By Stacey Phillips Ronak

Plasnomic is transitioning from evaluation into publishing formally-governed industry best practices. The initial focus will be on polypropylene bumper repairs, which Driehorst said reflects the most common and highest-impact plastic repair category globally.

In early 2025, Plasnomic was formed as a global initiative focused on creating and certifying plastic repair best practices across the collision industry ecosystem. It stands at the forefront of automotive plastic repair, combining advanced processes and driving economic standards and compliance. The organization is dedicated to setting industry benchmarks in training, sustainability, and product innovation, ensuring the highest OEM-compatible standards in plastic repairs that contribute to a circular economy.

“With over 50% of collision claim replacement parts now made from plastic, the need for transparent and efficient repair processes has never been more urgent,” said Brian Driehorst, Plasnomic’s CEO.

By bringing together industry experts, specialty suppliers, and innovators worldwide, Driehorst said Plasnomic plans to shape a new era of repair solutions that enhance efficiency and reduce waste.

“Plastic repair has grown quickly, but repair methods, consistency, and trust have not kept pace,” noted Driehorst. “The future of collision repair and emerging materials is evolving, and plastic repair must evolve with it.”

Plasnomic’s first initiative was to form a global advisory board— the Plastic Repair Alliance Council—composed of leaders from all industry segments. It brings together plastic repair and collision experts, training bodies, specialty suppliers, OEM-related experts, insurers, auto recyclers, and sustainability leaders. Led by Head of Council Mario Dimovski, the council’s goal is to collaboratively define and refine best practices and create universal standards for plastic repair through innovation, research, and sustainability efforts. It will also provide guidance on safe, repeatable, and insurable tools, materials, and processes.

“If repair first and circularity are going to work at scale, everyone involved with plastic parts needs to be aligned on what good looks like and how to deliver it consistently,” Dimovski said.

Since its formation, the council has worked to gather information from every continent to eventually create universal best practices for plastic repair, which will be shared globally.

ARA Involvement

Vince Edivan, executive director of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA), joined the alliance as its representative in 2025. “I was motivated to join Plasnomic’s global council because of its forward-looking approach to plastic repair and sustainability,” noted Edivan, who has worked with multiple segments of the automotive industry, focusing on vehicle lifecycle management, remarketing, recycling, and industry education. In addition to his operational roles, Edivan has supported automotive service and technology companies and has been actively involved in industry communications.

“My experiences have given me a broad, practical understanding of the challenges recyclers face and how policy, standards, and collaboration can help move the industry forward,” he said.

Prior to being named ARA’s executive director in 2024, Edivan was involved with ARA for many years. He formally joined the staff in 2019 as the director of member relations, where he represented the association at state and national industry events, worked directly with members, and supported the association’s education, communications, and outreach initiatives.

In his current role, Edivan oversees ARA’s strategic direction, operations, and industry partnerships, while continuing to contribute editorial content and thought leadership.

Since joining the Plastic Repair Alliance Council, Edivan has found that its stakeholders are working to address an important industry gap: how plastics are evaluated, repaired, and reused.

“That collaborative, best practices-driven mindset aligns closely with ARA’s mission to promote safe, environmentally responsible, and economically viable recycling practices,” he shared.

He said auto recyclers are a critical part of the vehicle lifecycle, especially for reuse and material recovery.

“It’s important for ARA to be involved in this issue so the recycler perspective is represented as best practices for plastic repair are developed,” he emphasized. “By participating in the council, we can help ensure that these initiatives are practical, scalable, and beneficial not only to collision repairers, but also to recyclers who handle plastic components every day.”

He said that early involvement also helps create alignment across the supply chain, rather than addressing recyclers as an afterthought.

“The goal of establishing universal best practices is an important step forward for the industry,” Edivan acknowledged. “Clear, consistent guidelines can help reduce unnecessary waste, improve repair decision-making, and increase confidence in plastic repair and reuse.”

For auto recyclers, he said this could unlock greater value from plastic components, reduce disposal, and create new opportunities for collaboration with the collision repair sector.

“Ultimately, standardized approaches support a more circular and sustainable automotive industry—something that benefits recyclers, repairers, insurers, and consumers alike,” Edivan added.

Driehorst agreed that recyclers are critical to making repair and circularity work in the real world.

“This is why ARA’s involvement is so important,” he said. “ARA represents the operational and regulatory backbone of the recycling industry.”

If repaired and refurbished plastic parts are going to reenter the market at scale, Driehorst said that recycler realities must be built into the standard from the beginning.

“Vince brings that perspective [of the automotive recycler], helping ensure that grading, reconditioning workflows, quality expectations, and adoption challenges are addressed in a practical way that the industry can actually implement,” explained Driehorst. “His role helps bridge the gap between repair standardization and recycled part acceptance by insurers and OEMs.”

As Plasnomic continues its focus on creating plastic repair best practices, Edivan noted how its initiatives offer practical opportunities for auto recyclers.

“Plastic repair and refurbishment becomes more consistent and defensible, reducing variability and returns,” he commented. “It becomes easier to scale because training and certification pathways support repeatable reconditioning operations.”

In addition, Edivan said market confidence will likely improve because buyers will have clearer criteria to trust repaired and refurbished plastic parts.

