PETER Page, the chief executive of sausage skin maker Devro, is to step down in February.

In a statement to the Stock Exchange, Devro said that Mr Page had “agreed with the board to step down”, after a decade at the helm.

Mr Page, who earned £513,000 last year, will be replaced by Rutger Helbing, currently group finance director. A search has begun to find a replacement for Mr Helbing.

Gerard Hoetmer, chairman of Devro, said: “Peter has made a huge contribution to Devro, turning the company into one of the world’s leading suppliers of collagen casings for food.”