“Follow the money”: The story of a fascinating family business
From modest beginnings two men have forged one of the county’s most successful family business partnerships. Now they’re preparing to pass it on to the next generation.
Dear readers,
Apologies for the late edition this week.
One of the pleasures of writing about Gloucestershire for so long is being able to meet some of the individuals who have helped shape the county - whether they know it or not. Most don’t. They’re too busy running their businesses and organisations to realise the impact they’ve had.
Incredibly, more often than not, after achieving so much - creating a business from the ground up, growing it, creating jobs, dedicating their energies to it - they are still amazed anyone is interested. There is still part of them that believes they need to do better, could do better, if only there was more time in the day.
It’s emotional really, but these are also the meetings you come away from buoyed by the conversation, infected with the energy they radiate, enthused by the vision of the future they see, inspired like they are by the next generation about to take over their seat, in awe of their successors already.
I’m not sure that comes across quite right, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how it felt to meet Don Robins, who together with business partner and brother, Geof, spent a career growing a multi-million pound recycling business, and to speak to his daughter, Jenny, MD in the making.
I hope I’ve captured at least some of what it meant to meet them both below and I’ve told what is just a small part of their story as they would like it told.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
Briefing notes…
📈💷One of Gloucestershire’s biggest businesses and biggest private employers in Cheltenham, steam engineering giant Spirax Sarco, has delivered some good business news amidst the otherwise grim general news coverage of war and price rises. The engineering business, which has its global headquarters in Charlton Kings, expects continued organic growth in 2026. Group revenue for the year ending 31 December was up from £1.66bn to £1.7bn, according to the firm’s just-published annual report, although operating profit fell from £304.6m to £265.4m and pre-tax profit from £258.9m to £226.5m.
🚀👾 The University of Gloucestershire is launching a new cyber security programme led by a global expert to provide business leaders with the skills and confidence to mitigate the risk of their organisations falling victim to a devastating cyberattack. The 12-month programme – Unbreachable? Cyber leadership for senior leaders – will provide the essential skills to embed a culture of cybersecurity best practice and deliver long-term organisational protection. The course, which starts in spring 2026, is led by the university’s professor Cameron ‘Buck’ Rogers, who we’re told is an internationally recognised cyber and resilience leader and advisor to organisations including the IMF and M&S. More here.
✈️❓ If you have been following the saga of the attempted £25m sell-off of Gloucestershire Airport by the two local authorities that own it, you may be wondering just what is going on. You may have seen this story run on Friday’s edition, but just in case, here’s a link. Rumours have started to emerge that the sale of the local authority-owned 375-acre Staverton site is on the ropes after the deadline was pushed back. Rather than repeat the rumour and speculation, we decided to ask the business looking to become the new owner if the deal was still on. Here’s what it said.
Charity of the week: The ME Association
Today’s spotlight falls on Oliver Stockley, business development manager and designer for Gloucester-based Lightning Laser, whose efforts in turn direct our attentions towards The ME Association. Stockley was diagnosed with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome) 10 years ago, just as he started his first job after university. As a lover of the outdoors, it was crushing, and the condition also meant Stockley was unable to continue to work full-time due. Today he’s almost symptom-free and determined to make up for lost time and connect with the activities he used to take for granted. To help raise awareness for the charity, for others who still suffer with the condition, and to pay it back for all its support, he will be on the start line of the Paris Marathon. He hopes to raise £900 for The ME Association. To donate, please visit Oliver’s Just Giving page.
Future thinking… more diary dates
💡 Willans LLP solicitors’ experienced property dispute lawyers are hosting a free, in-person seminar to provide an update on the Renters’ Rights Act on 18 March at 4pm. The Bill is described as “representing the most significant reform to the private rental sector in decades”. Significant changes include the abolition of “no-fault” evictions, the introduction of rolling tenancies, limits on rent increases, and the new Decent Homes Standard. Aimed at landlords and their agents. More here.
🏇🏼🍕 Willans LLP solicitors and Cheltenham Open Door, the Cheltenham-headquartered law firm’s nominated charity for the year, invite you to join them for an evening of fun, fundraising and friendly competition. The entry fee, which all goes to the charity, puts you and a team in with a chance of winning one or more of six recorded races. Price includes two drinks and pizza. The date has been moved from the end of February to 23 April. At The Bottle of Sauce, Cheltenham, from 6pm. More here.
“Follow the money”: The story of a fascinating family business
From modest beginnings two men have forged one of the county’s most successful family business partnerships. Now they’re preparing to pass it on to the next generation.
By Andrew Merrell.
Don Robins (pictured above) tells a story about arriving at a client’s offices wearing a suit, doing the deal to dispose of their wastepaper, then returning to his van to get into his overalls to go back into the business as the removal man.
That was going back years. Brothers Don and Geof Robins were in the early days of establishing their business and did everything themselves. It’s a business they still remain as passionate about all these decades later.
And today they have 80 staff and their business, Printwaste, turns over more than £10 million. Rather than one van it commands a fleet of trucks and transit vans that cover the UK.
When Don was emerging from his van way back when, it was all about paper waste from printers. Printwaste now handles all manner of materials from laptops to polystyrene, electronic equipment, clothing, plastics and more.
It put the emphasis on recycling as much as possible long ago, selling its ‘product’ on what it describes as ‘the commodities market’ - which involves a flurry of phone calls every Thursday to check prices and make the deals with businesses in the UK and beyond.
It’s a fast-moving marketplace requiring an incredible agile business, and the way Don tells his story you begin to appreciate the appeal and to marvel at what the brothers and their team have created.
“We currently work with 2,000 customers and work across three sites,” said Don.