“Most importantly, more plastic stays in use and out of waste streams, allowing recyclers to retain more value in the parts they handle,” he shared. “In simple terms, parts that would have been scrapped due to cosmetic damage, broken tabs, or minor cracking can now be repaired, verified, and sold with confidence.”

Dimovski noted that the biggest issue holding plastic repair back today is inconsistency.

“Outcomes depend too much on who performs the repair, what method they choose, and where the work is done,” he explained. “That uncertainty drives risk, liability concerns, and default replacement decisions.”

Universal best practices, according to Dimovski, introduce clarity around what is repairable and what is not, create repeatable processes, and establish predictable quality outcomes.

“That consistency builds insurer and OEM confidence, supports scalable repair programs across large networks, and helps move plastic repair from a specialty skill to a dependable industry process,” he added.

Driehorst mentioned how auto recyclers already influence repair-first outcomes by supplying used OEM plastic parts and increasingly reconditioning plastics to improve resale value and reduce scrap.

“The parts that enter the resale channel directly affect repair quality and road safety,” he noted. “Plasnomic strengthens this role by giving recyclers clear repairability boundaries, defined process guidance, and alignment with body shops and insurers on documentation and quality expectations.”

Ideally, Driehorst said that repairs will be tied to material identification, so the repair method matches the plastic and its intended function. Damage will be classified to ensure only appropriate repairs are performed, and fit, shape, and mounting integrity will be verified to ensure parts install correctly.

“Each repaired or refurbished component will follow a controlled and documented process that includes inspection before and after the repair, defined tooling and repair rules, and traceability back to the technician and method used,” he shared. “Benchmarking and testing at a category-level support confidence that approved repair methods perform as intended, and Plasnomic already is working on tech solutions to achieve these goals.”

The result, according to Driehorst, will be a controlled and auditable pathway for repaired, recycled plastics to safely re-enter the market, creating new value for recyclers while reducing replacement costs and plastic waste across the industry.

Plasnomic’s Core Priorities

Technical Validation: A core priority for Plasnomic has been the structured evaluation of existing plastic repair processes, products, and equipment.

To support this effort, Plasnomic has developed mobile and web-based testing tools. These enable digital process documentation, repair traceability, and future certification support for scalable deployment.

Digitization: In addition to the mobile application, central to Plasnomic’s digital strategy is the Plastic Repair Intelligence, Standards, and Marketplace (PRISM) platform. Currently in beta development, PRISM was designed to be the digital backbone of plastic repair in the collision industry, supporting technician engagement, product grading, expert-led validation, knowledge sharing and the deployment of standardized training across global markets.

“PRISM reflects Plasnomic’s commitment to combining expert knowledge with data-driven validation, ensuring repair practices are both technically sound and practically achievable,” said Driehorst.

Sustainability: One of the key drivers of Plasnomic’s focus is sustainability. The organization has initiated circular waste and plastic diversion programs in collaboration with MSOs, government bodies and OEM partners. Driehorst said these efforts align closely with plastic waste management, landfill diversion objectives, and insurer environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments.

By validating plastic repairs that allow components to perform as intended, Driehorst said the global alliance supports meaningful reductions in plastic waste while maintaining safety, quality and cost efficiency.

Lab Testing: Plasnomic has already begun lab testing of available plastic repair products in an OEM-aligned laboratory setting. Driehorst said this testing, combined with commercial-grade equipment, allows for a controlled evaluation of materials, repair processes, cost performance, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) compatibility, and real-world repair outcomes.

“This approach ensures that Plasnomic recommendations are backed by independent validation as well as field-based evidence,” he noted.

Looking ahead, Driehorst said Plasnomic has two main priorities: defining the right way to repair plastic and helping the industry adopt those practices with confidence.

“We are developing and validating global best practices for plastic repair that are documented, repeatable, and evidence-informed,” stated Driehorst. “At the same time, we are aligning training and certification direction so technicians, recyclers, and providers around the world are working to the same expectations.”

Plasnomic is also identifying and qualifying the right tools, materials, and repair methods, with OEM compatibility and safety in mind. Alongside this work, team members are hoping to expand their global mission by inviting repairers, recyclers, trainers, and manufacturers to participate and help drive adoption.

This year, Plasnomic is transitioning from evaluation into publishing formally-governed industry best practices. The initial focus will be on polypropylene bumper repairs, which Driehorst said reflects the most common and highest-impact plastic repair category globally.

Validation will concentrate on the five most prevalent damage types; results will be guided by laboratory testing and supported by field-based validation conducted by Plasnomic’s technical ambassadors. Driehorst said these plastic repair champions from around the world will play a critical role in translating technical outcomes into practical, repeatable repair standards.

Best practices are expected to follow with support from MSO partners and global training bodies, utilizing PRISM’s digital knowledge and repair certification tools.

As Plasnomic expands its collaborative reach and begins validating processes, products, and equipment featured within the PRISM platform, Driehorst said the organization will take a leading role in representing and promoting approved and preferred solutions across its distribution network and MSO partners. These offerings will be positioned as best-in-class options for safe, consistent, and high-quality plastic repair.

