Indianapolis-based metals recycling firm J. Solotken and Co. celebrated its more than nine decades in business and thanked its customers with an event in late June that turned its recycling facility into a gourmet venue.
On the evening of June 26, 2010, the scrap metal dealer turned its 140,000-square-foot Indianapolis facility into a suitable location for a social gathering for some 150 guests, consisting of clients and employees of J. Solotken and Co. as well as news media and family members.
The company, founded in 1914, had been in business in the same downtown Indianapolis location for 75 years. The evening reception helped the company officially celebrate the recent move of its Indianapolis headquarters to the city’s east side.
J. Solotken and Co. calls its acquisition of the east side building “an economic development success story.” The company began operating in its new location in March of 2010. The building had been empty since May of 2008, following the closure of another local business.
According to a news release from J. Solotken and Co., throughout the past 15 months the recycling firm has invested approximately $4.5 million to turn the once-vacant building into an efficient scrap metal recycling facility.
“Tonight represents a special milestone for our business,” said Brian Nachlis, vice president at J. Solotken Co., at the grand opening celebration. “To have the opportunity to feature our operation to our clients in a way that is different from how you would normally see it is unique. Yet it’s important for what it says about our business and what we’ve continued to try to do for more than 90 years,” he added.
“We’ve changed the entire structure of how we recycle the metal that comes to us,” Nachlis continued. “From the docks on which materials are received…to the processes we use to move it through the facility, everything has changed. Our production capacity has increased dramatically; we’ve gone from packaging scrap 500 pounds at a time and hand-tying it together to 2,000 pound [bales] and tying it automatically. As a result, we’re able to process larger truckloads and a mix of different types of scrap,” added Nachlis.
The reception included a gourmet dinner served in the new building. A sculpture contest also was featured, with the winner receiving a prize of $2,500 and the opportunity to create a piece of art to be displayed at the company’s headquarters.
Processing improvements at the new plant have included a new baling system, energy-efficient lighting and new fire suppression and security systems, according to the company.
While the prior location consisted of what the company calls “a maze of work areas spread out over three floors,” at the new facility the entire operation is under one roof with a 40-foot high ceiling. Materials are received on three receiving docks, including a bulk storage area that includes drive-through access for easier loading/unloading. The facility features two indoor scales for weighing loads and a third scale outside.
The company, recently ranked in a local business publication as one of the oldest and largest family-owned businesses in Indianapolis, employs 35 people.
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