• Leigh Hopper (left), Paul Bartolo (top right) and Rob Brussolo (bottom right)
    Leigh Hopper (left), Paul Bartolo (top right) and Rob Brussolo (bottom right)
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Australia’s largest distributor of printable materials and consumables, Ball & Doggett, is strengthening its leadership team, with Leigh Hooper, Rob Brussolo and Paul Bartolo all taking new senior roles.

Leigh Hooper (pictured left) will take up the role as general manager – Labels & Packaging (L&P). The continuing growth in this market in terms of volume and technology is seen as a focal point for the business. Ball & Doggett says commitment to the development of sustainable packaging alternatives is a key platform for the company, with Hooper looking to continue the push with products covering the industrial, foodservice, carton board, plastic, flexible packaging sectors as well as the roll label market, all sectors where Ball & Doggett has substantial market presence.

Rob Brussolo (pictured top right) has been promoted to the role of general manager – Display & Visual (D&V). The D&V sector looks after all wide format products including roll, rigid materials and hardware accessories. With the acquisition of Access Paper a few years ago, Brussolo is looking forward to continued organic growth. Ball & Doggett says the signage market continues to evolve with greater emphasis on technology and the expectation to have a complete range of printable materials in stock and delivered on time is “fundamental to our success”.

Paul Bartolo (pictured bottom right) is to take charge as national manager – Digital Media (Small Format). The digital print market continues to forge ahead with next technologies emerging from the company’s OEM partners, with the market continuing to grow with greater focus on application-based solutions.

Bartolo has a long history in the small format digital papers business having lead the sales team in NSW for the past five years. The company says there is an extensive range of product solutions and services offered into the digital print market. Bartolo is keen to continue to build of money saving customer solutions such as i_consignment and the Aspire Rewards program. The company says both these solutions are “driving real dollar savings for our customers.”

 

Food & Drink Business

Wine Australia and Wine Victoria will put almost $887,000 over three years into projects covering sustainability, biosecurity, business data and export insights for Victorian grapegrowers and winemakers.

McCain Foods has turned over a full 24-hour production run at its Ballarat plant to Foodbank Australia, producing 120,000 meals valued at more than $790,000.

The Australian Beverages Council has committed the non-alcoholic drinks industry to lifting low and no sugar drinks to 70 per cent of water-based beverage sales by 2030, up from 65 per cent in 2024. The target is the centrepiece of the council’s Beverage Choices Roadmap to 2030 (BCR30), launched by CEO Geoff Parker at its annual Drinks Industry Dialogue in Sydney yesterday.