By Simon Roberts, Director, Roberts Recycling Ltd
Last week, I had the surreal honour of being invited to Windsor Castle, as Roberts Recycling Ltd was formally recognised with our third King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.
It’s hard to put into words what this moment meant, but standing in the halls of Windsor and catching up with His Majesty King Charles III, it really hit home just how far we’ve come.
And yes, I did make the same joke I cracked back in 2019 about getting my jacket out of a bin bag. It landed. Again.
There was even a moment where I was asked to wait at the door because Her Royal Highness Princess Anne wanted to speak with me personally. We discussed our recent investments and where the industry is heading, and I invited her to come visit our new Halebank HQ for a cup of tea. Watch this space.
In all seriousness, this award is about the people behind the scenes at Roberts Recycling and the journey we’ve been on together. So here’s a snapshot of the past 12 months that made this recognition possible:
- £5 million investment into our new textiles recycling headquarters in Halebank, Cheshire
- Now a 40+ strong team across the north west and south Wales, and still growing
- Working with over 3,000 recycling partners – from charities and schools to leading UK retailers and brands
- Exporting 15,000 tonnes of reusable goods to global markets
- Diverting over 52 million items from landfill
- Raising £2.5 million for our charity partners
- Honoured with multiple awards – including this King’s Award, the prestigious Let’s Recycle Reuse Award, and recently, the Halton Business Award, following a year in our new Halton based facility
- Growing our education and community programmes, supporting schools with hands-on sustainability projects, and so far reaching hundreds of school children with recycling education
The best part?
It still doesn’t feel like work. This is a business built on passion, from helping to protect the planet, supporting charities and pushing for a more circular future for textiles.
A huge thank you to our team, partners, suppliers, and customers, who we wouldn’t be here without. 15 years in, it feels like we’re just getting started.
Email info@robertsrecycling.co.uk to find out how we can support your recycling and sustainability goals.
