31/08/2026
If you've had machinery made by Accolade Packaging in the last 25 years, then you will have met Dean Goldsworthy.
Dean manages the machinery division, handling all enquiries related to new machinery. He works with customers to ascertain how best to deliver on their ideas and needs, then designs the machinery and sources any necessary parts.
Nothing leaves Accolade without his team having tested it to ensure it works as expected and, for Dean, “after putting in all the hours and effort to get a line running as we expect at Accolade, to then see it performing as expected is a great buzz” he says.
He signs off all CAD drawings, so that there are" no surprises for anyone," and if a customer is also using Accolade film, Dean checks machinery die lines to ensure a seamless packaging experience. He also handles the technical spares, and the inhouse service technicians are also part of Dean’s wider team.
Dean has been at the helm of Accolade’s Machinery Division since 2004. Having owned and managed the work under another company, he brought the division to Accolade when that company closed, expanding Accolade's offering from flexible packaging products to include the machines that use them.
A Fitter Turner by trade, Dean has worked with machinery off and on for decades. In his ‘off’ years he changed trajectory drastically, studying aromatherapy, followed by lymph oedema therapy and Complex Physical Therapy, working in clinics in Australia and NZ.
But his love of machinery eventually brought him back to engineering. "Every day is different,” says Dean. “Having said that, my biggest enjoyment in the job comes from my colleagues. At Accolade we are all long-time employees. We have all been through a lot together and I am very grateful for the support they have shown me and my family. I’m very proud of them and what we have all achieved so far. They are absolutely the biggest strength of our work here.”
