Industrial Rivet Marking 100th Anniversary
FEATURE
Industrial Rivet & Fastener Company’s expertise in rivets was the key to its founding 100 years ago, and remains an advantage today.
According to Bill Goodman, grandson of the founder, Greenwich Village distributors approached New York area rep Willie Goodman in 1912 to buy back and resell their rivets in smaller quantities.
“They understood bolts and nuts, but didn’t know much about permanent fastening,” Bill Goodman said of the Manhattan distributors. Willie Goodman’s knowledge of rivets gave him the foundation for the establishment of Industrial Rivet & Fastener Co. Inc.
A century later, distributors still turn to Industrial Rivet for permanent fastening expertise, Bill said. The Northern New Jersey-based company with 65 employees manufactures, imports and distributes a full range of solid, semi-tubular and blind rivets.
The Goodman family notes their business heritage predates Industrial Rivet & Fastener. Customs and census research shows an ancestor named Adolf Goodman (Willie Goodman’s grandfather), who arrived from Europe in 1895 and listed his prior occupation as “tinsmith,” an occupation that used rivets regularly.
Willie’s son, Allen Goodman, remains active in the company today in administrative and sales roles.
Joanne Goodman Sherman and Bill recall sorting rivets in the living room as kids and now have been with the company for over 35 years.
Steven, of the fourth generation was “fascinated with rivets even at age seven.” Joanne recalls. Bill’s daughter, Taryn Goodman, is studying for an MBA in anticipation of joining the company. Another member of the fourth generation, Mark Goodman, has started working in the warehouse to learn the business from “the bottom up just as we all have,” Joanne told GlobalFastenerNews.com.
For the rest of the Industrial Rivet & Fastener Co. Inc. story click here. Web: rivet.com ©2012 GlobalFastenerNews.com
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