Diane Bronckers: from recycling soft plastic to a passion for heavy metal!

"A busy day makes me happy," says secret heavy metal fan Diane Bronckers , Admin Support at Cedo Recycling in Geleen, Netherlands.

I work at Cedo Recycling in Geleen. This is where a lot of plastic waste is brought to be processed before it is made into plastic bags and other products.

I work in Admin Support, and my job involves anything from registering new employees and making sure they have the resources they need, to liaising with cleaning and office supply companies to make sure the facility runs smoothly.?

The list of tasks coming across my desk can sometimes seem endless, but to be honest I like it this way. Having a full in-tray means that I am being useful and my day absolutely flies past.?

I grew up in Maastricht, which is around half an hour’s drive away from Geleen. I have always lived in the area, and I love it. I have worked for other companies, but I really feel at home at Cedo.?

It is important for me to work for a company that is doing the right thing for the environment. I have always done what I can personally, like separating all my household waste, so it feels really good to be at Cedo, where we are giving new life to post-consumer soft plastics, that other people might think of as waste.?

I have worked here for five years now. I started just before Covid, which meant that just as I was settling in, we had the challenge of lockdowns. I was very happy when we were able to get properly back to working face-to-face.?

Because there is always so much work to do, it can be difficult to step away. But I also try to remember that it is healthy to take time completely away from work. When I can, I like to go hiking, but mainly I like indulging a lifelong passion for heavy metal.?

I am not a singer – when I sing people run away – but I have been going to concerts for the last 35 years and I love bands like Iron Maiden, AC/DC and Rammstein.

My mother always said that I am like two different people: one well-dressed person sitting behind a desk; the other singing badly at a concert in a Metallica T-shirt.?

I guess my mother was right – people at work don’t see that side of me. But it is very important to my happiness. When I go to a concert at the weekend it recharges my batteries and I come back on Monday ready for a busy day’s work.