Colleagues of a hugely popular businessman have described their boss as a "father figure" after his sudden death.

Hans Cohnen, managing director of Cohline UK based in Manston, died from a heart attack aged 59.

Mr Cohnen, originally from Germany, extended his family's automotive manufacturing company and setting up their factory in Thanet near Manston Airport nearly 30 years ago.

Long-term colleagues of Mr Cohnen say he was an incredible boss who loved the area and was thinking of retiring to Birchington where he owned a house.

Karl Knight, the company's general manager, worked with Mr Cohnen for 22 years, and Donna Delderfield, the company's sales manager, who knew him for 17 years, say they are still in shock after his death in January.

Mr Knight said: "He was more like a father figure and treated people on the shop floor like his family.

"He was a good laugh and encouraged the management to go out and have social time together and keep us as a team. We've had several bowling nights which he'd come to and Christmas parties.

"There's a story when people were travelling up to a trade show when he drove them up there and two people were in the back complaining 'are we there yet'.

"When they got there he went to a stand and got them an ice cream and said to them 'right, now shut up'. That's an MD for you."

Mrs Delderfield said: "He was a very generous boss with his employees and looked after us.

"If you had a personal problem he would sit and listen and there's not many bosses like that. He was hard to get to know but he was a big softy.

"We still can't believe he's not here, it's a terrible shock. We were all in the office on Wednesday laughing and joking and then Thursday morning he's not here. It was a real shock for everybody."

In his younger years, Mr Cohnen spent time learning about the automotive industry from his father who was running the business successfully in Germany but were looking to expand.

He was tasked with bringing the company to Britain and set up Cohline UK in 1989 - firstly based near Herne Bay and then moving to Thanet when the district was granted assisted status and EU grants to expand business parks in the area.

Cohline were the first company to move to the Kent International Business Park near Manston Airport opening up a small workshop hall with only a few machines and 25 employees.

At its peak there were 150 people working two shifts on the site with the business expanding on three separate occasions during the past 20 years.

The company now employs 70 people and provide fuel lines, brake lines and hydraulic lines for BMW, Mercedes and Bentley.

Mr Cohnen was the third generation of his family to work for the business set up by his grandfather in Dillenburg, central Germany, in 1932. The businesses will now be run by his sister, Utta.

The businessman grew fond of the area, supporting various charities in Thanet through the company and was looking to retire in Birchington and take a back seat from the business when he died.

Mr Knight said: "He bought a house in Birchington and got his British residency so he could stay here. He wanted to retire down here.

"He believed in local and always if he could buy local and support local businesses and charities. He was a great believer in shopping locally and wanted to shop in Birchington and hated Westwood Cross.

"Hans took great pride in showing people around the area. We get regular visitors from Germany as we are audited by BMW and Mercedes."

Mrs Delderfield said: "He gave employment to an awful lot of people over the years and was quite well known in the businesses here and took great pride in interacting with other businesses.

"He was very charitable and last year gave a donation to Demelza House and the year before had 75 hampers to give to Age Concern.

"We did pink days and dress up in pink for cancer and would always donate. There's been so many he's put into."

Mr Knight added: "He sponsored Donna's grandson, he would sponsor children and if something came up he would always contribute.

"Whatever we raised on the shop floor he would match. That's the sort of person he was.

"He tried to keep it all local charities. We said we'd do it again this year and keep that memory going."

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