Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. reported modest sales growth in 2025, with a pronounced recovery in the final quarter of the year, although volumes remain below historical norms. During 2025 sales rose 3% to $27.9 million, boosted by a 46% jump in fourth-quarter revenue to $5.99 million. Full-year gross profit totaled $4.1 million, with operating loss declining to $1.96 million and net loss dropping to $1.08 million.

During 2025, Chicago Rivet continued its diversification away from automotive toward non-automotive customers, achieving a 15% increase to non-automotive customers during the year.

Fastener segment revenues jumped 41% to $5.09 million in Q4. Sales to automotive customers rose 40% to $3.3 million, driven by an incremental charge of $857,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024 related to the previously disclosed settlement with a customer regarding certain warranty claims. Q4 non-automotive revenues increased 43% to $1.83 million.

Full-year fastener segment revenues gained 4% to $24.1 million. Sales to automotive customers slipped to $15.14 million. After adjusting the prior year amount for the $1.1 million warranty charge recorded in 2024, the decrease in automotive sales is 9%, largely due to a slowdown in North American vehicle production and continued volatility across the Midwest automotive manufacturing sector.

Full-year fastener segment sales to non-automotive customers, including those in the construction and electronics industries, increased 15% to $8.94 million.

In response to softening demand in the automotive sector, the sales team proactively expanded outreach to customers in industrial, construction, and consumer goods markets.

Fastener segment gross margin improved to $2.67 million, primarily driven by operational efficiencies and improved pricing on lower year-over-year volumes and higher input costs.

Full-year Assembly Equipment segment revenues slipped to $3.8 million, reflecting timing-related factors in customer purchasing cycles as well as project delays stemming from cautious capital investment trends across multiple industries.

Capital expenditures declined 49% to $331,669, entirely related to Fastener segment activities, including $285,537 for equipment to perform secondary operations and inspection of parts, $32,371 for general plant equipment, and $13,761 for facilities improvement including IT equipment.

During 2025 Chicago Rivet consolidated its Albia, IA, operations into its facility in Tyrone, PA, delivering cost savings and higher capacity utilization.