Brian Mann to Retire from Federation

The British Plastics Federation is announcing the forthcoming retirement of its distinguished former President, Brian Mann, who will be stepping down from his BPF roles at the time of his retirement as Managing Director of Rosti McKechnie Ltd in January 2014. He will leave his company, which he has built up to an £82 million sales turnover enterprise, in an immensely strong position.

Brian Mann, who is 67, and currently Honorary Treasurer of the Federation, has spent his entire career of some fifty years working in the plastics industry. Following an apprenticeship with a small West Yorkshire engineering company, he later joined Birkby Plastics where he attained the position of General Manager. He then moved to McKechnie Plastics as Plant Manager of the Pickering site in 1985, becoming Group Managing Director in 2001. He successfully steered the Group through its integration with Melrose Industries and, more recently, with Rosti.

Brian Mann was elected President of the BPF in 2002, serving for two years. He continued as a member of its key Strategy and Finance Committee becoming Honorary Treasurer in 2010.

A legendary figure in the industry, Brian Mann was awarded the BPF’s Gold medal for service both to the Federation and to the plastics industry in 2010.

Current BPF President, Philip Watkins, said “Brian Mann is unique, a great champion of the manufacturing cause and the finest type of British industrialist. His straight talking style and his wisdom, borne of long experience, have been invaluable in helping the BPF confront difficult issues. He correctly forecasted the industrial downturn of 2008 and made sure that the Federation itself was well prepared to resist the cold winds blowing around the economy.”

BPF’s Director General, Peter Davis, echoed this, adding “With his truly exceptional human qualities, Brian is a great motivator and he represented forcefully the industry's standpoint in meetings with key Ministers including the then Energy Secretary, the late Malcolm Wickes , with his characteristic good humour''.

Philip Law, BPF’s Public and Industrial Affairs Director, who has worked closely with Brian Mann on industrial issues for many years added: “Brian is the natural leader of the UK's plastics moulding industry. No one can touch him for his intuitive identification of the key trends, long before they materialise.”

ENDS

Photograph of Brian Mann following his award of the BPF's Gold Medal.

For all media enquiries, BPF logos and images, please contact Philip Law, Public and Industrial Affairs Director on 0207 457 5000 or email [email protected]

Notes to Editor :

British Plastics Federation (BPF) is the UK trade association for the plastics industry – representing the whole supply chain including polymer producers, distributors, additives suppliers, machinery manufacturers, processors and recyclers