Dec 27, 2019 in Gasket Industry News, KP Gaskets Community News
Gasket Cutting Association – 25 years

25 Years of the GCA BA began with a chance meeting on an aircraft between Alan Rushin and Colin Grimes. Colin Grimes who happened to run a secretariat that specialised in Associations, sent invitations to all the major gasket cutters to attend the inaugural meeting in Leicester. This was a meeting that I actually missed, however, there was enough support to go ahead and form the Gasket Cutters Association.

Most of the members were owner / directors of Gasket cutting companies with workforce numbers of between 3 and 25. Naturally, there was a “guarding” of sensitive business clients, but a will to lay down the foundation constitution and mission statement so as to further the Association.

During the course of these early meetings it soon dawned on the committee members that there was a great deal of difference on the way each company worked. We all made gaskets, however, the materials used and the equipment was very different and so was the customer base, with many niche customers and special techniques to serve them.

A great number of the founding member companies are no more; they have either been sold and the director owners have retired, or they have rebranded or have gone to the wayside. I have met some very interesting owners during the course of membership and have learnt a great deal from them. Some like-minded companies would work together and product ranges would be added to each other’s portfolio.

In an attempt to broaden our membership base the Association changed its name from the Gasket Cutters Association (GCA) to the UK Gasket & Sealing Association (UKGSA) in a hope to continue to attract a wider range of businesses.

Networking Works

Our events are where the business relationships and friend-ships are built. There are generally at least three events organised each the year: The Golf Day is always well attended. It is a day when we hold our AGM and our grand Gala dinner. There is a Race day and an industrial tour.

We have visited numerous manufacturers over the years with some extremely interesting sites including JCB, Aston Martin Cars, Jaguar, Land Rover, Wembley Stadium.

Fundraising

The Association is very happy to support MACMILLAN Cancer Support with various fundraising events. One of the most recent being the excellent efforts of Sandy and Fiona McEwen (William Johnston & Company) and Sam Bradley & Graham Cheeseman (Flexitallic EU Ltd) on the 100 mile London/Surrey cycle ride on the wettest day of this summer’s drought. Thirty five degrees for 6 weeks and then on the day the heavens opened with really heavy cold rain, non-stop.


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