The Australian print industry has spent much of the past century adapting to change. Few companies embody that story more completely than IVE Group.
As technologies have evolved and markets have shifted, the business has repeatedly reinvented itself, while remaining firmly connected to its print heritage.
What began in 1921 as The Link – a community newspaper founded by Oscar Selig in Balmain – has grown into one of Australia's largest marketing and communications businesses, built through strategic investment, operational scale and a willingness to embrace industry change.
Few businesses have experienced every major chapter of the industry's evolution – from newspapers and commercial print, through the catalogue boom, digital disruption and today's highly automated production environments, IVE has continually adapted to changing market conditions.
By the 1960s, the business had expanded into commercial printing, responding to growing demand from Australian businesses. Through the following decades, it built scale across western Sydney, investing in production capability and developing the operational foundations that would support future growth.
What followed was a period of consolidation and transformation that reshaped not only IVE, but much of the Australian print landscape.
The acquisition of Blue Star in 2012 marked the beginning of a new growth phase under Geoff and Paul Selig. Subsequent acquisitions, including Geon, STI Lilyfield, Active Display Group, The POS Collective, AFI Branding, SEMA and Salmat united several of the most prominent businesses in Australian manufacturing.
Rather than viewing industry disruption as a threat, IVE's strategy was to invest through periods of uncertainty. The company continued building scale and capability at a time when many global print markets were contracting.
That approach culminated in IVE's ASX listing in 2015, providing a platform for further investment and expansion.
Today, the business operates across a range of touchpoints including print, catalogues, brand activations, packaging, data-led communications, 3PL, merchandise, uniforms and distribution.
According to Matt Aitken, managing director of IVE, the company's longevity reflects a willingness to evolve while staying focused on the fundamentals.
“Every generation of the business has faced change," he said. “The technologies have changed, the channels have changed and customer expectations have changed, but the need to deliver quality, reliability and results has remained constant.”
Recent investments demonstrate that confidence in the future of Australian manufacturing remains strong.
The acquisition of fibre-based packaging business JacPak in 2023 expanded IVE into a growing adjacent category, while investments in renewable electricity and operational efficiency reflect the increasing importance of sustainable production.
The company also continues to invest in the future of its multi-discipline operations, including the development of its new state-of-the-art Kemps Creek manufacturing site in Western Sydney.
For the Australian print industry, IVE's 105-year journey stands as a reminder that longevity is rarely about standing still. The businesses that endure are those prepared to reinvent themselves, while remaining true to the strengths that made them successful in the first place.
From a small community newspaper in Balmain to one of Australia's largest diversified marketing company, IVE's story has been defined by adaptation. And at 105 years old, the company remains focused not on how far it has come, but on where it goes next.