Richard Swart has been chosen to head up the Berger Group (Europe) which has subsidiary companies in Germany, France, Holland, Spain and Slovakia.

Berger, which employs 230 staff, is Europe's leading manufacturer of clamping bands for barrels, as well as manufacturing clamp bands for venting, ducting and flues.

Mr Swart will be responsible for growing the group's fortunes in new markets as well as exploring opportunities for joint ventures in other parts of the world.

Originally from South Africa, Mr Swart settled in the UK in 1988 after establishing Berger Closures (UK) in Peterlee which currently employs 20 staff. He is chairman of the North East Chamber of Commerce's international trade committee.

He said: "I am deeply honoured to be chosen to lead a truly remarkable company. Berger has established a worldwide reputation in its field and to have the chance to lead operations here is a tremendous challenge in very difficult operating circumstances."

Mr Swart has travelled extensively, visiting suppliers, customers and associates all over the world as well as representing the group and giving presentations at industry exhibitions and conferences.

Despite the Berger Group being headquartered in Germany, Mr Swart will continue to be based in the UK and will also keep his role as managing director of Berger Closures in Peterlee.

The new head of Berger is confident for the future. He said: "We see 2009 as being all about sustainability and simultaneously building a solid platform for growth in 2010 and 2011. Our industry, like many others, has witnessed incredibly tough times in 2008 but there is an emerging consensus among key market players that the bottom has been reached and we are entering a period of market stability albeit at new significantly lower levels.

"We therefore have to cut our cloth to suit and much of the focus of 2009 has been on restructuring the businesses, reviewing product development, manufacturing, supply chain and all commercial aspects.

"Recent events in the global economy have turned conventional wisdom on its head, what was normal and accepted in the past is in many instances no longer the case. Therefore we have to revisit what we have done in the past and set new standards to navigate us out of the current situation."