FORMER colleagues have been paying tribute to a larger-than-life character who was a driving force in the Tiverton business world for two decades.

Douglas Shopland, who was managing director of sawmill machinery manufacture firm Stenner Ltd, died last Monday aged 62 after a short illness.

Mr Shopland joined Stenner in 1988 as sales manager and was then sales director, rising to managing director in 1989.

Before joining the firm, which has more than 100 years of history in the town, Mr Shopland had worked for General Electric, selling gas turbines. Syd Mather, Stenner's managing director, said Mr Shopland was fondly remembered by staff, having been at the helm during a shifting time within the industry and driving forward key changes.

Mr Mather said: "It was his objective to bring the company into the 21st century. He worked very, very hard to restructure the business to meet those challenges. In 1992, he and three partners bought the business, and I think it is fair to say, if the business had not changed, it would not have survived to today."

Mr Mather said Mr Shopland showed great dedication in expanding the business globally. "He travelled all over the world, waving the Stenner flag superbly wherever he went," he said.

"It was a real 24/7 job, he was having a lot of dealings with Australia, New Zealand and America, which meant working early mornings and late evenings.

"Some years ago a sawmill owner based in Celina, Tennessee, visited Tiverton to view the factory and was accompanied by his friend who was the mayor of the city.

"Doug entertained them regally showing them Devon's sights including a day horse racing and a day fox-hunting. On a return visit to the US, Doug and the firm's US agent were immediately summoned to the mayor's office and so impressed with his time in Devon, the mayor presented both Doug and his colleague with a brass key to the city in a formal ceremony."

At 6ft 7in, Syd said Mr Shopland could make a big impression on clients, sometimes too big. He explained: "He was notorious for travelling around the world destroying seats and chairs, such was his size, and he would blame the shortcomings of the workmen.

"From a famous restaurant in Melbourne to the office of our distributors in New England where he was about to conclude a deal, it happened several times.

"He used to refer to himself, for anyone who had to pick him up at an airport on one of his foreign visits, as being a Helmut Kohl lookalike."

Outside of work, colleagues remembered Mr Shopland being keen on golf and rugby during his younger days.

More recently he enjoyed horse racing, and was a fan of the Cheltenham Festival.

The businessman was a great supporter of the Devon Air Ambulance, formerly serving as a chairman of its trust.

A Devon Air Ambulance Trust spokesman said: "Doug was a fantastic trustee and chairman for six years. He played an essential part in the negotiations and ordering of our owned aircraft.

"He will be much-missed by all his friends at the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and we would like to send our condolences to his wife June and his family."

His funeral service is due to will take place at North Newton Church in Somerset at 2pm on Friday.