News - European Sealing Association (ESA)

Message from the ESA Chair: From product performance to product intelligence

Written by ESA | Jul 28, 2026 8:42:39 AM
For many years, sealing product quality has been defined by material properties, dimensions, reliability and service life. Today, another factor is becoming equally important: trusted and structured product data.

Customers increasingly expect clear information on material composition, regulatory compliance, origin, environmental impact and recyclability. With initiatives such as the Digital Product Passport, data quality is becoming part of product quality.

For sealing manufacturers, this requires more than completing customer questionnaires. It demands close cooperation between engineering, materials, purchasing, quality, sustainability and IT. Companies must understand where their data comes from, how it is verified and how it is maintained.

This should not be seen only as a compliance burden. Reliable product information can strengthen customer confidence, improve responsiveness and demonstrate the real value of sealing solutions.

ESA can support this transition by promoting common terminology, practical data requirements and proportionate rules for our industry.

Our products often remain invisible, but their contribution is critical. In the future, that contribution must also become visible, traceable and verifiable.


Ozan Devlen,
ESA Chair