E. S. & A. Robinson was a British paper, printing and packaging company founded in Bristol in 1844. In 1966 it that was merged with John Dickinson Stationery to form the Dickinson Robinson Group (DRG) creating one of the world's largest stationery and packaging companies.[1]
The company was founded in 1844 by Elisha Smith Robinson who was joined by his brother Alfred in 1848. The company prospered quickly making paper bags for grocery stores and then branching out into printing items such as the tradesman’s almanack, elaborate notepapers and bound ledgers.
By 1860 the company had eleven lithographic presses, two lithographic machines worked by steam power and a machine for making paper bags . As paper merchants it held the greatest supply of paper in any firm in the kingdom.
1870 after further enlargement of the premises in Redcliffe Street [2] Elisha declared to the architect, the builders and the clerk of the works : " Gentlemen, I have the finest printing factory in the West of England, and neither I nor those who come after me will ever want to enlarge it." By 1887 the company had new block of buildings at Bedminster and this in its turn was only to be big enough for five years
1872 Acquired the printing works of Ensor & Co. in Marsh Street.
1873 Elisha Robinson bought in America a patent for a paper satchel bag which would eventually revolutionise the trade in paper packaging of materials such as Portland Cement and flour.[3]
Elisha’s sons Edward II and Arthur joined the company in 1869 and 1874
1885 Elisha Smith Robinson died
1887 A technique stumbled upon by American paper dealer Robert Gair led to the mass production of the carton and folding boxes which accelerated the growth of the Bedminster and later Fishponds operations.
1889 One week’s paid holiday granted to employees with service of a year or more. At the time the wider business community considered this was innovative and overly generous. The Robinsons however continued to demonstrate a balanced reaction to the emerging union influences and later were industry leaders in the introduction of pensions and profit sharing schemes.
1893 Edward and Arthur Robinson turned the business into a limited company.
1902 A Mr Benwell , manager of bag making, chanced upon an idea for printing on bags. The demand for bags printed with logos and advertising proved to be enormous and a hundred million were ordered within a few weeks of the process being operational. A patent was later sold to the Union Bag Company in America. [4]
1912 The Malago Factory was completed and by 1930 it was producing 25 million bags per week
1918 John Laird & Son Ltd, Printers in Glasgow, acquired.[5]
1920 The Strachan & Henshaw engineering company was acquired.
1920 E S & A Robinson (South Africa) Ltd incorporated and later Paper Sacks (South Africa) Ltd
1924 Robinson Waxed Paper Co. Ltd incorporated and by 1929 from its Fishponds factory exported wax paper to New Zealand, Malaya, China, India, Ceylon, the West Indies, Egypt, Palestine, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden.
1932 E S & A Robinson (Canada) Ltd founded in Toronto.
1940 Company engineers develop an aircraft template reproduction process that is adopted by practically the whole of the British aircraft industry. The process received commendation from Sir Stafford Cripps for a significant contribution to the war effort.[6]
1955 A De Havilland Heron aircraft was acquired to ferry company executives and technicians. [7]
1966 A merger with John Dickinson Stationery forms the Dickinson Robinson Group (DRG) creating one of the world's largest stationery and packaging companies. Products with a high public profile included Sellotape and Basildon Bond.
1974-1979 DRG acquires Papeteries de La Couronne, J Arthur Dixon, Royal Sovereign and John Heath.
1989 Roland Franklin (Pembridge Associates) acquired DRG with a leveraged buyout fuelling debate within the British electorate about the asset stripping of established British companies and causing discomfort amongst the many remaining Robinson shareholders.
1992 Bowater (now Rexam ) acquired DRG Packaging
1990 DRG Stationery sold to Biber Holdings of Switzerland. Name changed back to John Dickinson Stationery Limited.