“This is not about reinventing the wheel,” stressed Driehorst. “It is about taking what works, proving it, and giving the industry a clear and trusted path forward.” Learn more at https://plasnomic.com/about-us/

Plasmonic Elevates Reuse of Automotive Plastic Parts

Plasnomic is transforming plastic repair in the collision industry by establishing global standards, certification, and compliance. With plastic parts accounting for more than half of all collision claim replacements, ensuring consistency, quality, and sustainability in repairs is critical. Yet, variations in repair methods, inconsistent training, and widespread part replacements have led to inefficiencies, increased costs, and unnecessary waste. Plasnomic is addressing these challenges by creating a unified repair framework that aligns with OEM standards and sustainability goals while incorporating the latest innovations in materials and technology.

A key focus of Plasnomic’s mission is integrating sustainability into collision repair by shifting the industry toward a repair-first mindset. Millions of tons of plastic waste are generated every year as damaged parts are discarded instead of restored. Insurers and repairers often default to part replacement due to a lack of standardized repair incentives. Plasnomic is working with Collision Shops, Training Bodies, OEMs, and regulators to promote high-quality repairs as a viable and cost-effective alternative.

Training and certification play a crucial role in this transformation. Existing training programs in the collision industry often rely on outdated or costly techniques that do not align with modern plastic repair needs. Plasnomic is developing structured, globally recognized training that equips technicians with the latest repair methods, developed by industry professionals and plastic repairs experts.

Innovation in repair materials and technology is at the forefront of Plasnomic’s. By leveraging advanced materials, AI, additive manufacturing and automation, Plasnomic is creating a smarter, more scalable approach to plastic repair.

Through collaboration, innovation, and education, Plasnomic is leading the transformation of plastic repair, ensuring that it becomes a critical and respected part of the collision repair industry.

Stacey Phillips Ronak, owner of Radiant Writing & Communications, is an award-winning freelance writer and editor based in Southern California.

Over her career, she has written for multiple industries and currently focuses on automotive and technology articles. Stacey has co-authored two books, including “The Secrets of America’s Body Shops.” She is passionate about creating balanced, relevant and inspiring content to educate others.

Maura Keller

Across all industries, identifying key business practices allows a company to standardize its most impactful processes. Within the automotive recycling industry, not only are particular business practices crucial for consistency, efficiency and strategic success, but these practices also help minimize risk, improve employee performance and align with the company’s overall goals. And most importantly, utilizing best practices also improve everything from employee training to customer satisfaction.  

Automotive Recycling connected with three auto recycling companies who utilize a full-service, self-service, and hybrid approach to their businesses. Some key business practices stood out as helping these companies achieve the success they strive for.  

Among all three entities, quality control is paramount. This includes inspecting, cleaning, testing and guaranteeing parts for customers. Full-service means hiring and training skilled employees for efficient and safe dismantling, ensuring parts are removed without damage. Another key full-service business practice involve superior customer service including fast turnaround times and a hassle-free experience for the customer.  

Self-service best practices revolved around establishing clear safety rules to keep customers safe.  

Companies that are specifically self-service also focus on providing a large variety of vehicles and maintaining a diverse inventory for customers to choose from. 

For a hybrid company that offers both full-service and self-service components to their business, the type of service may vary based on the part type needed. A hybrid service model also integrated a variety of price points and warranty options that appeal to a wide range of customer budgets. Hybrid business models also offer operational flexibility while catering to different customer needs.  

For all companies, regardless of business model, a common thread to their success includes focusing on safety, sustainability, and efficiency through technology.  

The Full Service Business Model 

Airline Auto Parts, located in Houston, is a full-service automotive recycling facility. Originally established as a mom-and-pop operation in 1989, the company steadily expanded its capabilities by forming strong partnerships with other reputable salvage yards.  

“These relationships have allowed us to broaden our inventory, improve parts availability, and strengthen our position within the industry,” says Peter Nguyen, general manager at Airline Auto Parts. “Our growth has also been driven by a commitment to continuous improvement. We have invested heavily in modern inventory and procurement systems, rigorous quality-control processes, and ongoing upgrades to our facility. Equally important, we focus on building a strong internal culture – prioritizing teamwork, professional development, and training high-quality team members who share our dedication to excellence.”  

Today, Airline Auto Parts continues to operate as a premier full-service automotive recycler, serving body shops, repair centers, insurance companies, and retail customers with recycled parts backed by a customer-focused team and a strong warranty program.  

Airline Auto Parts operates from a single location and processes an average of 100 vehicles per month. By structuring the company into dedicated departments and focusing on making each one as efficient as possible, they are able to minimize waste and maximize profitability.  

“Our specialty is late-model foreign and domestic vehicles, with more than 50% of our inventory focused on trucks and SUVs,” Nguyen says. 

Over the past five years, Airline Auto Parts has made several significant upgrades to modernize their operations and adapt to the increasing technological complexity of today’s vehicles.  

As Nguyen explains, they transitioned from Powerlink to the Pinnacle inventory system, joined the RCD (Recyclers Cross Dock) network, and implemented EZ-QC to strengthen the company’s quality control processes. In addition, they joined a peer group with Profit Team Consulting and expanded their industry knowledge through active involvement with organizations such as ARA and URG (United Recyclers Group), as well as by attending numerous trade shows and conferences. 

“We do not currently hold any certifications, but we plan to begin the process of obtaining ARA’s CAR Certification,” Nguyen says. 

