For Daniel O’Sullivan, group sales and marketing director at Abbe Group, the company’s strength lies in the same principles that have guided his family for four generations: resilience, collaboration and long-term thinking. In today’s demanding manufacturing landscape, he says family businesses also need the right networks around them.
“You cannot operate in isolation,” O’Sullivan says. “You need structure, governance and people around you who understand the unique challenges of family business. Associations like Family Business Association (FBA) and Australian Packaging & Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) offer value to businesses like ours. You meet like-minded people, you collaborate, and together you strengthen the broader manufacturing community.”
From humble beginnings to strategic expansion
Abbe’s lineage dates to 1954, when Daniel’s grandfather founded Cardboard Containers. After a sale and closure under corporate ownership, his father re-established what is now Abbe in 1991, soon joined by Daniel and his brothers Anthony and Chris. “We grew up on the factory floor while we were at university,” he recalls. “We learned the trade hands-on and developed a passion for what we do.”
That hands-on immersion shaped the family’s view that continuity requires both structure and education. When the O’Sullivans sought a major bank loan, they were advised to join FBA. “Our first forum group meeting was transformative,” O’Sullivan says. “We met other young family-business leaders facing the same issues: succession, communication, trust. It was the first time I realised I was not alone.”
The relationships built in that FBA Forum Group remain strong. “Some of those people became almost family. You cannot always discuss business challenges with friends or with your own family, because sometimes the challenge is about them. But the FBA network understands you.”
The family still uses many of the frameworks introduced by FBA. Annual family-council meetings bring the wider family together, and the next generation begins learning early. “We see ourselves as custodians, not owners. Our goal is to hand over a strong business to the next generation.”
A landmark acquisition
That grounding helped shape one of Abbe’s biggest recent moves: its acquisition of Oji Fibre Solutions’ Australian packaging operations in late 2025. The deal expanded the company’s presence across the eastern seaboard, adding multiple corrugating sites and six distribution centres across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
O’Sullivan describes the acquisition as a natural extension of Abbe’s long-term view. “Our business is not built around quick profits or exit strategies. We think in decades. We see ourselves as custodians of this business, preparing it for the next generation.”
The three O’Sullivan brothers (l-r Daniel, Chris and Anthony) have worked together in the business for 30-plus years.
Shared leadership, shared values
The company’s leadership dynamic reflects that philosophy. “My weaknesses are my brothers’ strengths, and vice versa,” O’Sullivan says. “We communicate constantly, and that trust is what keeps us aligned.”
This approach extends to their workforce. “We call them team members, not employees,” he says. “Many have been with us upward of ten years. The pride and passion they bring is humbling. They could be passionate about anything, but they choose to be passionate about cardboard boxes.”
Recruitment follows the same values-first approach. “Culture comes before credentials. We want people who fit our values. We often hire through referral because trust sits at the centre of everything we do.”
The power of association networks
While FBA has shaped Abbe’s governance, O’Sullivan says APPMA has strengthened its industry connectivity. Through APPMA events, the company formed enduring partnerships across the supply chain, especially in automation and packaging machinery. “When we refer a customer to another APPMA member, we trust they will deliver. Your reputation depends on that. These association networks give you access to a community that understands the industry from the inside.”
He sees growing scope for collaboration across associations. “FBA, APPMA and others do not compete. They complement each other. All of us rely on having a strong, sustainable manufacturing sector.”
Abbe joined other APPMA members at CeMAT 2025.
Innovation, resilience and mindset
Innovation remains central to Abbe’s identity. “We still operate with a founder’s mentality,” O’Sullivan says. “When you start small, you learn to innovate by solving problems, not by simply buying the latest technology. Innovation is a mindset.”
That mindset remains relevant as the company grows. Abbe uses a “fast-fail” approach when exploring new ideas or technologies, which allows the business to stay nimble and customer-focused.
Resilience was also shaped by hard lessons. O’Sullivan reflects on the company’s earlier decision to exit the Queensland market when conditions turned. “That was unfinished business. Coming back into Queensland through the Oji acquisition has brought the story full circle and allows us to better support customers with multi-site operations.”
Legacy and the next generation
After 35 years, O’Sullivan’s motivation is unchanged. “I still get a buzz from helping a customer in crisis. When a production line is about to stop and we can deliver overnight, that is incredibly satisfying.”
Looking to the future, he says the ultimate legacy is seeing the next generation build their own roles within the business. Several family members have already joined. “They do not get a role because of their surname. They earn it. That is a core FBA principle we live by.”
As he puts it, “Our responsibility is to hand over a strong, values-driven business. If our kids can find their potential within Abbe, that will be our proudest achievement.”
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The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) represents Australia’s leading companies within the Processing and Packaging Industry. Established in 1983 APPMA, is Australia’s only national packaging and processing machinery association and the proud owners of APPEX (formerly AUSPACK); which is the largest packaging and processing exhibition in Australia. APPMA’s objective is to promote, integrate and foster participation and development at all levels of the packaging and processing machinery side of the industry. |
