What is a typical day for you at work? 

No two days are the same, but at its core, my role is about making sure everything we produce at the Botany Mill in Sydney meets the highest quality standards. 

Starting from the quality of the incoming raw materials procured by our recycling team, through to the final product making its way through the supply chain.  

I oversee product compliance, making sure everything meets food contact, Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and other regulations to meet customer requirements.  

A big part of my role is working closely with customers to better understand their current needs, as well as what they might need in the future. This forms the basis of new product development, or potentially optimising and improving current products. 

Day to day I also provide technical support across the business, both internally and directly to our customers.  

Tell us about your career background, previous roles and industry experience.  

I’ve spent more than 30 years in the industry, building a strong technical foundation across all aspects of the business. Early on, I developed a broad understanding of how things connect, from production through to customer outcomes. Over time, I realised I was most interested in solving problems with customers and developing technical solutions that naturally led me into the role I’m in today. 

Tell us about your career journey?  

I studied Chemical Engineering at university and landed a role with then Amcor, now Opal, as a graduate process engineer at the Botany Mill. 

I started in water treatment and stock preparation, before moving onto paper machines and later into a Technical Superintendent role. There, I focused on product quality, reducing manufacturing costs and driving energy efficiency. 

From there, I spent quite a significant amount of time working in box plants to understand how our products are used in the real world, allowing me to find and improve efficiencies across the business. I also moved into technical sales, managing customer accounts and gaining a different perspective on the business. One of the highlights was being part of the start-up of the B9 paper mill, helping with training and commissioning.  

Now 30 years on, my focus is on ensuring quality products meet the needs of our customers. I ‘ve seen the business evolve significantly, and it’s been rewarding to be part of that journey.   

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love the diversity in type of work and people I get to work with – from across departments and business units, to customers. I enjoy taking what customers tell us they need and translating that into something we can deliver operationally. It’s about connecting technical capability with real-world outcomes, and finding solutions, even when they’re not straightforward. 

What has been your most memorable project or accomplishment at Opal so far?

There’s a few! Being part of the start-up of the B9 mill. Seeing it go from the ground to up and running.  

More recently, I’m proud of the development of two new product families – our higher-performing recycled liners and corrugated mediums. These are designed to deliver virgin-fibre-like performance from recycled grades for the fruit and produce / agricultural sectors with long, demanding supply chains. We’ve been able to avoid importing a virgin fibre medium, which is better all round as it’s all locally produced, which our customers really

Visit our careers page to start your journey at Opal.