What Chicago Rivet & Machine Company does

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. is a 105-year-old, publicly traded (NYSE American: CVR) industrial manufacturer of custom cold formed parts and riveting machinery, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois. The company operates two business pillars: (1) custom cold headed fasteners and parts produced via a cold forming process that shapes metal at room temperature using specialized dies and headers, with capability from .030 to .620 inches body diameter and up to 5 inches in length, in materials including aluminum, brass, carbon steel, copper, stainless steel, and specialty alloys; and (2) riveting machinery including standard mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic machines, custom-engineered machines with PLC integration, manual tools, and supporting rebuild, repair, and tooling services. All tooling is built in-house, a structural differentiator that reduces lead times.

The company sells on a quote-based, engineering-driven basis to industrial customers in six primary verticals — automotive (IATF 16949-certified, the largest segment), HVAC, electronics/electrical, appliance, cutlery/houseware, and medical devices — with anchor customers referenced as Fortune 500 organizations in automotive, appliance, and electrical. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed through a direct sales team, a network of manufacturers' sales representatives across North America, and a website-based RFQ system. The company maintains manufacturing operations in Tyrone, Pennsylvania and Madison Heights, Michigan (H & L Tool Company subsidiary), an engineering/automated assembly office in Pembroke, Massachusetts, and an FY2025 revenue base of $27.89 million.

FY2025 financials show a 3.3% year-over-year revenue increase, a narrowed net loss of $1.08 million (versus $5.62 million in 2024), and a going concern qualification from Cherry Bekaert LLP in the 2025 Form 10-K. Management has temporarily suspended the quarterly cash dividend to reallocate capital toward recently awarded new products and pipeline development. The company has no AI/ML capability disclosed; its technology base is conventional industrial cold heading, in-house tooling, and process automation.

Name

Chicago Rivet & Machine Company

Legal name

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co.

Website

https://chicagorivet.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. (NYSE American: CVR) is a publicly traded, 105-year-old U.S. manufacturer of custom cold headed fasteners and parts, plus custom riveting machinery, sold on a quote basis to industrial customers — primarily in automotive — across Fortune 500 supply chains.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Fasteners

NAICS

Bolt, Nut, Screw, Rivet, and Washer Manufacturing (332722)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452), Screw Machine Products (3451)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• Cold headed fasteners
• Cold formed parts
• Riveting machinery
• Custom screw machine products
• Industrial fastener manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Naperville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Cold Formed Parts/Fasteners: Custom cold headed parts and fasteners manufactured to customer specifications. Revenue is recognized upon shipment of goods. Serves automotive, electrical, appliance, HVAC, cutlery, furniture, and other industrial applications.
2. Riveting Machinery: Manufacture and sale of mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic riveting equipment including standard models and custom-designed machines. Revenue for assembly equipment segment may be recognized based on progress toward completion using labor-based measures for certain contracts.
3. Machine Services and Tooling: Rivet machine services including rebuilding, repair, and replacement parts; rivet machine tooling (anvils, drivers, jaws).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. manufactures custom cold formed and cold headed fasteners (rivets, studs, and complex geometry parts) and produces mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic riveting machinery, including standard and custom-designed machines with PLC automation. The company serves industrial customers in automotive, electrical, appliance, HVAC, cutlery, medical, and other sectors from its U.S. manufacturing facilities.

Product overview

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. operates as a manufacturer of custom cold formed parts and riveting machinery. The product portfolio consists of two primary categories: Cold Formed Parts/Cold Headed Fasteners (including various rivet types, studs, and custom fasteners in multiple materials and finishes) and Riveting Machinery (encompassing standard machines, custom machines, manual tools, services, and tooling). The company also offers Automated Assembly Systems as an integrated solution. All products are supported by ISO/IATF 16949 quality certifications and in-house tooling capabilities to reduce lead times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cold Formed Parts / Cold Headed Fasteners Custom-manufactured cold formed and cold headed fasteners including rivets, studs, and complex geometry parts ranging from .030 inches to .620 inches in body diameter and up to 5 inches in length. Produced in aluminum, brass, carbon steel, copper, stainless steel, and specialty alloys with various finishes, for industrial customers in automotive, electrical, appliance, HVAC, cutlery, furniture, and medical applications.
• Standard Riveting Machines
• Custom Riveting Machines Tailored rivet setting equipment designed and built by Chicago Rivet for unique applications across various industries, available in pneumatic, hydraulic, or multiple drive configurations with PLC integration and complete automation capabilities.
• Manual Riveting Tools
• Rivet Machine Services
• Rivet Machine Tooling
• Automated Assembly Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered 2.5 million hex-head bushings in under 10 weeks with ±0.005 inch tolerances
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• H & L Tool Company, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary located in Madison Heights, Michigan. ISO/IATF 16949:2016 certified manufacturer of products through precision turning and cold forming technology. Extends Chicago Rivet's manufacturing capabilities in precision turning and complements cold heading operations.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp (PEM): Leading producer of self-clinching fasteners and engineered hardware, with a similar custom-fastener business model serving industrial and electronics customers. Comparable in scale and in the integration of design support with high-volume production.
• Bossard Group: Swiss-based global fastener specialist combining manufacturing and supply chain solutions for industrial OEMs. Comparable fastener product portfolio and engineered-fastener services, though much larger and more global than Chicago Rivet.
• Spirol International Corporation: Manufactures cold formed metal parts, inserts, and engineered fasteners, overlapping directly with Chicago Rivet's cold heading core capability. Serves similar industrial and automotive customers with comparable tight-tolerance custom parts.
• Bulten AB: Swedish producer of cold formed fasteners for the automotive industry, with direct exposure to ICE powertrain and structural applications. Closely comparable product technology and customer base, with stronger Nordic OEM relationships.
• LISI Group: French manufacturer of fasteners and assembly components for aerospace, automotive, and industrial markets. Comparable in custom engineered fasteners and similar customer verticals, though with much greater aerospace and European OEM mix.
• National Bolt & Nut Corporation: Distributor and manufacturer of industrial fasteners serving OEM and MRO customers. Comparable in product mix (bolts, nuts, screws, washers) and customer profile, though with a stronger distribution rather than pure custom manufacturing orientation.
• Elgin Fastener Group: US-based manufacturer of specialty cold headed and machined fasteners for automotive, industrial, and consumer applications. Directly comparable in product type, customer verticals, and custom-spec quoting model.
• Nedschroef: European manufacturer of cold formed fasteners, primarily serving automotive OEMs. Closely comparable cold heading technology and automotive end-market exposure, though larger in scale and more internationally diversified.

Broad incumbents

• Howmet Aerospace: Aerospace-focused manufacturer of fastening systems, engine components, and structures. Overlaps with Chicago Rivet in specialty fastener production but is primarily a tier-1 aerospace supplier with substantially greater scale and regulatory depth.
• Illinois Tool Works (ITW): Diversified industrial manufacturer with fastener-related product lines (e.g., Shakeproof, Spax) serving automotive and industrial markets. Competes with Chicago Rivet in fastener categories but as part of a much broader industrial portfolio with vastly greater scale and capital.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBV9rhj7ZCteBiZ4f8sd3lQ

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Chicago Rivet & Machine Company