Currently, Airline Auto Parts has 45 employees. While some of the team members come from various areas within the automotive industry, the company also places a strong emphasis on hiring skilled individuals from other industries and retraining them for success in the automotive recycling industry.  

“Most new hires go through a probationary period to demonstrate their abilities, and once they prove themselves capable, we provide additional training to help them  take on more complex responsibilities,” Nguyen says.  

“We strongly value internal growth and make it a priority to promote from within the company.  

This full-service auto recycler uses the Pinnacle inventory system to manage and track vehicles, parts, sales, and overall profitability. With support from Mike Kunkel of Profit Team Consulting, they utilize Pinnacle’s reporting tools to analyze the company’s performance and monitor progress toward their goals. 

“Some of the key metrics we focus on include buying vehicles based on projected gross profit, tracking days to breakeven, monitoring invoices per hour, and reviewing both incoming and outgoing call activity,” Nguyen says. “These metrics help us evaluate efficiency, guide purchasing decisions, and ensure our sales team is performing at a high level.” 

Safety is Airline Auto Parts’ top priority, and it is the foundation of all of the company’s training programs. They conduct weekly meetings with the sales team, department leads, and other key departments to reinforce best practices, review expectations, and ensure everyone is aligned and moving in the right direction. 

“When employees are hired, they receive a detailed job description and a list of specific responsibilities outlined in a signed agreement. After their probationary period,  

we evaluate their performance to confirm they are meeting expectations,” Nguyen says. “If necessary, employees may be reassigned to positions that better match their strengths.” 

Airline Auto Parts also maintains a strong cross-training program so that team members can perform multiple tasks, which ensures operational continuity when someone is absent.  

“Tools like Pinnacle and EZ-QC allow us to monitor performance, verify that procedures are being followed, and hold employees accountable for completing their duties correctly and consistently,” Nguyen says.  

To stay competitive, Nguyen adds that the company must continually adapt to evolving technology and market demands.  

“Our people are our greatest investment, and it is essential to equip them with the tools and resources they need to keep the company operating at its highest level,” Nguyen says. “In addition, we have transitioned most of our staff from hourly pay to performance-based compensation. By giving employees the opportunity to earn more through strong performance, we’ve seen a significant increase in motivation and overall productivity.”  

From a full-service perspective, how does Nguyen view the future of automotive recycling?  

“The automotive industry has a bright and evolving future. People will always need vehicles for transportation, and the ongoing evolution of cars will shape the direction of our industry,” he says. “Recycling facilities like us will continue to adapt and evolve alongside these changes. Those who embrace innovation and improvement will thrive, while those who resist change may be left behind. Electric vehicles are on the rise, but they represent just a small percentage of the automotive industry.” 

The Self-Service Business Model 

BYOT Auto Parts began as a single self-service recycling yard focused on providing a clean, organized, and affordable way for customers to pull their own parts. After purchasing the Waco, Texas location in 2016 and opening it in January 2017, the company expanded steadily across Texas. Today, BYOT operates five self-service recycling yards – three in Texas, one in Louisiana and their newest location in Jackson, Mississippi – supported by a corporate office.  

“We try to focus on the same core principles at all facilities: Well organized and clean yards, consistent processes, transparent pricing, and a strong customer-first culture,” says Lance Thomas, owner and president of BYOT Auto Parts.  

Across the company’s five locations, BYOT processes approximately 11,000 to 12,000 vehicles per year. Each yard handles roughly 2,000 to 2,500 vehicles annually, depending on market availability.  

“We source a wide range of makes and models to meet customer needs, with trucks and Imports being especially popular in our markets,” Thomas says.  

The last five years have seen significant technological advancement in vehicles, and BYOT has adapted accordingly. They built a centralized call center and digital vehicle acquisition system similar to modern online car-buying platforms.  

“We use digital tools for pricing, inventory classification, yard management, and customer communication,” Thomas explains. “We are also launched some AI-based systems and a customer rewards app to modernize customer engagement. Although BYOT is a self-service operation and not pursuing full-service certifications, we maintain strict internal SOPs that align with modern safety, environmental, and operational best practices.” 

BYOT employs roughly 90 to 100 people across the company’s five yards and headquarters. Hiring has shifted in recent years as both technology and labor trends evolve. They now look for team members who are comfortable using mobile applications, digital systems, and have a positive and self-motivated attitude.  

“Positions involving inventory, buying, or setting vehicles increasingly require familiarity with modern vehicle changes,” Thomas says. “We intentionally hire for culture fit and train for skill, focusing on retention and leadership development.” 

Managing five locations requires the BYOT team to use detailed standard operating procedures, strong communication, and consistent reporting. Local managers oversee daily operations, while headquarters provides oversight, support, and accountability. Shared metrics, daily reporting, regular visits, and clear processes ensure each location operates consistently.  

“The priority is giving each yard the staffing, equipment, and support they need to stay profitable and aligned with company culture while also maintaining extremely clean and organized facilities and constantly working to eliminate the ‘junk yard’ mentality within our customers, the public, and regulatory agencies,” Thomas says.  

BYOT also uses a combination of inventory software, internal dashboards, and SOP-driven processes to track vehicles, inventory cycles, sales, scrap output, and crushing operations. The metrics most important to Thomas include vehicles purchased per month, cost per vehicle, sales per vehicle, inventory cycle time, scrap and core revenue stability, customer traffic patterns, and employee productivity.  

