08.03.2007

New head for Genie Europe

Genie has appointed Matt Fearon to the post of managing director and vice president of Genie Europe, replacing Jim Otley who has been on long term home/sick leave.

Fearon joined Genie over 12 years ago and for the past three years has been vice president of operations for Genie’s Washington region, making him responsible for manufacturing and engineering most of Genie’s aerial lifts.

Fearon who will report directly to Terex aerials president Tim Ford will be relocating to Europe with his wife and three children this summer. He said that he has not yet decided where he will base himself.

In the meantime he says he will spend his time visiting each of the company’s locations and listening to what the Genie Europe team has to say and what they think needs to be improved or changed in order to help grow the business.
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Matt Fearon

A mechanical engineer by education he grew up in Ohio, joining Pratt & Whitney as a manufacturing Engineer he then moved to Herkules, another aerospace company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, before being recruited by Ron Barnhart to join Genie’s design engineering team.

His first project was to develop the Z30/20N narrow articulating boom lift. During his nine years as an engineer with Genie Fearon visited Europe on many occasions in order to both provide training and discuss technical issues with staff and customers.

In his most recent role he has been heavily involved with Genie’s implementation of the Toyota Production System and continuous improvement.

In an interview at the company’s European HQ in Grantham today, Fearon told Vertikal.Net that Genie Europe is likely to undergo profound changes over the next few years as it moves from being a pure distribution and support operation to one that includes manufacturing. “This involves a lot more than just building a few machines” he said.

"The infrastrucure is quite different and includes everything from order processing to developing a supply chain with local suppliers which will then have an impact on the after market parts business. Our aim is compress the time from the receipt of an order to delivery of the finished product”

Production of the 45 and 51 ft Z model articulating booms begins shortly at the company’s telehandler plant in Italy and Fearon confirms that further products will be built in Europe.

He also confirmed that the company is seriously considering production at the Terex light equipment plant in Coventry England. But that no decision has yet been taken.

When asked how long he was planning to remain in Europe he confirmed that the appointment is open ended but said that it will be for at least three years. “Anything less doesn’t work, it can take a year just to settle in and then you need two years at the very least”

As managing director of Genie Europe Fearon will be responsible for Europe, including Russia, Africa and the Middle East.