Our People

Ross Hanlon - Director / Proprietor

Purchased the business in 1988 after a very successful career in Woolworths Ltd a totally Australian owned retail company. Started as an Executive Trainee in 1958 and progressed through the company management structure to become an Associate Director and was appointed Chief General Manager of the Australian Supermarkets in 1983 and was also appointed a Director of the Woolworths Manufacturing Division.

The Supermarket Division of the company represented 70% of the total company business and it wasn’t doing very well. The division comprised 480 stores, had approximately 45,000 staff and a turnover in excess of $4 billion (1983) Ross was responsible for the purchase of the Australian Safeway stores from Safeway America and in doing so gained very valuable knowledge in dealing directly with Peter McGowan of Safeway America.

Ross employed the services of Hank Patterson who operated out of New York and Raleigh in Texas to act as a “Facilitator” in developing a very important “Strategic Plan” that would eventually turn Woolworths around and become the biggest and most successful retailer in Australia. Woolworths became the "Fresh Food People".

Ross resigned from the company in 1988 and Ross with his wife Dot purchased all of the shares in A.C.E. Packwell Pty Ltd.

Dot Hanlon - Director / Proprietor

Has had an extensive background in administration and has been active in the administration of the business. For 22 years Dot has had a “hands on” roll by doing all the staff and management wages and handling all superannuation matters. In 2010 Dot has trained and handed over these responsibilities to her daughter in law Janine Hanlon.

Matthew Hanlon - Managing Director (Son of Ross & Dot)

After completing his schooling in 1987 Matthew joined Coles Myer as an Executive Trainee. Coles Myer was the main competitor to Woolworths In Australia and the two companies fort to be No.1 and both had excellent management training courses. Matthew progressed through to junior management and was doing very well but decided it was time to join the family business. He started as a trainee and worked in all sections of the business from stockroom to line packaging to machine operating to machine fitting to quality assurance. At the completion of his training. Matthew was appointed Production Manager and progressed to General Manager.

In 20 years Matthew has gained an enormous knowledge of packaging machinery and his understanding of the machines capabilities and the many different types of products that customers want to put into sachets is invaluable. Matthew has a proven record of taking on big projects and successfully managing the project to the customers satisfaction. For example: One customer that requires an average of 1.5 million sachets per month.

Matthew purchases the product, the sachet laminate, the packaging materials and delivers the finished product to two different distribution location and always has a
100% on time strike rate.

Janine Hanlon - Administration

Janine has had extensive experience in administration and secretarial work before joining A.C.E. Packwell. Janine has taken over the responsibilities for the staff and manager wages plus all superannuation matters. Janine is also trained as a back up in general administration and quality assurance.

Donna O’Kane - Quality Manager (second in charge to Matthew)

Donna is second in charge to Matthew Hanlon in the day to day running of the factory.

Joined A.C.E. Packwell in May 2000 with no previous experience in this type of work. Donna started as a Line Packer and was trained as a Machine Operator. In March 2001 was selected to be trained as a Quality Assurance Supervisor. After completion of her in house training Donna was appointed the Quality Assurance Supervisor. She has continually proven her “no compromise” approach and her outstanding attention to detail. In 2003 she was appointed the Quality Assurance Manager. Donna has regular contact with the Quality departments in the companies we deal with and she has a very good liaison with the Government Authorities such as the TGA. She deals directly with the Nata approved Microbiologist that carries out the SWOB and Air sample tests on our factory and equipment and she deals directly with Laboratories that do the stability tests prior to the release for sale by us or by our clients.

Kevin Wong - Quality Supervisor

Has had extensive experience as and Operator/Packer and was appointed to this position in 2009.