Matt Long has been appointed as Key Account Manager at Ferwood UK. With over 35 years in the woodworking industry and bringing a wealth of industry and sales experience to the business, his role will see him manage key accounts in the UK market and develop new and existing relationships with customers across the country.
Beginning his career as an Electrical engineer in the late 1980’s, Matt gained valuable technical experience installing and servicing woodworking machinery for Wadkin Agencies, before turning his hand to machine demonstrating and software training at Busellato UK. He thrived in a customer-facing role and with a proven technical background, the transition from engineer to technical sales came easily. His first sales role began in the early 2000s when Ferwood UK’s CEO John Wilson recruited him to work for Machinery Sales Ltd (MSL). Subsequently, Matt moved to Homag UK in 2010 and continued to forge a successful career in sales.
With extensive experience growing and nurturing relationships with new and existing customers, Matt is equally at home selling entry-level machinery to start-up businesses as he is specifying high-value production lines to large manufacturers. Putting his strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities to the test is something Matt thrives on. This, along with his solution-based approach to sales and solid technical background makes him a great fit for his new role at Ferwood UK.
“I get great job satisfaction out of working closely with customers and finding a solution that allows them to meet their manufacturing needs,” explains Matt. “The more challenging the application, the better for me. I have a genuine interest in the technical side of manufacturing and I enjoy engrossing myself in the latest technology."
He continues, “I don’t mind saying I was like a kid in a sweet shop when I saw Ferwood’s state-of-the-art facilities for the first time and the level of equipment and refurbishment on offer. I was blown away by the company’s set-up and the amount of high-quality machinery on site. Ferwood’s clear capabilities were a game-changer for me and a real draw to the business.”
The people within Ferwood also played a part in Matt joining the reconditioned machinery specialist. “My career has come full circle. I started my transition from engineer to salesman with the help from John Wilson and we have a mutual respect for each other. It’s a great feeling coming back into the fold and working with so many familiar faces. The work culture within the business and welcoming nature of the team felt like a great fit and something I could see myself being part of. I’m now ready and raring to go in my new role and to present Ferwood’s exceptional used and fully reconditioned machinery offering to the market.”
“I’m excited to be working with Matt again," says John Wilson, CEO of Ferwood UK. "We work well together – we’re both synchronised in our approach to our work – and that’s seen great results over the years. Matt has gained a solid reputation in the woodworking industry and his technical knowledge and industry experience is second to none. He knows the market very well and is hungry for his next challenge. His drive and determination to find solutions and help his customers achieve success makes him the right person to help drive the market forward and build on Ferwood’s solid reputation.”
