PRINTWASTE RECYCLING & SHREDDING, CHELTENHAM

Established 1994

Employee numbers: 80

Generations in the business: 2

Cheltenham-based Printwaste was set up by brothers Don and Geof Robins.

Don tells the story: “My brother and I are lucky to see our children becoming part of the family business. Their skills are proving positive for the company.

“This industry is necessary to all our futures and our children have embraced this. Their generation is tasked to reverse the consequences of damage the human race is doing to the planet.

“Businesses are addressing waste and recycling with new vigour, often led by the younger generation. We innovate to ensure our services achieve their goals and with the energy and drive of the next generation, our future as a business looks really promising.

“When we began, the green movement was taken seriously by a very few. We started by recycling waste paper from the printing trade. Then the IT revolution took us inside offices to collect for recycling. Data protection concerns gave us the opportunity to offer confidential shredding and data destruction. Now, as a one-stop provider, we can treat any office or business waste as a resource and process it into reusable material.”

There are many reasons why family businesses change, Don said. “Some get too big or the children don’t want to join the business. Some don’t have the right skills in the family to ensure the business continues to flourish.

“Succession and leadership issues are challenges as the next generation becomes competent. Turning these into opportunities will move a family business forward. Do that and running a business with two generations can be a lot of fun – a vital ingredient for any family business.”