“We also monitor average ticket, percent of customers purchasing, (PPA) purchase per admission, and customers per car set in the yard,” Thomas says. “These indicators provide a full picture of operational health and long-term sustainability.” 

When it comes to training, BYOT uses an ongoing, structured, and role-specific process. Key areas include safety procedures, vehicle setting standards, tire inspection, equipment operation, environmental compliance, and customer service.  

According to Thomas, accountability is maintained through daily checklists, supervisor verification, digital inspection logs, and regular performance audits. Training is continuously reinforced rather than treated as a one-time event.  

“We have also initiated video training that we create to provide visual training for our new hires for our various positions,” Thomas says.  

Throughout the company’s history, Thomas has seen self-service auto recycling evolve substantially.  

“Customers expect clean, safe, organized environments – not the old-style ‘junkyard.’ Our best practices include predictable inventory refresh cycles, safe and well-maintained wheel stands, clean and organized rows, transparent pricing, strong customer rewards, and technology that streamlines buying and communication,” Thomas says. “The items, along with regular sales promotions that are fun and attracting continue to drive admissions and new customers. Consistent training and culture across locations also help ensure customers receive a reliable experience.” 

Looking ahead, Thomas says the future of automotive recycling is driven by technology, training, and the shift toward EV and hybrid vehicles. He says that recyclers will need robust digital systems and software, strong safety training, and clear processes for handling high-voltage components and batteries.  

“EVs bring new challenges but also major opportunities in battery lifecycle management, rare-earth material recovery, and component resale,” Thomas says. “The recyclers who modernize, invest in technology, and build strong customer-focused brands will shape the next generation of this industry.” 

The Hybrid Business Model 

Founded in 1977 as three separate companies – Hansen Truck Salvage, All Foreign and All American – United Auto Recyclers was renamed after Dave and Anne Hansen purchased the three entities and merged them under the name United. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, today United Auto Recyclers processes between 1,200 and 1,500 vehicles per year.  

“Our average age is a 2015 model year and we buy about one-third trucks,” says Adam Lindley, general manager at United Auto Recyclers. “We stay away from EVs for now. We do hybrid and work to keep our employees trained to process them safely.”  

Currently, United has a total of 85 employees. Computer skills are a must in all positions and the company uses phones, tablets and computers in all aspects of the facility. 

“We use Pinnacle and EZ as well as Bid Buddy for bidding. I track sales dollars and number of parts,” Lindley says. “For the warehouse, we track accuracy and cancelled orders. Vehicle stock is dependent on details. I track accuracy and missing parts.”  

Training is paramount throughout United’s hybrid facility. Currently the company is developing audits so they can observe the employees’ progress on a quarterly basis, evaluating what they do well and where the company can improve training. 

In addition to offering millions of parts on the warehouse shelves of this 24-acre facility, United Auto Recyclers also offers a self-service lot with full inventory listing on the company web site.  

One of United’s key business practices across both their full-service and self-service programs is ensuring accurate inventory and the ability to deliver as the part is described. The company’s web site features a full inventory of vehicles in the self-service lot as well as clearly defined prices based on part type.  

And it’s United’s team of employees that help keep the expansive full-service and self-service entities of the company running smoothly.  “Good employees that care and the quality of product we supply is a huge factor,” Lindley says. “The best chance we have to continue to be successful is to listen to our customers, they will direct us to where we need to go. I know that EVs will grow in demand, the market that comes from it depends on the manufacturers use of interchangeable parts and ability to repair and replace the by the general public.”   

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maura Keller is a seasoned writer, editor, and published author, with more than 20 years of experience. She frequently writes for various regional and national publications. 

“This model opens access to inventory that independent yards have never had before,” explained COO Dimitri Gerontis. “It’s about giving smaller operators the same reach and buying power that the large chains already enjoy.”

Crush’s growth analysis identified 20 major U.S. metro areas and 17 Canadian cities with no Crush presence, including New York, Miami, Calgary, and Montreal. Expansion pilots in these key markets are expected to begin in 2026.

Earlier this year, we announced that we would be moving away from our OnPart integration and launching a direct integration with OPS. That transition is now complete, OPS is officially live, and the results are already exceeding expectations. 

Why the Change Matters 

This upgrade was born out of direct URG member feedback. Recyclers told us the previous system was clunky, time-consuming, and difficult to troubleshoot. Our goal with OPS integration was clear: eliminate those barriers, give members more control, and put sales growth back in focus. 

With OPS now fully operational, members have access to: 

• More Control & Visibility – With URG managing the integration directly, issues can be resolved faster, and new features can be rolled out more seamlessly. 
   

• Advanced Reporting – A dashboard on URGSalesSupport.com gives recyclers a complete view of requests and order history, including in-stock vs. brokered items. 
   

• Direct Order Access – Members can track orders instantly on URGSalesSupport.com. 
   

• Streamlined Workflows – OPS is reducing manual steps, saving time, and simplifying daily operations. 

• Customized Tiering – Recyclers can expand inventory visibility by showing trusted partner yard parts as their own. That means saying “yes” more often, seamless quoting across platforms like CCC True™, PartsTrader, Mitchell, and Trax Collision, and smarter, more competitive pricing options. 
   

