Obituary: Alan Smith, former md of Cornwall Paper Company

Mr Smith's company was one of the first IWPPA (Independent Waste Paper Processors Association) members and the only one in Cornwall.

Obituary

Brian Perry of Perrys Recycling, a friend of Alan's, has kindly contributed the following obituary about Alan:

“Alan was an active member of IWPPA and its limited trading company travelling many miles to attend meetings with his wife Christine.

Alan joined his father's business in the early 1970's, and was previously a schoolteacher; the factory that was positioned right beside the Epal Beam Engine Tower at Redruth.

As the business grew they moved into a larger factory in the early 1990s and while it was not purpose built, Alan laid it out in a highly efficient way to achieve maximum throughput. The site was processing waste paper grades, and also selling packaging material, some of which was recycled cartons and polystyrene etc.

He created with his wife Christine a special educational area for visiting school children especially to illustrate the recycling chain of all types of material. As far as we are aware this was one of the first in the country for a private company to establish such a facility, which showed Alan's enthusiasm to illustrate the importance of recycling to the younger generation. The company was well regarded and in 2003 won the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Best Sustainable Medium Business Award.

Alan and Christine were successful in winning the kerbside collection for much of Cornwall. They were successful in building a new MRF at Bodmin, which was opened by Elliot Morley the then Environment Minister in August 2004. Alan worked tirelessly to find the most up to date and efficient equipment to produce not only an efficient MRF but also that the material processed was of the highest standard and quality and will no doubt stand as a memorial to him in years to come.

Environmentalist

Alan was an intelligent quiet man with a strong conviction for the environment before it became fashionable to become an environmentalist with a great sense of humour and zest for life. Alan and Christine sold Cornwall Paper in early 2005 and retired at the end of that year but continued with the packaging business and animal bedding which he was enthusiastic to expand in the coming years. He had made plans with his wife Christine to travel particularly to Australia later this year.

Alan's industrial knowledge of the recycling and the environment will be sadly missed particularly in Cornwall where his, Christine's and their staff, many of whom have worked for the company for many years, brought recycling to the high level it is today. He was a highly regarded businessman and friend to many of us in the industry and will be sadly missed and our condolences go particularly of course to his wife Christine and family at their sad loss.”