure to its Northern sales division as it continues its investment in helping customers recover and adapt to new market conditions.

The new structure will stretch from the Scottish border down to and including Warwickshire, as well as the entirety of Wales. It will be overseen by Tony Creamer, general sales manager – Northern region, and individual territories will be managed by five highly experienced area sales managers.

With well over a century’s worth of combined expertise and knowledge of the UK machine tool industry, the team will comprise of: Mark Ireland – Cumbria, Durham & Northumberland; Joe Trozzo – Yorkshire; Karl Hargreaves – Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside; Stephen Bower – Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and East Staffordshire; and Neil Coggins – Shropshire, Warwickshire, West Staffordshire and Wales

Customers in the region will continue to be supported by Mazak’s extensive network of 30-plus field service engineers, and 22-strong applications engineering department which benefits from a combined 200 years of experience.

The new structure is the latest in a series of investments by Mazak in its UK operations, following an extensive internal training and upskilling programme, as well as a number of new installations at its European Technology Centre (ETC) in Worcester. The ETC, which re-opened in July, remains a Covid-secure facility, and is open to all visitors provided appointments are made in advance.

Mr Creamer said: “Having worked for Yamazaki Mazak for nearly 17 years, many of which were spent supporting customers across the North of England, I am delighted to assume responsibility for the region. It is an area where British manufacturing has long thrived, and while the industry as a whole is currently navigating its way through a challenging year, the resilience and determination I have witnessed from our customers is incredibly encouraging.”

Alan Mucklow, managing director UK & Ireland sales and service division, said: “The day-to-day impact of Covid-19 is still with us, but we have sensed in recent weeks a new, positive mood among manufacturers; a willingness to really start planning for the future.

“With this in mind, we have devised a new structure which will enable us to best serve our customers in the North of England and Wales. Our five-strong team of area sales managers boast a wealth of sector-specific engineering expertise aligned to the industries that have powered the North for many years, and we believe they are well placed to help our customers continue on their road to recovery.”