In addition, the new reporting suite goes deeper than ever before, giving recyclers powerful insights into their sales data: 

• View all quote requests – See every request that comes in, whether it’s from PartsTrader, OPS, or Mitchell. 
   

• Identify requesters and requested parts – Easily see who requested a quote and exactly what part they were looking for. 
   

• Check real-time stock status – Determine at a glance if you had the requested part in stock at the time of the quote. 
   

• Top requested parts summary – Instantly know which parts are in highest demand and whether you had them in inventory. 
   

• Make and model summary – Get a clear picture of all part requests by make and model. 
   

• Detailed request breakdown – Track requests by year, make, and model to better anticipate future demand. 

And there’s more to come. Enhanced part matching is also being built into OPS to return more recycled parts, helping recyclers win more sales and give buyers the choices they’re looking for. 

Real Results Already Coming In 

The launch isn’t just about better workflows, it’s about driving profitability. Early adopters of OPS are already reporting measurable gains in both order volume and sales. 

What’s Next for Auto Recyclers 

Everyone has now been moved over to our direct integration with OPS. If your yard isn’t taking advantage of OPS yet, now is the time to get on board. The system is live, proven, and already helping recyclers close more sales with less effort—and it’s only going to get better from here. 

At URG, our mission is simple: accelerate recyclers with tech tools that eliminate inefficiencies, open new sales channels, and help you compete in a fast-changing market. OPS is a major step forward in that journey and it’s only the beginning. 

By Maura Keller

All Nordstrom’s photography: Dan Elliott Photography

Nordstrom’s Automotive Inc. is a family-owned business that has been involved in the automotive recycling industry in Sioux Falls, SD and across the U.S. via e-commerce for decades. Like many family-owned businesses, Nordstrom’s started with Art and Marie Nordstrom taking a risk and trying something different. It was in back in 1964 when the Nordstrom’s were tasked with taking over the family dairy farm.

But farming can be difficult and so Art and Marie started Nordstrom’s Used and Rebuilt Trucks as a “side business,” buying trucks and reselling them to the neighboring farmers and others in the community. Eventually, they decided to try their hand at selling used auto parts. Fast-forward nearly 60 years and today Nordstrom’s Automotive is one of the leading automotive recycling companies in the country.

Today, Shannon Nordstrom, Art and Marie’s son, controls the helm of this growing company, steering the family business into the future. Still located on the family’s dairy farm, the Nordstrom’s Automotive logo is of the farm’s dairy barn, illustrating that the company is continues to celebrate the family legacy while embracing the farming ethic that hard work and determination get the job done.

At the ARA 80th Annual Convention & Expo in Kansas City, MO, in the Recycler Keynote, Shannon shared his insights into what can help automotive companies succeed long into the future. Here is what he had to say.

Certification Is Key

Our company roadmap can be a good guideline if you’re not quite sure what to work on in your business. How we got to this point in time is what I would tell you to do. Based on our experience I will walk you through some steps that worked for us, and you probably should pay attention to, so you don’t get caught off guard.

You must work on sales, you have to work on things to be able to get things done, and you have to build your team. It’s not about having a perfect facility. But, if you don’t have your facility in line, it’ll just make it harder for you.

At Nordstrom’s, we made it a goal to become certified through the ARA Certified Automotive Recycler (CAR) program, including Gold Seal. In our story, the CAR program played a big part. That’s why I have passion for that program – because it was a game changer for our company.

When recyclers do the certification process, sometimes they say, ‘I don’t really see the return on investment.’ They want something back. They think, ‘I put all this money I should get this money back.’ I really think that’s the wrong way to look at it.

Think of it this way: You need to give your staff something to rally around, the story of how you started and then achieved things. So, we made certification our goal and I made sure we shared it with our staff. When we received the Gold Seal certification, we put the logo on our trucks; and it was a difference-maker to go from where we were to where we had something to brag about. Our difference maker was the certification program.

Growing Generations

Focusing on the generations involved in a business is another key step to take. It’s important to have a plan for generational succession. I’ve got a family and we’re trying to figure out what’s next.

I have to say “thank you” to my parents. I bring this up because they didn’t let their pride get in the way, thinking that they needed to hold on the reins for a long time. Now my dad, if you know him, runs 100 miles an hour. Post-ownership change, he still wants to be involved in anything and everything. I still have him as President of our Board as I want his input and influence, but at the end of the day, the final decisions are mine. He’s involved in everything, but he’s responsible for nothing and he respects my position.

When we look at the generational aspect of our business, my parents saw how eager and well-equipped I was. They wanted to eventually turn me loose and let me do what I could do. But if they would have waited too long, I wouldn’t have wanted to do it. Sometimes, you see people hang on a little too long. I don’t mean that with any low regard. But it makes it so that by the time they start a generational change, the other generation has lost their “fight” like they had when they were younger. I shouldn’t call it fighting, but I think you know what I mean. There’s a certain age in your life where you’ve got the gumption and the vinegar. That’s your “go” time.

I’m just thankful that we were able to do a great transition and they can now stand back with pride and see what we’re accomplishing. That’s been a big deal. So make sure you have a succession plan.

