A BOOMING business will have their name up in lights after becoming Essex County Cricket Club's stadium naming rights partner.

Cloudfm, based on Charter Court, Colchester, have signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the Eagles which will see their home stadium in Chelmsford renamed as The Cloudfm County Ground.

The firm, which specialises in facilities management and boasts big brands such as KFC, Pizza Express and Karen Millen as clients, will use their expertise to assist the club develop facilities and encourage participation in cricket across the board.

Chief executive officer Jeff Dewing said he was bowled over at the prospect of beginning the partnership.

He said: "This is an exciting new chapter for Cloudfm.

"It promises to be a deep and wide ranging partnership that stretches beyond sponsorship and supports Essex County Cricket both on and off the pitch.

“The partnership offers us a fantastic opportunity to link up with a well-known sporting partner that shares our ethos and values.

"We are the fastest growing business in our industry as a result of our commitment to innovation and excellence, and we are delighted to be supporting a local club that shares our attitude to success”.

The company has doubled in size within the last year, and to help manager the new partnership have employed Maria O'Donoghue, who is the former head of media operations at the England and Wales Cricket Board who has vast experience working on national and international cricket projects.

Essex Cricket chief executive Derek Bowden said: "Cloudfm have shown a real desire from the beginning to not only be a ground naming sponsor but to actively support us in our mission to delight members, supporters, players and our community.

"This is an excellent partnership for the club and will see a large-scale local business come on board and be part of an exciting future for Essex Cricket."

Cricketing legend and ambassador for Essex Cricket Club Graham Gooch said: “Partnerships such as these are vital for the club moving forward. "Cloudfm have shown a great passion to be part of Essex Cricket’s future throughout the 18-month negotiation process.

"We are delighted to have them on board”.