As we head into the last newsletter before our Annual General Meeting, we are excited to meet you all. The AGM is always a key moment in the ESA calendar—not only because we enjoy meeting together, but because we sharpen our shared priorities for the year ahead. It’s where our technical focus, industry realities, and member ambition come together in a very practical way.
This year, that feels especially relevant. Our sector is moving fast: customer expectations are rising, regulatory pressure continues to evolve, and the pace of innovation in materials, validation, and manufacturing is accelerating. The ESA’s role—your role—has never been more important. We are at our best when we combine deep technical credibility with a clear, collaborative voice in the wider industry.
A strong close to the month: The Gasket & Seals Show
Before we gather for the AGM, we had an important touchpoint at the end of the month: the Gasket & Seals Show. That brought together the people who design, specify, validate, manufacture, and troubleshoot sealing solutions every day. And they remind us why technical detail matters: because in sealing, “almost right” is rarely good enough.
I’m particularly pleased that Sandy was presenting at the show. Representing ESA members on a stage like that helps ensure the discussion stays grounded in engineering reality, not just marketing headlines.
Extending our reach: European Industrial Summit
In parallel, ESA was represented at the European Industrial Summit in Antwerp, where industrial and political leaders delivered a unified call for urgent action to restore Europe’s competitiveness and protect high-quality jobs. Our ESG Director, Sandy, attended on behalf of ESA and shared the clear priorities being pushed by industry: less bureaucracy, more coherent regulation across member states, and credible solutions to Europe’s energy cost gap. From a sealing industry perspective, he also reinforced the need for a pragmatic approach to fluoropolymers within the PFAS restriction process, given the wide-ranging impact across essential applications.
Looking ahead to the AGM
Between now and the AGM, my message is simple: let’s use this momentum.
- If you’ve been meaning to re-engage with an ESA working group, now is a perfect time.
- If there’s a topic you believe needs stronger technical alignment across the industry, raise it.
- If you’ve seen emerging challenges—materials compliance, validation methods, digitalisation, supply chain resilience—bring them into the conversation.
The AGM should never be just a formal checkpoint. It should feel like a working session for the industry—focused, constructive, and forward-looking.
On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who has contributed time and expertise over the past months. In an association like ours, the value is created by members who show up, share openly, and collaborate even when the details are complex. That spirit is one of ESA’s strongest assets.
Ozan Devlen,
ESA Chair