For 100 years, BBM Brand Management (BBM) has remained relevant by recognising when it was time to change.

When Malcolm Buckner reflects on the family's century in business, he does not begin by talking about printing presses, technology or milestones.

He talks about stewardship.

"A family business is never really yours," he says. "You are simply looking after it for the next generation. Our responsibility has always been to leave it stronger than we found it."

It is a philosophy that has guided Buckner Brand Management since Edward Buckner established Buckner Printing in Brisbane in 1926.

What began as a five-person letterpress printing business has evolved into a national brand management company delivering print, promotional merchandise, apparel, signage, warehousing, fulfilment and technology solutions to organisations across Australia and internationally. The products have changed dramatically over the past century, but the philosophy has not. Every generation has recognised that remaining successful meant changing before change became unavoidable.

The woman who kept the business alive

Only eight years after the business was established, tragedy struck.

Edward died in April 1934 from lead poisoning, an occupational hazard faced by many printers who worked daily with lead type. The business could easily have ended there. Instead, ownership passed to Jane Buckner, who made the decision to continue at a time when very few women led manufacturing businesses.

Jane guided the company through the Great Depression and the Second World War, preserving not only her husband's business but the opportunity for future generations to build upon it.

For Malcolm, Jane's contribution remains the defining chapter in BBM's history.

"People often talk about the business reaching 100 years," he says. "For me, the story is really about my nan. If she had not made the decision to keep the business going after my grandfather died, none of us would be here talking about a centenary today."

Jane's resilience was tested time and again. In 1935, she lost her daughter Eunice to Bright's disease, a condition that at the time had no effective treatment. Ten years later, during the Second World War, her eldest son, Flight Sergeant Bennie Edward Buckner, was killed while serving with the Royal Australian Air Force in New Guinea.

Few people would have blamed Jane for walking away. Instead, she continued leading both her family and the business through some of the most difficult years in its history. She remained at the helm until her younger son, David Buckner, completed his printing apprenticeship later that year, ensuring the company could continue into the next generation.

Building for the future

David began his apprenticeship at just 14 years of age. Like many printers of his generation, he learned every aspect of the trade before taking responsibility for the business.

Over the following four decades, David transformed BBM into one of Queensland's leading commercial printing companies. He invested in new technology, expanded manufacturing capability and steadily grew the business beyond Brisbane. BBM eventually operated from factories in Fortitude Valley, Geebung and Tingalpa, while expanding its presence with offices in Brisbane, Townsville, northern New South Wales, Sydney and Melbourne.

For Malcolm, his father's greatest lesson was simple.

"Dad respected the trade, but he was always looking forward," he says. "Every major investment was about making sure the business would be stronger tomorrow than it was today."

The hardest decision

Malcolm first worked in the business during school holidays before joining full-time in 1976. He became Managing Director in 1989.

During his leadership, BBM diversified beyond commercial printing into print management, labels, signage, merchandise, apparel, technology and procurement services. The company also invested early in digital ordering platforms, recognising that customers increasingly wanted integrated solutions rather than simply printed products.

By the early 2010s, another shift was becoming impossible to ignore. Print volumes were changing, customer expectations were evolving and the industry itself was becoming increasingly dominated by one major national player.

The hardest decision of Malcolm's career followed.

"Walking away from manufacturing was the hardest decision we ever made," he says. "Printing had defined us for generations. But we realised our customers were asking us to solve much bigger problems than simply putting ink on paper. If we wanted to stay relevant, we had to change with them."

In 2013, BBM transitioned from manufacturing to brand management. Rather than producing everything internally, the business focused on understanding customer needs, managing procurement, technology and supply chains, while developing a carefully selected network of trusted production partners. It proved to be one of the defining decisions in the company's history.

"We define ourselves by the problems we solve for our customers," Malcolm says. "Customer needs change, technology changes and markets change. If you wait too long to respond, you are already behind. We have always believed you have to stay in front."

From apprentice to Chief Executive Officer

When Malcolm stepped into the role of Chairman in 2007, he appointed Stephen Gell as Chief Executive Officer.

Stephen had joined BBM in 1984 as a Graphic Reproductionist apprentice. More than two decades later, he became the company's first non-family CEO, reflecting a culture that has always valued commitment and capability over job titles.

"When I joined BBM as a Graphic Reproductionist apprentice in 1984, I never imagined I would one day lead the business," Stephen says. "That reflects the opportunities BBM has always provided for people who are prepared to learn, contribute and grow."

Under Stephen's leadership, BBM accelerated its transformation into a national brand management business. Investment in digital procurement, warehousing, fulfilment and business technology significantly broadened the company's capabilities.

The transition also created opportunities well beyond Australia. Today, BBM supports customers throughout Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States, backed by a carefully developed network of production and sourcing partners across Australia, New Zealand, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. That network provides customers with broader capability and greater flexibility while allowing BBM to focus on managing brands, simplifying procurement and delivering consistent customer outcomes.

"Our business has evolved significantly over the past century, but our purpose has remained the same," Stephen says. "We are here to make good things happen for our customers. Today we do that through technology, supply chain expertise, trusted partners and brand management, rather than simply producing print."

The evolution was formally recognised in 2023 when the company rebranded to Buckner Brand Management, reflecting the breadth of services it now provides.

Preparing for the next chapter

James Buckner joined the business in 2005 while studying Business at Queensland University of Technology, becoming the fourth generation of the family to work in the company.

His focus has centred on technology, digital procurement and business systems, and increasingly on artificial intelligence and automation.

"Growing up around BBM gave me a real appreciation for what previous generations built," James says. "It also reinforced that every generation has a responsibility to leave the business stronger than they found it."

For James, technology is simply the next chapter in BBM's history of adaptation.

"The opportunity is not technology for its own sake," he says. "It is understanding where it can genuinely improve the customer experience and help our people work more effectively. Reaching our centenary is an incredible milestone, but it is also the beginning of our next chapter. The opportunities in artificial intelligence, digital platforms and global markets mean the future of BBM is just as exciting as its history.”

A century of change

One hundred years after Edward Buckner established the business, BBM looks very different from the company he founded in 1926. The products have changed, the technology has changed and the business itself has evolved many times over.

What has not changed is the belief that success comes from understanding what customers need and being prepared to adapt as those needs change.

Malcolm believes that enduring philosophy is the true legacy of the Buckner family.

"I often think about what my grandfather Edward would make of the business today," he says. "I think he would be amazed by how far we have come. More than anything, I hope that he and my nan would be proud of the journey we have taken and the one we are still on."

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