Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association

What Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association does

Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association (TRMA) is a nonprofit manufacturing trade association founded in 1933 and headquartered in Joliet, Illinois. The organization serves manufacturers in the Chicago area by delivering safety training, contractor site-access orientation, workforce development programming, advocacy, and peer networking services. Core products include the Basic Orientation Plus (BOP) contractor safety course delivered through partner ARSC, in-house Computer-Based Training (CBT) development for customized safety modules, and a portfolio of OSHA-aligned courses covering Fall Protection, Confined Space, Scaffold, and First Aid/CPR/AED. Supporting services include the TRMA Spill Response Cooperative, a Wage and Salary Survey, meeting-space rental, and the TREP education partnership bridging manufacturers with local schools.

TRMA's membership roster includes major Chicago-area industrial employers such as BP Whiting, Dow, CITGO, DuPont, AmSty, Bunge Loders Croklaan, Aux Sable Liquid Products, and Canal Terminal Company. The association operates a single physical training facility (the Three Rivers Training Center at 1615 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, IL) and supplements in-person delivery with a member-gated streaming course channel. Distribution is supported by an ecosystem of technology and certification partners, including LINK for registration, PSI and Kryterion for testing and assessment, Meazure Learning for educational technology, NASAP for substance-abuse compliance, and Safety Essentials for alternative site-access certifications.

The business model is a hybrid of recurring annual membership dues and fee-for-service training delivery, with exclusive member pricing on all courses. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based. Marketing relies on member referrals, annual social events (Annual Dinner Meeting, Golf Outing), email newsletters, the trma.org website, and partnerships with safety organizations including NIOSH and the Chicagoland SHE Conference. As a nonprofit, TRMA is member-governed rather than investor-owned, and reinvests operating income into member programming and advocacy.

Name

Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association

Legal name

Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association

Website

https://trma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association (TRMA) is a 1933-founded Illinois nonprofit trade association serving Chicago-area manufacturers with safety training, contractor site-access orientation (BOP certification), workforce development, advocacy, and peer networking services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Joliet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing access to training programs, networking opportunities, advocacy services, and exclusive member pricing on training
2. Training Programs: Safety training courses including BOP, Fall Protection, Confined Space, Scaffold training, First Aid/CPR/AED, and site-specific orientations available to members at exclusive pricing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association (TRMA) is a nonprofit manufacturing trade association that provides safety training, contractor orientation (BOP), professional development, networking, and advocacy services to its member manufacturing companies in the Chicago area. Members gain access to exclusive training pricing, plant entry requirement compliance, workforce readiness programs, and a mutual spill response cooperative.

Product overview

Three Rivers Manufacturers' Association (TRMA) is a manufacturing trade association offering a unified portfolio of training, safety certification, and networking services. The core offerings include Training Programs (safety training such as Fall Protection and Confined Space), Contractor Safety Orientation (BOP certification), and Networking & Specialty Programs. Supporting services include TREP (workforce education partnership), In-House CBT Development, the Spill Response Cooperative, Wage and Salary Surveys, Workforce Readiness Dialogue, and Meeting Space rental. The association serves as a collective resource network for manufacturing companies in the Chicago area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TREP: Three Rivers Education Partnership - an independent affiliate bridging business to local schools

Products and services

• Training Programs Safety and professional development training programs including Fall Protection Competent Person Training, Confined Space Training, First Aid/CPR/AED, and scaffold training offered to member manufacturing companies at exclusive member pricing.
• Contractor Safety Orientation (BOP) Basic Orientation Plus (BOP) and site-specific safety orientation training required for contractors to enter member manufacturing facilities such as AmSty, BP Whiting, CITGO, Dow, and Dupont.
• Networking & Specialty Programs Programs for safety forum networking, plant security dialogue, Annual Dinner Meeting, Annual Golf Outing, and workforce development issues for member manufacturing companies.
• TREP (Three Rivers Education Partnership) Independent affiliate of TRMA bridging business to local schools to communicate workforce needs and develop workforce readiness strategies for the manufacturing community.
• TRMA Spill Response Cooperative Mutual assistance cooperative formed by TRMA member companies to respond effectively to oil or chemical spills and releases occurring on local waterways.
• Wage and Salary Survey Periodic publications summarizing current wage, salary, and fringe benefits data for Will and Grundy counties, providing HR benchmarking for member companies.
• Membership Annual membership that provides manufacturing companies with access to training programs, networking opportunities, advocacy services, exclusive member pricing on training, and other association benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members experienced more than a 65% reduction in contractor injuries

