Omni, North America’s largest processor of scrap metals and recycling company, and Plastic Recycling, Inc. (PRI), a vertically integrated plastics recycler and compounder based in Indianapolis, Indiana, announced a mutual collaboration to scale the domestic supply chain for automotive shredder residue (ASR) plastic recovery – from end-of-life vehicle waste through to finished, automotive-grade recycled compounds.
PRI has already launched ASR-derived recycled compounds that are actively selling into the domestic market, with multiple automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers currently in the commercial pipeline. The compounds are produced through PRI’s established processing and compounding infrastructure, backed by ISCC PLUS Mass Balance certification and 38 years of plastics recycling expertise.
What this collaboration adds is scale. Omni generates and controls significant ASR volumes that historically lack viable commercial recovery options. PRI’s proven process can now convert those volumes into finished recycled pellets ready for automotive applications.
Scaling a proven process into a national supply chain
Under this collaboration, Omni will serve as a primary feedstock source for PRI’s ASR-to-pellet program, enabling a step-change in available supply to meet accelerating OEM and Tier 1 demand. Together, the companies are building what is currently an unmatched domestic supply chain – traceable from end-of-life vehicle through to finished compound – at a moment when that traceability carries direct value in meeting global automotive recycling mandates.
The collaboration also encompasses active trials with AI sorting technology partners aimed at improving plastic recovery yields from ASR streams. Higher sortation accuracy and lower contamination rates directly improve the economics of the process, making high-volume commercial supply increasingly viable and cost-competitive.
Circularity value for the metals recycling supply chain
For Omni, the impact of this partnership is direct and measurable. ASR plastic, historically a low-value byproduct, now has a viable beneficial use in a certified circular supply chain. As sustainability reporting requirements expand across the metals recycling and scrap processing industry, the ability to demonstrate quantifiable downstream material circularity is an increasingly important part of how companies like Omni and PRI communicate their sustainability performance to customers, regulators, and stakeholders.
Regulatory tailwind: EU ELV compliance
The urgency behind this partnership is driven in part by the EU End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) regulation, which is placing direct compliance pressure on global automakers and their supply chains to demonstrate traceable, commercially sourced post-consumer recycled content. Domestic supply chains capable of meeting that demand at scale are scarce. The Omni–PRI collaboration is designed to be that supply chain.
“We’ve already proven the process works – ASR-derived compounds are in the domestic market today. What Omni brings is the feedstock volume to move this from a proven program to a scaled supply chain. The automakers and Tier 1 suppliers who need a domestic, traceable, ELV-compliant source of recycled material now have somewhere to go. That’s what this collaboration creates.” said Brandon Shaw, president, Plastic Recycling, Inc.
“This collaboration tackles a longstanding challenge in automotive recycling by scaling a solution for ASR plastics. By combining Omni’s significant ASR volumes with PRI’s proven processing capabilities, we’re creating a traceable circular supply chain that delivers real environmental value while meeting OEM and Tier 1 sustainability and compliance needs,” said Matt Bell, vice president of metals recycling, Steel Dynamics and president, Omni
Next Steps
Both companies are actively engaged in discussions on a commercial supply arrangement and expect to provide further details on volumes, AI sorting technology deployment, and customer pipeline in the coming months. Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and supply chain partners interested in sourcing ASR-derived recycled compounds are encouraged to reach out directly.
Published May 2026
