Veteran of plastics industry to retire as Rosti MD

Mr Mann will leave the company, which has plants in Pickering and Stamford Bridge, in January 2014. This will coincide with his retirement from trade association the British Plastics Federation (PDF). Aged 67, Mr Mann is a former president of the BPF and currently its honorary treasurer.

Mr Mann has spent 13 years at the helm of Rosti McKechnie, which has grown into a enterprise with an £82m turnover. He oversaw many changes including the recent acquisition of McKechnie by Rosti, and previously, its integration with Melrose Industries.

Mr Mann said that although he has “mixed feelings” in relation to his departure from Rosti McKechnie, he said he is “leaving at an exciting time, with tremendous opportunities for the future”. He added: “The company will be in excellent hands.”

Mr Mann has spent his entire career of some 50 years working in the plastics industry in Yorkshire.

Following an apprenticeship with a small West Yorkshire engineering company, he later joined Birkby Plastics where he attained the position of general manager.

Mr Mann then moved to McKechnie Plastics as plant manager of the Pickering site in 1985. He rose to become divisional managing director of the group, which today, trading as Rosti McKechnie UK, consists of three sites in the UK with more than 100 injection moulding machines and 700 people.  

Barry Coughlan, chief operating officer, Europe, at Rosti, said: “Brian has had a truly remarkable career with a formidable reputation within the industry and leaves Rosti McKechnie in a very strong position.”

Mr 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. Mr 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.”

Mr Coughlan told the Yorkshire Post that Rosti will be reviewing the position Mr Mann is to vacate at Rosti McKechnie over the coming months.