In the seven years that he has been in China, German-native Michael, Schwantzer has found himself at the sharp end of business,building up a successful enterprise from humble beginnings in a highly competitive market. Michael initially came to China in 1997 to run a Sino-German joint venture supplying the shipbuilding industry in Nanjing. Two years later he joined LAP, starting the company's China operations. Within two years he had helped bring LAP's annual China sales from zero to US$ 5 million, in part through his extensive contacts within the steel industry.Based in Shanghai, where he lives with his wife and two children, Michael has caught the China-bug and has no plans to return to his native Germany. “Why would I?” he says.“Shanghai is the place to be right now.”