Defining Yourselves

Nordstrom’s had a fire in 2012 that was caused by gasoline in our dismantling facility. A dismantler, with a rechargeable DeWalt tool, pulled the trigger and started the gas tank on fire in our building. It did quite a bit of damage. We were ready. We had people that were trained and we held that fire until the volunteer fire department was able to put out the fire. That’s when I started on my own kind of plan in the background – what Nordstrom’s 2.0 could look like and what could I do if I could start with a clean sheet of paper?

I used what I’ve learned from everybody in this industry – all the stolen ideas. I also started taking some grid paper and cutting out shapes of buildings and laying out what we could do on the land that we had. I brought this into a meeting with my dad, and I thought he was going to go into some sort of convulsion. Instead, we put some more ideas on the plans, and worked on it.

We turned the idea over to our employees and they completely changed much of what I was thinking. With their help, we’ve now been able to successfully build a world-class facility on a dairy farm in Garretson, South Dakota. We’re not perfect. We don’t have it all figured out. I need to figure out how to handle parts more efficiently. But we do well enough to make money. And we do well enough to take care of our people. And that’s what’s so important to us.

We still have work to do and that’s why it’s about constant never-ending improvement.

Sometimes when you take that big leap, you force yourself to learn things you don’t know. From a book I just listened to, I can now look back and call it my “10X move” – that’s a brave move. It forced me to trust my ability to figure out the parts I did not yet have figured out. It’s a God move. You’re going to have to have a lot of faith. You’re going to have to have a lot of confidence. For me, that’s what it was. I had a lot of faith that I’m doing the right profession. I could have crashed and burned but it worked out alright.

Facility Growth

Investments in your facilities and infrastructure are also vital. To think that we’re going to successfully build a $4 to $5 million facility is amazing. I can do it in South Dakota for that amount – but those in big cities probably will spend more. We have some luxuries in South Dakota because of where we’re located. I often joke that I could have my customers wade in waste oil in my lobby and probably no one would complain – we’re in South Dakota. We can do things here that you can’t other places.

Our big move was making this 2.0 facility; we took a risk. We learned a lot along the way and got good at construction projects. We had the pleasure to work with some great people and achieved a great project from our combined efforts. We welcome you to visit.

Growing People

Your employees are your most important assets and it’s important to get your folks to embrace your story. They don’t have to love your story. They don’t have to think it’s a good story. But what if you don’t tell them your story? How will they ever even have a choice whether they want to embrace it or not?

During orientation with new employees, we share the story of the business. I do it myself and for time’s sake, I sit down with several at a time and spend an hour or so with them, going through the history of the business and the industry. I give them the picture that they’re entering something that’s probably bigger than they’re thinking right then.

We embrace our story in our lobby. There’s a real Ford tractor, with a miniature barn to replicate the barns we had. It is a place where kids can play while they’re at Nordstrom’s to pick up parts with their family. On the wall we have pictures of the history of our family business and, of course, a large Gold Seal logo.

Remember, the people that can help you grow are probably in your business today. Those folks who are in the middle of the fire every day at your facility are the ones that have all the ideas that you need. You just need to talk to them. You can go to all the classes in the world yet some of the best ideas and best solutions are going come from the folks in your business.

Your people want to do things for you – you’ve just got to let them. Ask what their ambitions and goals are and see if they align with your new ideas. Don’t rely on the word on the street if you’ve heard that something is hard to do or cannot be done. Don’t choose that as your outcome unless you go check it out yourself.

What I found in my life: most of the things that I thought were going to be impossible because other people told me how hard they were, really weren’t. Once I started knocking on doors and asking questions, it wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it was. I was just intimidated by the thought of how hard it might be. And you don’t know unless you start digging in. And so I would encourage you to do that.

It was our nature as we grew our business to invest in the people. You have to be able to support them. One of the things we built in our new facility was a nice meeting space. During our meetings, we try to highlight people, like their employment anniversaries, to build people up. We try to make those meetings as positive as we can. Then, we’ll squeeze in some CANI (constant and never-ending improvement) items to show where we broke down this month. Those are learning opportunities to show people what they can do better.

Improving Staff Potential

We also have regular employee reviews. Every month, my CFO gives me the list of each person with a work anniversary, and we put out a calendar where I slot each one to a day. The review starts with their supervising manager level, who goes over a performance evaluation sheet. If we’re doing it right, the employee also gets a sheet to do a self-evaluation. The manager and employee do their evaluations and what I’m really looking for when I sit down with them is whether they are close. For example, as it pertains to listening skills, if the manager gives them a two and they give themselves a five on a one to five scale, I’ve got a difference between that manager and that employee that I need to investigate.

I take each employee to lunch once a year at a location of their choice and we break bread. We sit and talk about for an hour and a half, or maybe two. We talk about the employee – that’s their time. They can ask me questions. I’m interviewing them, they’re interviewing me, and I want to get to know them so that they know that I’m not some distant inaccessible creature. It’s important to me.

When you’re sitting down with somebody, what you’re trying to do should be 80% preview and 20% for review. If it’s 80% review and you’re just chewing them out for all the things that are wrong, you probably should fire them. Focus on where you’re going to encourage that person. And once again, we don’t have this perfect but that’s the goal.

Listen to them and try to make what’s important to them, important to you. It goes a long way because if you can do that, guess what? Those folks will make themselves important to the company because you’re paying attention and giving respect to them. It goes a long way as these employees are full of ideas.