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• LMI (Leadership Management International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for leadership training programs. LMI-World offers leadership and management development resources for TRMA members.
• Meazure LearningsupportingTechnology or IntegrationEducational technology partnership providing training and learning solutions for TRMA member programs.
• NASAP (National Association of Safety Professionals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubstance abuse program partnership required for plant entry at multiple member facilities including AmSty, Dow, and others.
• ARSC (Alliance for Risk and Safety Consulting)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Basic Orientation Plus (BOP) safety training required by multiple member facilities for contractor site access.
• COSS & COSMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified Occupational Safety Specialist training partnerships providing safety certification programs for members.
• Chicagoland SHE ConferencesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSafety, Health, and Environmental conference partnership for industry awareness and professional development.
• LINK (Safety Training)supportingTechnology or IntegrationLINK registration system partner for training enrollment and course management.
• PSI OnlinesupportingTechnology or IntegrationTesting and assessment solutions partner for certification and training validation.
• AASC (American Association of Safety Councils)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety council partnership providing networking and professional development resources.
• Safety EssentialssupportingTechnology or IntegrationSE-SAFE and SE-SAFER safety training programs accepted as alternative to BOP for plant entry requirements.
• KryterionsupportingTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized testing center partnership for certification and assessment delivery.
• NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal research partnership providing occupational safety and health training programs for members.
• Three Rivers Education Partnership (TREP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent affiliate bridging business to local schools, providing workforce readiness dialogue and development programs.
• TRMA Spill Response CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMutual assistance co-op formed by member companies to respond effectively to oil or chemical spills/releases occurring on local waterways.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Safety Council: Long-established U.S. safety organization delivering training, certification, and advocacy for occupational safety. Overlaps directly with TRMA's safety training and BOP programs, but operates nationally and across all industries rather than one regional manufacturing cluster.
• National Association of Manufacturers: Largest U.S. manufacturing trade association, providing national-scale advocacy, training, and member services. Comparable business model (membership-funded association serving manufacturers) but at a national, rather than regional, scale.

Direct peers

• COSS / COSM (Council of Safety & Operational Safety Managers): Provider of Certified Occupational Safety Specialist and Manager credentialing programs that TRMA makes available to its members. Direct functional peer in the same safety certification category.
• Illinois Manufacturers' Association: State-level manufacturing trade association serving Illinois industrial employers with advocacy, training, and workforce programs. The closest geographic and functional peer to TRMA at the state level, and a natural comparison for dues-funded association economics.
• ARSC (Alliance for Risk and Safety Consulting): Provider of the Basic Orientation Plus (BOP) safety program that TRMA delivers to its manufacturing members. Operates as a direct training and certification peer for the same BOP/contractor-safety category.

Regional players

• Ohio Manufacturers' Association: Statewide manufacturers' association providing workforce, safety, and advocacy services to Ohio industrial employers. Functionally analogous to TRMA but operating in a different state, useful as a peer benchmark for member economics and service mix.
• Greater Houston Manufacturing Alliance: Regional manufacturing membership organization in a heavy-industrial cluster (petrochemical/refining), with a similar mix of safety training, networking, and advocacy services. Useful peer for understanding how a TRMA-like model performs in another refining-heavy region.
• Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce: Regional business membership organization serving the broader Chicago metro with networking, advocacy, and workforce programs. Comparable membership-driven model and Chicago-area footprint, but serves all industries rather than manufacturing specifically.

Emerging players

• NASAP (National Association of Substance Abuse Programs): Substance-abuse testing and policy program required for plant entry at several TRMA member sites. Operates as a complementary partner rather than a competitor, but is comparable in the contractor-compliance ecosystem.
• Safety Essentials (SE-SAFE / SE-SAFER): Provider of SE-SAFE/SE-SAFER safety training accepted as an alternative to BOP for plant entry at TRMA member facilities. A direct alternative in the same contractor safety orientation category, and a competing pathway for member safety spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Three Rivers Manufacturers’ Association