An unusual organization called the Manufacturing Revitalization Corporation of America (MRCA) has launched a new business unit to better support its ever-growing manufacturing of consumer products in the USA.
The MRCA is not a government organization but works with manufacturers across the US to support them through knowledge-sharing and other initiatives.
This announcement is coupled with the acquisition of three direct-to-consumer (DTC) and e-commerce brands whose products will be made in MRCA facilities. Elton Rivas, co-founder of Semi Exact, largest of the DTC brands acquired, was appointed to lead this new business unit.
Jason Azevedo, MRCA’s chief strategy officer, says: “Our mission at MRCA is to preserve US-based manufacturing. We’ve purchased five legacy American manufacturers and we’re still growing.
“Historically, our facilities’ customers were business-to-business clients. Meaning we made parts for our clients’ end-product.
“Several consumer brands approached us recently to take over manufacturing – to near-shore from a foreign supplier or to reduce production and shipping times. These opportunities add volume and revenue to our current manufacturing firms.”
Keven Azevedo, chief product officer, says: “Adding more DTC brands to our client roster makes sense. Wisconic, our plastic injection molding factory in Wisconsin, already makes the consumer brands Bottle Buddy and Party Pal.
“Adding these new brands to our existing portfolio presents a great opportunity to scale both the B2B and DTC productions within our group.”
Elton Rivas, founder of Semi Exact, a purveyor of high quality ready-to-make furniture, was among the early brands to reach out.
Rivas says: “We were at a transition point and evaluated the best path forward to continue to serve our customer base. MRCA’s ever-growing capabilities, and history in metal-goods manufacturing through its company Wells Industries became an ideal fit for our needs.”
Rivas’ background makes him an ideal candidate to lead this new division:
Other recently acquired DTC brands include:
- Subpod: An in-ground composting system that diverts waste, rebuilds soil and helps you grow food. Seventy-two percent of this Australian DTC company’s customers are in the US.
- Hungry Bin: A fast and convenient way to compost up to 5lbs of food scraps daily – turning it into fantastic fertilizer and plant food.
Looking ahead, Rivas says: “This is the first step in building an infrastructure to deliver for both B2B clients and DTC brands. Next, we’ll continue to evaluate the best fitting brands to produce within our manufacturing capabilities, from plastic injection molding, to metal goods, and more.
“There has been a turning tide for many years and now is a great opportunity for brands looking for American manufacturing to reach out to see how we can support their needs.”