This is a rhetorical question; on your profit and loss statements or bank statement – where are your employees listed? They are listed as expenses, right? But shouldn’t they be under assets? You can’t do what you do without the people. If you have an asset like something in your building that breaks down, you fix it? So, if your people are somehow broken down, shouldn’t you try to help them?

Everybody’s got their trials and tribulations, and they need grace. You’ve got to show people some grace and you’ve got to realize that people are hurting. They’re hurting over things they are going on in their own life, their mom’s life, their sister’s life, their cousin’s life, their stepfather’s life, whatever they happen to be. There’s stuff going on, it’s heavy, it hurts, and it’s everywhere.

The world is full of hurt. I want to bring hope to people, that’s what’s important to me.

We have a chaplain that comes in, called “corporate care.” And he spends a half a day with our staff on Tuesdays. He’s an angel and gives support to my employees with resources. He can help if they’ve got things going on. He’s helped people through deaths in the family and cancer, but he also just helps people be encouraged. We’ve had this chaplaincy service for about probably eight years at the company.

Providing the Required Tools

There are several tips that we’ve found that work in our facility and so many of these ideas came from employees. For example, when we’re working with returned parts to get restocked, we use pylons that we set on parts, just those simple little soccer pylons. A red pylon means: “Stop. This part needs some attention. We got to figure something out.” Yellow means that it’s waiting on pictures before it gets put away. Green means we’ve got things ready to roll, put it away and go into the warehouse. Those pylons are something that we use quite a bit.

We embrace technology. There are certain things that we found that were really good for us to use and the Fastenal vending machine commodity control system is one of them. An employee has an access number, and they go in and they can get sawblades, as an example. So, we are tracking which employees are getting sawblades. We get electronic reports every month of who got what items, and I can look and make sure it appropriate to the tasks being performed by that person. It’s also hooked up electronically to Fastenal, and they keep it refilled, and we don’t have to be worried about restocking. It is a great way to control commodity costs.

We’ve also got a daily production staff scoreboard in our facility to show individual and group numbers. If your staff doesn’t know the score, how can they know how they’re doing? If they have a bad day, the next day could hopefully be better, instead of getting discouraged and give up. The daily scoreboard rotates between each department, and they can see it in plain view. Sometimes a little competition between departments doesn’t hurt anything.

We also keep track of our safe workdays and every 120 days, we do a meal for the staff for hitting the safety goal. For us minor first aid doesn’t count. We’re interested in tracking situations where it turns into a worker’s comp claim with medical attention.

When it comes to high-voltage batteries and vehicles, safety is first. I suggest that you establish processes from the beginning and that can start with the High Voltage Vehicle Certification through the CAR program. We need to learn to be safe and not be scared. If you don’t handle these correctly, they can be dangerous, but if you put just a little care into it, they’re stable items.

E-Commerce Know-How

When we first entered e-commerce, we were selling stuff on eBay. We learned that to get to any sort of scale, we had to automate, which we did. Today, we still consistently sell well over $200,000 in items every month. We learned more and grew internal processes so that we can maximize sales volume. We then built our systems to match what was happening with e-commerce – what was good for e-commerce was good for making all of our other sales work better.

Invest in Efficiency and Those Being Efficient

My advice: Put everything on wheels, it makes the job easier.

We’ve also given everyone in our system the ability to “stop the plane.” They can stop the plane if they see a safety problem or if they see a quality control problem. Is this perfect? No, because I still spend time on quality control problems. While it isn’t perfect, it’s pretty good. I know what our return rate is, which is below the industry average, and everyone in our facility has access to those numbers and we talk about them in meetings.

Like in aviation, you must put your flight plan up, but your flight plan can change. Clouds can pop up and you’ve got to deviate your course. You have to adjust course sometimes to get to your goal because things come up. So don’t be afraid to change your flight plan every once in a while.

We try to keep to our roots and measure things around the harvest theme. Recently, we started a “crop share plan.” Every quarter, we look at the profitability of the company and we take a predetermined percentage of the profit and divide it equally between all the employees. Length of employment does not matter. You must at least be there that complete quarter before being eligible, and that way everybody is pulling in the same direction. We’ve given all the employees checks up to $500 at a monthly meeting. That’s cash in their pocket along with the 401k and other things that we do, and in the profit sharing that we do at the end of our fiscal year.

There’s lots of ideas to implement with commissions that help people realize that they got a piece of the pie. I love those ideas; we’ve used them for years. We use a blend of commissions and salary, and commissions and hourly wage where they’ve got a base wage, and they could grow that by their commissions.

In our employee reviews, one of the things I ask is for them to name a recent positive improvement they’ve seen in the company. People will too often focus on negatives, so we ask them to point out a positive.

Get Real

Is there anybody that thinks that they don’t have blind spots? You’re lying if you don’t. We all have blind spots. We have things we don’t know.

So don’t act like you know everything because you don’t, and you’ve got people around you that can help fill in your blind spots. They can help you learn things that you don’t know. Remember you do have blind spots. Everybody’s got them and if you can recognize it, it makes it that much easier. 

Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maura Keller is a seasoned writer, editor, and published author, with more than 20 years of experience. She frequently writes for various regional and national publications.