What Rivet | MRO does

Rivet | MRO, LLC is a Missouri-based marketing agency founded in 2016 by Tim Rasmussen, a former ITW Director of Marketing, that exclusively serves independent industrial, electrical, MRO, safety, HVAC, and building supply distributors in North America. The company's central product is the proprietary Co|optimizer program, a managed service that identifies, claims, deploys, and reconciles manufacturer co-op marketing and market development funds (MDF) on behalf of distributor clients—effectively converting underutilized manufacturer marketing budgets into distributor growth campaigns at no out-of-pocket cost to the distributor.

The product portfolio is structured around this co-op fund engine and includes creative production services (Riveting Video animation, Clickable Catalogs, Sample Boxes, Print Materials), strategic consulting (Analytical Services, Fractional CMO, Co-op Roadmap, Co-op Jumpstart), social media management (Distributor Social), and AI-enabled tools (Chatbolt and PingReveal). Pricing follows a low-friction entry model: a $799 Co-op Roadmap strategic session (or $399 for AD/ISA members) feeds into a $2,000 Co-op Jumpstart project (or $999 for members), which functions as an initial deposit for multi-year Co|optimizer retainers.

Rivet|MRO's go-to-market is anchored by a flagship channel partnership with Affiliated Distributors (AD), the largest buying group for independent North American distributors, where it serves as the recommended co-op marketing partner for AD's 1,000+ member distributors. Complementary relationships with ISA and NAED extend reach into additional verticals, while manufacturer-side relationships with 3M, Honeywell, ABB, Schneider Electric, Kennametal, DuPont, ITW Pro Brands, Stanley Black & Decker, Generac, and MCR Safety supply the co-op funding that underwrites the model. The company is bootstrapped and privately held, with 11–50 employees and no disclosed external funding.

Name

Rivet | MRO

Legal name

Rivet | MRO, LLC

Website

https://rivetmro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rivet | MRO is a Missouri-based marketing agency that helps independent industrial, electrical, and MRO distributors claim and deploy manufacturer co-op marketing funds through its proprietary Co|optimizer managed service and full-service campaign execution across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Saint Louis

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Co-op Marketing Management Services: Rivet|MRO provides fully managed co-op marketing services for independent distributors. Their Co|optimizer program handles the entire co-op fund lifecycle—discovery, planning, campaign execution, and reimbursement—typically at no cost to the distributor as it is funded by manufacturers. This creates a value proposition where distributors get professional marketing without out-of-pocket expenditure.
2. Co-op Roadmap Consulting: A 60-minute strategic working session that uncovers hidden co-op funds and creates a 12-month co-op deployment plan. Price is $799 standard, $399 for AD & ISA members. Most distributors uncover 20-50x their investment in available co-op funds.
3. Co-op Jumpstart Project: Full-service marketing project delivery including fund identification, custom plan development, supplier securing, and project execution. Price is $2,000 standard, $999 for AD & ISA members. Serves as initial deposit for first year retainer.
4. Integrated Marketing Services: Comprehensive marketing services including market research, branding, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotions, trade shows, video production, collateral development, web design, SEO, and social media management. Funded through co-op marketing programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Rivet | MRO is a Marketing Resource Organization (MRO) that provides fully managed co-op marketing and integrated marketing services to independent industrial, electrical, MRO, HVAC, and building supply distributors. Its flagship proprietary Co|optimizer program identifies, claims, and deploys manufacturer-provided co-op marketing funds on behalf of distributors, often at no out-of-pocket cost. The firm bundles this with creative production, digital marketing, social media management, and strategic consulting to convert unused manufacturer funds into measurable distributor sales growth.

