Groundbreaking marks completion of East Chicago recycling facility; company pledges teen mentorship with Boys and Girls Club

Executives and community leaders gathered in East Chicago for a ceremonial groundbreaking marking the completion and transformation of a new waste‑recycling facility and to announce expanded local partnerships with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana.

The event’s speakers emphasized the project’s multi‑year origin and its local economic and environmental aims. The host — identified in the transcript as Larry — said the initiative began as a presentation in December 2019 and credited business‑development staff and many company employees for advancing the project over roughly six years.

“A complete transformation of the facility, complete transformation of the surroundings,” said Aurelia Mateo, introduced in remarks as the company’s U.S. CEO, who called the project “very impactful for our community, for our employees, for the environment.” She said the upgrades are intended to improve the working environment, safety and regulatory compliance.

Victor Prece, identified in the remarks as the company’s global CEO for environmental services, described the facility’s role in increasing recycling and reuse. “We are a sustainability‑based company,” he said, adding that the infrastructure “will open more opportunities to recycle more and to become more sustainable,” and that the project should create job opportunities for technicians and other local workers.

Ashley Loptic, introduced at the event as a representative of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, described an expanding corporate partnership that supports teen programming and mentorship. She said the company will provide about 15 employees who will regularly mentor teens and that the company will host a teen summit at the East Chicago club this summer.

Mike Jessen, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, reiterated the nonprofit’s local reach and said the organization relies on corporate and community support to keep programs affordable. He said the East Chicago club is part of a network the organization operates across Lake and Porter counties and noted that membership in East Chicago is $50 per year, which he said allows after‑school care through the school year. Jessen encouraged volunteers and donations and offered a direct contact for those interested in supporting the clubs.

Event organizers and speakers thanked municipal partners and local department heads for their assistance in completing the project. The program concluded with plans for ceremonial photographs, a ground‑breaking and a cake cutting, after which attendees were invited to continue the celebration.

The companies and nonprofit emphasized that the partnership combines on‑site volunteerism with financial support and mentorship, and they said they expect continued collaboration in the months ahead.