Long-serving managing director announces retirement.

 

Scott Thornton, managing director of Pilot Pen Australia (pictured), will step down in late February next year to be succeeded by Paul Astbury, currently the company’s general manager – finance and administration, who joined the company in 2000.

 

“After 26 years in the industry and the last 22 years as managing director of Pilot Pen, I thought it was time to step back from business life,” Thornton told Office Products News.

 

“Working in the industry and with our shareholder Pilot Corporation of Japan has been an absolute pleasure,” he said.

 

 “I commenced with Dalton Packaging in 1998 which had the Australian distribution rights for Pilot products since 1960.  In 2010 Dalton Packaging’s owner fell into financial difficulties and Pilot Corporation of Japan bought the business and renamed it Pilot Pen Australia and we never looked back,” he added.

 

“I have been very fortunate in business life to be associated with such a strong global brand as Pilot. We also own Sellotape and Pilotape brands in Australia, while we are the distribution agent for Westcott.

 

“It is the right time to leave as Pilot Pen Australia has a very good team with a bright future,”  he said.

 

Footnote: The photo above provided by Scott Thornton came with the comment: “The photo shows what I will be doing more of. Caught this last month!”