Product overview

Rivet | MRO operates as a Marketing Resource Organization (MRO) offering an integrated suite of marketing services for independent industrial, electrical, and building supply distributors. The portfolio centers on Co|optimizer, a proprietary co-op marketing fund maximization program that helps distributors identify and deploy manufacturer-provided marketing funds. The service ecosystem includes creative production services (Riveting Video animation, Clickable Catalogs, Sample Boxes, Print Materials), strategic consulting (Analytical Services, Fractional CMO, Co-op Roadmap), and AI-powered tools (Chatbolt, PingReveal). Distributor Social provides social media management, while web design, SEO, and promotional products round out tactical execution. All services are designed to be co-op fund eligible, enabling distributors to execute professional marketing without bearing full costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Co|optimizer: Proprietary Co-op Maximizer program that helps distributors claim and use manufacturer co-op marketing funds.
• Distributor Social
• Riveting Video
• Clickable Catalogs
• IndustRetail

Products and services

• Co|optimizer (Co-op Maximizer) Proprietary co-op marketing fund management program that helps independent industrial distributors identify, claim, plan, and deploy manufacturer-provided co-op and market development funds (MDF) for marketing campaigns. The risk-free, fully managed service handles fund discovery, planning, execution, and reimbursement, with manufacturer co-op dollars covering the cost.
• Distributor Social Social media content solution designed exclusively for industrial distributors. It scans and curates relevant industrial content from credible sources and creates customized posts with company branding, typically posted twice weekly with infographics.
• Clickable Catalogs Interactive digital product guides that look like print catalogs but contain embedded eCommerce links, manufacturer videos, and product information. Includes trackable clicks and supplier-approved content.
• Riveting Video (Animation Services) Graphics animation video services for distributors including whiteboard videos, 3D motion graphics, 2D animation, and instant videos designed for email and social media campaigns.
• Sample Boxes Custom sample box programs for industrial distributors that generate high ROI by promoting supplier products to customers and prospects through physical sample deliveries (often achieving 20:1 or 35:1 ROI).
• Analytical Services Data-driven marketing analytics services including customer data profiling, market segmentation, business potential estimation, sales forecasting, acquisition modeling, cross-sell/up-sell modeling, and customer lifetime value analysis.
• Fractional CMO Services Part-time chief marketing officer services providing strategic marketing leadership, planning, and guidance for independent distributors without the cost of a full-time executive.
• Chatbolt AI-powered chat service for industrial distributors enabling automated customer interactions and lead generation through conversational interfaces.
• PingReveal AI-powered reveal/engagement tool for distributors that uses intelligent targeting and reveal mechanics for marketing campaigns.
• Web Design Website development services for independent distributors, offering state-of-the-art sites starting at $2,500, including design, coding, content creation, hosting, and ongoing maintenance.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO services designed to improve industrial distributor visibility in search engine results and drive organic traffic to websites.
• Promotional Products Curated promotional products and merchandise research and sourcing services tailored for industrial distributors and their customers.
• Email and Social Campaigns Integrated email marketing and social media advertising campaign management services for industrial distributors.
• Print Materials Print collateral design and production services including brochures, sales materials, and branded print assets for industrial distributors.
• Sales Promos Sales promotion campaign development and execution services including limited-time offers, early bird discounts, flash sales, and promotional incentives designed to drive immediate purchasing action.
• Trade Show Services Trade show and event marketing support including pre-show promotion, booth displays (from simple banners to large digital displays), marketing materials, and giveaways.
• Co-op Roadmap 60-minute strategic working session that uncovers available co-op funds, maps marketing opportunities, and creates a 12-month co-op deployment plan for independent distributors. Priced at $799 standard ($399 for AD & ISA members), with a 5x ROI guarantee.
• Co-op Jumpstart Entry-level co-op marketing engagement that identifies supplier partners, builds a custom co-op plan, secures funding, and executes an initial marketing project. Priced at $2,000 standard ($999 for AD & ISA members) and serves as initial deposit for first year retainer.
• Online Tele-Consulting Remote consulting packages providing strategic marketing advice and industrial marketing expertise access via online sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Co-op budget increases up to 300%
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, minor and major.

