Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI)

What Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) does

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) is a non-profit trade association and ANSI-approved Standards Development Organization founded in 1927 and headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois. The institute serves as the authoritative industry body for steel-reinforced concrete construction in North America, representing an estimated 90% of domestic reinforcing steel production through a collective membership encompassing more than 90,000 workers across 47 states. CRSI develops and maintains consensus standards for design, detailing, fabrication, placement, and construction of steel reinforcement assemblies used in concrete and masonry construction, including key standards CRSI RB4.1 (Supports for Reinforcement), CG1.3 (Epoxy Coating Plant), CG2.1 (Epoxy-Coated Bar Fabrication), and IPG4.1 (Stainless Steel Fabrication).

CRSI's core product portfolio includes the Manual of Standard Practice (published since 1939, currently in its 31st edition), the Design Guide on ACI 318 Building Code Requirements, the Rebar U e-learning platform offering CEU/PDH credits, and three certification programs covering epoxy coating plants, epoxy bar fabricators, and stainless steel fabricators. Digital tools include the Rebar Reference mobile app and Development Length Calculators. The organization also operates interest groups (EIG, IFIG, SSIG) addressing specific material categories and the CRSI HONORS Awards Program, which has recognized innovative reinforced concrete structures for over 50 years across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model spanning membership dues (Corporate, Professional, and Student tiers), publication sales via the CRSI online store with dual member/non-member pricing, educational course and webinar fees, certification program fees, and government affairs advocacy via RebarPAC. The GTM motion is sales-led through a B2B membership model targeting manufacturers, fabricators, suppliers, engineers, architects, and contractors. Distribution occurs through direct channels including the online store, members portal, Rebar U e-learning portal, regional chapters, and direct certification services. The organization maintains active government affairs engagement through coalitions including BuildStrong, HMG, NACA, and TCC to advocate for federal infrastructure investment.

Name

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI)

Legal name

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

Website

https://crsi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CRSI is a non-profit trade association and ANSI-approved Standards Development Organization serving the steel-reinforced concrete construction industry. Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois, it represents an estimated 90% of domestic reinforcing steel production across 47 states through membership, standards development, publications, certification, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Standards & Industry Association Services

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Credentialing, Certification Prep & Exam Training (BPACANAJ)

Keywords

• Reinforced concrete standards
• Construction industry association
• Rebar technical publications
• Epoxy coating certification
• Professional engineering education

Headquarters

HQ city

Schaumburg, IL

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Corporate, Professional, and Student membership tiers providing access to technical resources, standards, publications discounts, and member-only content.
2. Publication Sales: Sale of technical publications, design guides, and standards documents through the CRSI store. Member and non-member pricing tiers.
3. Educational Courses (Rebar U): Revenue from self-paced courses, webinars, and webinar series offering CEU and PDH credits for professional engineers and architects.
4. Certification Programs: Certification fees for epoxy coating plants, epoxy bar fabricators, and stainless steel fabricators.
5. CRSI HONORS Awards Program: $150 entry fee for non-members with unlimited project submittals. No fee for current members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CRSI is a non-profit trade association and ANSI-approved Standards Development Organization that develops consensus standards, technical publications, and educational resources for the steel reinforced concrete construction industry. It sells standards documents (RB4.1, CG1.3, CG2.1, IPG4.1), the Manual of Standard Practice, design guides, the Rebar U e-learning platform, digital design tools, and certification programs for epoxy coating plants, epoxy bar fabricators, and stainless steel fabricators. Revenue is generated through membership dues, publication sales, certification fees, and course fees, serving manufacturers, fabricators, engineers, architects, and construction professionals across North America.

Product overview

CRSI is a standards development organization and industry association offering a portfolio of technical publications, digital tools, e-learning programs (Rebar U), and certification services. The core offerings include the Manual of Standard Practice, Design Guide on ACI 318, and various CRSI Standards documents (RB4.1, CG1.3, CG2.1, IPG4.1). Digital tools include the Rebar Reference mobile app and Development Length Calculators. The organization provides three certification programs: Epoxy Coating Plant Certification, Epoxy Bar Fabricator Certification, and Stainless Steel Fabricator Certification. Rebar U serves as the e-learning platform providing self-paced courses and webinars with CEU/PDH credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rebar U: E-learning platform offering courses and webinar presentations on design and construction topics with CEU and PDH credits
• CRSI HONORS Awards Program
• RebarPAC
• Detailer Training Program

