IN terms of career changes, Richard Swart’s move from political journalism on a leading South African Sunday paper to running what some would call a ‘metal bashing’ manufacturing company in the North-East, is right up there.

His business, Berger Closures is now part of the Berger Group owned by stock-listed global group, Ringmetall AG, with 12 locations manufacturing millions of metal closing rings which securely seal drums transporting sensitive material all over the world.

It’s fair to say the description international businessman doesn’t really begin to do justice to his worldwide role as head of sales and quality, with 180 flights last year, and 16 in the last three weeks alone. His work has taken him to many of the over 50 countries supplied and the group now has an interest in establishing a location in South America and South Asia

Going back 30 years, the initial call which set Richard Swart on his career path came from a contact who knew a Mr Hagen Berger in Germany. He needed someone to manage Berger’s first plant outside its home country. Importantly, Richard spoke English, and at 26, came to the North East for the first time for an initial two years and never left.

He said: “It was a steep learning curve but I had support from the German parent and began to supply key players over here. Berger is now the largest manufacturer of these products in the world.

“Peterlee is still my baby today, despite my global remit. I oversee our global sales and quality from here. The workforce here are the best, most flexible and experienced

“I definitely learnt on the hop in the early years but also managed the German business for four years and commuted to Karlsruhe, until a family illness put an end to this.

“We have established or bought companies where our core customers have required us whether that be Europe, USA, China or Turkey and will continue to do so. We have a very niche product that has to be compliant with the stringent measures laid down by United Nations standards on transportation of hazardous/sensitive products or waste.

“Berger was essentially a family business until 2000 when the Berger family sold it to its first holding company, which launched onto the stock market to gain better access to capital. This really fuelled our growth.

“We began to increase our market share by acquisition. The challenge is to grow our market share further and also protect our global brand. There are obviously challenges with different cultures, systems, legal frameworks, languages, machine capabilities and management competence levels.”

Setting up the factory in China from scratch was what Richard Swart described as being one of his toughest challenges

“From conception to having a location with contracts underway, took five years. I travelled around the country extensively, including pretty remote areas. I learnt about local customs, identifying the Chinese way of working. I was basically a little more than fly on the wall in a challenging society so different to what one was accustomed.

“A key to doing well in the Chinese marketplace is to understand and respect the culture. You also need people with the right language and management skills.

“Can you do business the Western way? No. You have to adapt to the challenges of the local conditions.

“We are in China primarily for China but do not rule out exporting components.”

Expansion continued over the years with further acquisitions in Turkey, Spain, Italy, and more recently in Birmingham (Alabama), Houston, Pennsylvania, more in Germany and another in China.

Turnover – currently at €100m for the group has risen as a result, with a targeted €200M, by 2020.

There are also more EU acquisition announcements to follow in the coming months. Sectors of interest are industrial packaging and industrial handling and UK acquisitions are now being researched

As a global businessman who trades extensively in Europe, Richard Swart has strong views on Brexit and is a proud ‘Remainer’ but equally determined, noting the damage so far, that sitting back and saying ‘we told you’ so is not an option.

“Brexit is on track to be the greatest act of self-harm a top nation has done to itself in recent times, perhaps rivalled only by the Americans electing Donald Trump as president. In 2015 we were the fastest growing economy in the G7. Now we are the slowest.

“Every impact scenario commissioned by this Brexit supporting government confirms we will be worse off, particularly so in the North East. We owe it to ourselves and children to do whatever we can to change track

“We have all have an obligation to help engineer a way out of the current quagmire by speaking up for what is right.

“People always have the right to change their mind.

“We had a black and white vote on a rainbow of issues. The UK attempting to come out of the EU is like trying to take an egg out of an omelette, which on balance has been the healthy option for four decades. So messy, so damaging and so unnecessary.

“Since the vote to leave, the currency has devalued and pushed up import costs dramatically. As the UK is by far a net importer, most of us have become poorer by the day. People did not vote to become poorer or for the country to become weaker.

“The UK received the most FDI in the EU, because it was a great place to access hassle-free the largest single market in the world and by far our largest trading partner.

Sadly, we appear on track to give this up and the impact on jobs and communities over time will be huge. The current lack of clarity is incredibly damaging to FDI and every day business decisions for key multinational businesses and the many in the supply chains “

From his arrival in the North East in 1988, the North East England Chamber of Commerce has been a key part of Richard Swart’s business life.

“I used the Chamber right from the outset of my time here as I didn’t know anyone north of London. My job meant I had to learn about the region in a hurry and the Chamber helped me enormously.”

With the Chamber’s and Newcastle City Council support he has also developed strong, productive links with the Durban Chamber in South Africa as well as an MOU between Durban City & Newcastle. There have been really successful trade missions in both directions with another one due in June.

“My biggest achievement has been setting up Peterlee from scratch, as I knew absolutely nothing about manufacturing or our product. Now my challenge it is to protect our brand throughout the global markets in which we operate and ensure the right consistency throughout our rapidly expanding group.

“I loved been a journalist on a Sunday paper, dabbling in any area and doing investigative stories under cover. Working in South Africa dealing with the far left and far right was fascinating, sad and incredibly dangerous as the apartheid government crumbled under international pressure and internal unrest. Through that job I found I really learnt about a country and how it worked. Those lessons have stood me in good stead and continue to guide me in my work around the world.”