• Affiliated Distributors (AD)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2024AD has selected Rivet|MRO as their recommended co-op marketing partner. Rivet has worked with 100+ AD members across North America. In November 2024, Rivet|MRO won AD's first-ever Service Provider Excellence Award, scoring 4.9/5 on their Service Provider Scorecard. AD is the largest buying group for independent distributors in the industrial, electrical, and building products sector with 1,000+ member distributors expecting $100B+ in combined revenue in 2025.
• Industrial Supply Association (ISA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRivet|MRO is a partner, member, and event sponsor of ISA, North America's premier trade association for distributors, manufacturers, and independent representatives in the industrial and MRO industry.
• National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRivet|MRO is an active member of NAED, which represents and supports electrical distributors in North America through industry advocacy, education, networking, and business resources.
• Profit2minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfit2 is a software-as-a-service company specializing in helping distributors safely increase profit margins by 1-2 percentage points. Partnership provides complementary profitability optimization services for shared distributor clients.
• 3MmajorGTM or Marketing Partner3M is a manufacturer partner whose brands participate in co-op marketing programs managed by Rivet|MRO for industrial distributors.
• ITW Pro BrandsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerITW Pro Brands (manufacturer of LPS, SCRUBS, Spray Nine, Dymon products) is a key manufacturer partner whose co-op funds are managed by Rivet|MRO for distributor campaigns.
• HoneywellmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHoneywell is a manufacturer partner whose products participate in co-op marketing programs with Rivet|MRO managed campaigns.
• ABBmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerABB is a global technology and industrial manufacturing company participating in co-op marketing programs with Rivet|MRO.
• Schneider ElectricmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchneider Electric is a global specialist in energy management and automation participating in co-op marketing programs for industrial distributors.
• KennametalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKennametal is a global industrial technology enterprise and manufacturer partner in Rivet|MRO's co-op marketing network.
• DuPontmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDuPont is a science and technology innovation company whose brands (including DuPont Tyvek) participate in co-op marketing programs managed by Rivet|MRO.
• Stanley Black & DeckermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerStanley Black & Decker is a global manufacturer and brand partner in co-op marketing programs for industrial distributors.
• GeneracmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerac is a manufacturer of power generation equipment and energy technology solutions participating in co-op marketing programs with Rivet|MRO.
• MCR SafetycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMCR Safety is a manufacturer of personal protective equipment and safety products frequently featured in sample box campaigns managed by Rivet|MRO.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heinz Marketing: B2B marketing agency focused on demand generation, sales enablement, and account-based marketing for industrial and technology clients. Overlapping service portfolio (content, demand gen, sales pipeline) with comparable mid-market industrial clients.
• Winger Marketing: B2B industrial marketing agency serving manufacturers and distributors with branding, websites, and integrated marketing. Directly comparable customer base (industrial/building products distributors) and service scope.
• J. Walcher Communications: San Diego-based B2B and industrial marketing agency serving manufacturers, distributors, and service companies with PR, branding, and digital marketing. Comparable in targeting distribution and industrial supply verticals.
• Risdall Advertising Agency: Full-service B2B agency with a long-standing industrial and distribution practice, offering branding, digital, and channel marketing services. Comparable in delivering integrated marketing programs to industrial and distribution clients.
• Industrial Strength Marketing: Industrial B2B marketing agency specializing in marketing for manufacturers and industrial distributors. Closely comparable in target customer (industrial verticals), service mix (digital marketing, branding, content), and account-based approach.
• Weidert Group: Industrial inbound marketing agency serving manufacturers and industrial companies with content, SEO, web design, and lead generation. Direct competitor serving an overlapping industrial B2B client base with similar full-service capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• HubSpot Solutions Partners: HubSpot's agency partner ecosystem (including firms like SmartBug, Salted Stone) delivers inbound marketing, CRM, and content services at scale to industrial clients. Represents the broader incumbent competition for digital marketing execution at distributors.
• Disruptive Advertising: Larger performance marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, and lifecycle marketing to mid-market and enterprise clients across multiple verticals. Competes for digital marketing budgets but with a broader vertical mix and larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rivet-mro
• Xx.com/RivetMRO
• Facebookfacebook.com/rivetMRO

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Rivet | MRO