Products and services

• CRSI Rebar U E-Learning Platform

Named customers3 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Stainless Steel Interest Group (SSIG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 August 2024Approved by the CRSI Board of Directors on August 29, 2024. Promotes and markets solid stainless steel bars and raises awareness of the benefits of solid stainless steel rebar among DOTs, engineers, specifiers, and contractors.
• Independent Fabricators Interest Group (IFIG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Established in 2010 to strengthen business operations and competitiveness of independent fabricators through peer-to-peer discussions, best practices promotion, and industry innovation facilitation.
• Epoxy Interest Group (EIG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2008Formed in March 2008 to promote and market fusion bonded epoxy coated steel bars (FBECR) and create awareness of epoxy coated reinforcing steel among DOTs, engineering specifiers, and contractors.
• BuildStrong CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA group of firefighters, emergency responders, insurers, engineers, architects, contractors, and manufacturers, along with consumer organizations, code specialists, and others committed to building a stronger America. CRSI participates in this coalition to advance industry interests in building safety and construction standards.
• Highway Materials Group (HMG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprised of 11 trade associations whose members provide materials and equipment necessary to build America's transportation infrastructure. HMG members work with local and state DOT officials on critical public works projects.
• North American Concrete Alliance (NACA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprised of 12 national associations representing companies providing construction materials and equipment essential to building America's roads, highways, and bridges. CRSI participates to advocate for increased investment in surface transportation infrastructure.
• Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in July 1996, the TCC is a partnership of 31 national associations and construction unions representing hundreds of thousands of individuals with direct market interest in federal transportation programs. CRSI participates in advocacy campaigns aimed at boosting investment in surface transportation infrastructure.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ASTM International: ASTM is a globally recognized ANSI-approved Standards Development Organization covering materials including steel reinforcement (e.g., ASTM A615 referenced by CRSI). It is the closest functional peer to CRSI in terms of SDO operations, standards publishing, and committee-driven consensus work.
• National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA): NRMCA represents ready-mix concrete producers and offers plant certifications, sustainability resources, and engineering publications. It is a directly comparable trade association model serving a complementary segment of the concrete construction value chain.
• Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI): PCI is a trade association and standards/certification body for the precast and prestressed concrete industry, paralleling CRSI's role for cast-in-place reinforced concrete. PCI runs plant certification programs and publishes design manuals targeting similar engineer and contractor audiences.
• American Concrete Institute (ACI): ACI develops the ACI 318 Building Code and other consensus standards for structural concrete, directly overlapping with CRSI's mandate on steel reinforcement. Both are non-profit standards-developing organizations serving the same engineering and construction professional audience.

Broad incumbents

• Portland Cement Association (PCA): PCA is the broader trade association for the cement industry, upstream of CRSI's reinforcing steel scope. PCA conducts research, advocacy, and codes/standards work on cement and concrete materials, partially overlapping with CRSI's structural concrete coverage.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE): ASCE is a large professional society serving structural and civil engineers, overlapping with CRSI's Professional and Student member segments. ASCE publishes standards and continuing-education content targeting the same engineering audience CRSI reaches through Rebar U.
• American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC): AISC is the principal trade association and SDO for structural steel construction, competing with CRSI in the broader building system materials conversation. AISC's certification programs and design guides parallel CRSI's offerings but for an alternative structural material.

Emerging players

• Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI): PTI is a smaller non-profit association focused on post-tensioned concrete, offering certification programs and design standards that intersect with CRSI's reinforcement scope. It represents a more specialized, niche SDO/association model competing for engineering mindshare.
• American Segmental Bridge Institute (ASBI): ASBI is a niche association focused on segmental bridge construction, a category of reinforced/prestressed concrete infrastructure. ASBI offers conventions and technical resources comparable in form to CRSI's HONORS program and publications, but for a narrower bridge sub-segment.

Regional players

• AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials): AASHTO is a regional (US-focused) standards-setting body whose LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and material specifications are routinely referenced alongside CRSI standards by state DOTs. It is a comparable authority on transportation-infrastructure standards but at the specifying agency level rather than the materials supplier level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/crsi_tweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CRSIvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/crsi.hq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crsi-hq
• Instagraminstagram.com/crsi_steel_reinforced_concrete

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI)