Following an apprenticeship at Keller in Laggenbeck and subsequent higher studies in Essen, he was amongst other things instrumental in establishing Keller’s branch in the USA, going on to develop this into a company for the supply and installation of turn-key brick plants.

At the end of 1970 he took over his father’s brick plant and developed this into a modern facing brick production facility. Just ten years later he built a ­fully automated...