Catalytic converter processor, PMR USA has announced a $6 million investment in a new 25,000-square-foot facility just outside Charlotte, in Gastonia, North Carolina. This move reinforces PMR’s long-term growth strategy and commitment to advancing innovation and operational excellence in the catalytic converter processing industry.
“This state-of-the-art facility will serve as our flagship location,” said Melissa Sullivan, Director of SupplierServices and Compliance at PMR. “We want recyclers and people in the catalytic converter industry to come in to see what we’re doing and our process.”
Scheduled to open in early 2026, the new facility will feature custom-engineered, AI-integrated machinery—developed in-house—to enable seamless, “one-touch” processing. This “one-touch” processing system, will reduce material handling, increase security, and triple the output of traditional systems—all while enabling real time mass balancing. These advancements will significantly boost efficiency and provide industry-leading transparency within converter processing.
According to Sullivan, the AI-integrated machinery will be able to capture a picture of each converter that goes into the machine. In the long run, the AI should help improve PMR’s grading as it learns how to identify a converter, its weight, and how full it is based on its weight once it’s on the scale. The photo booth above the conveyer will offer increased security as it will allow suppliers the access to view their converters coming out of the box and going onto the machine.
“The end result is a faster turnaround for suppliers because less people are touching the converters and the process time is shortened,” Sullivan said. “This industry has gotten incredibly tough in terms of margins in the last few years, so making these advancements keeps our costs low. It’s beneficial for the supplier, its faster, more secure, and allows us to keep our operations efficient and lean.”
The project marks a major regional investment and highlights PMR’s continued confidence in the future of catalytic converter recycling across North America.
“Our approach is simple—we’re building something new, engineered to exceed what came before. In a space where margins are tight, evolving our operations is essential to securing our future. We’re proud to be the first converter processor to integrate AI technology into our processing lines, making our operations more future-ready and efficient,” said Christian Thibault, CEO of PMR USA.
Photo: Courtesy of PMR.
