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Moving beyond natural resources

Published Tuesday November 18th, 2008 Businessman wants to put Bathurst on the global map through media projects C3By James Mallory German businessman is looking to highlight Bathurst on the world map. Axel Lerche has recently moved from Hamburg, Germany to set up business in Bathurst. He owns and manages M Group, a television production company and marketing agency; M plus International, a marketing consulting agency and; Tight Lines Productions, a television and information technology production company. "I believe that Northern New Brunswick has a potential beside lumbering and mining, " said Mr. Lerche. "We have some other media companies in the area with excellent expertise in their particular field...Together with this network of companies we will develop more successful media projects for the international market. I also know about the demand in New Brunswick for a consulting company with a long time experience in Europe and I believe with my office base in Bathurst, I can have my focus on the provincial but also on local clients and companies." Last month, Mr. Lerche invited business leaders and other dignitaries to his office for a meet and greet. Brian Kenny, Liberal MLA for Bathurst, attended the meeting and he's enthusiastic about what he believes Mr. Lerche can do for the city. "He's doing some consulting for the Province of New Brunswick and for other business people to introduce and open doors to European markets, specifically in Germany and in England and France," said Mr. Kenny, who first encountered Mr. Lerche a few years back. Mr. Kenny he was in Berlin, Germany doing work with the locally produced Fishing Musicians TV program. Mr. Kenny met Mr. Lerche and told him of business opportunities in Bathurst and New Brunswick. As luck would have it, Mr. Lerche actually had a fishing camp off the Miramichi River so he was familiar with the area. Mr. Kenny convinced Mr. Lerche to visit Bathurst on the way to the fishing camp and the rest is history. "He came to Bathurst and met with me and I showed him some opportunities that were going on in the area. Over a period of two years back and forth, I finally convinced him to move to Bathurst. So he's sold his house in Hamburg, Germany and he's now a resident and his children are at school and his wife is here." Mr. Lerche agreed that he fell in love with the North Shore. "I met Brian in Berlin and he told me about his great home town and the beauty of the Bay of Chaleur and the pristine water of the Nepisiguit River. We also talked about business opportunities in this area and I kept all information in my mind and I became curious. Later I came to Bathurst and I realized that Brian Kenny was right." Another German businessman, Bertram Schwarz, was also at the meet and greet. Mr. Kenny said Mr. Schwarz is also looking to set up shop in Bathurst. "He's working at getting his immigration papers and he's on his way to moving to Bathurst also...It's premature but we're working on an Internet based and media based green technology development. This is going to be something that is going to put us on the world wide map as far as I'm concerned, with their expertise in the Internet and expertise in media." Mr. Kenny said he has been working closely with Mr. Lerche and Mr. Schwarz providing information on the area and connecting them with various business people and government agencies. "What we're trying to do with them is have their expertise bring awareness worldwide to not only Bathurst but to New Brunswick. They just have such a love for the area that they can see a business opportunity at the same time." Mr. Lerche noted that matching up business with an attractive lifestyle should keep him here for the long haul. "Bathurst and the area are wonderful and a great place to be for my family and me. The people are fantastic and we appreciate the support and help of a lot of people here from Bathurst in the last time. We enjoy the great nature and that everything what we imagine about Canada is so close – the ocean and the woods, the marsh and the rivers, the moose and the whales and the great fishing on the Nepisiguit what I have heard. "We even can't wait to enjoy a real Bathurst winter with a lot of snow and fun on the ice," he concluded.