News

ESA Annual General Meeting 2026: Final reminder

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

14–16 April 2026 · Seville, Spain

We’re delighted to announce that the European Sealing Association Annual General Meeting 2026 will take place in the beautiful city of Seville, Spain, from 14th to 16th April 2026. This year’s AGM will be hosted at the centrally located Meliá Sevilla Hotel, a modern and stylish hotel offering excellent meeting facilities and a wide range of comfortable bedrooms. Room rates range from €213 to €279 per night, including taxes and breakfast.

As always, our programme follows a familiar structure with divisional meetings and a number of special guest presentations scheduled for the 15th. The preliminary agenda is available in the Members area and follows the successful format of previous years, with a few added enhancements to enrich your experience.

We’ll kick off the AGM with an all‑inclusive ‘meet and greet’ welcome drinks reception, a relaxed opportunity to reconnect, network, and settle in before enjoying dinner together on the first evening. On the 15th, we are excited to host our main dinner in the stunning Pilatos Palace, where, weather permitting, we’ll dine outdoors in its atmospheric courtyard.

Full AGM details, including the schedule, can be found in the Members area. Please use the links below to register and to book your hotel room. Time is running out on the exclusivity of this hotel, and rooms are becoming limited.

We look forward to welcoming you to Seville for what promises to be an inspiring, productive, and memorable AGM.

Message from the ESA Chair: The final stretch to our AGM

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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

PFAS update: ITRE Committee study highlights strategic role of fluoropolymers

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:30:00 GMT

Interesting news has been received from the European Parliament’s ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy) Committee, which published an independent study in which fluoropolymers are considered enablers of competitiveness. The study highlights the critical role of fluoropolymers in Europe’s strategic industry.

1. Role of fluoropolymers within PFAS

The study concentrates on six fluoropolymers—PTFE, PVDF, ETFE, FEP, PFA, and FKM/FFKM—which together account for around 93% of fluoropolymer use in Europe. These materials fall under the OECD definition of PFAS and are therefore included in the proposed Universal PFAS (UPFAS) restriction under REACH.

Fluoropolymers are distinguished from many other PFAS by:

Long molecular chain structure and weight and polymeric structure.
Exceptional thermal stability, chemical resistance, low friction, dielectric properties, and durability.
Use primarily in industrial and strategic applications, rather than consumer dispersive uses.
Fluoropolymers are PFAS of low concern

2. How fluoropolymers are treated in the PFAS restriction proposal

The UPFAS restriction dossier, as assessed in the study, considers two regulatory options:

RO1: A near-total ban with an 18-month transition period
RO2: A ban with use-specific, mostly time-limited derogations

Under both options, fluoropolymers are not automatically exempt, despite being polymers and despite their distinct risk profile compared with low-molecular-weight PFAS (e.g., PFOA, PFOS).

The study highlights that fluoropolymers are regulated as part of a broad PFAS group, rather than via a differentiated, risk-based approach.

This creates a high risk of unintended consequences for critical industrial value chains.

3. Substitution potential for fluoropolymers

The Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) finds that:

Substitution is often technically infeasible for fluoropolymers in critical applications.
Where alternatives exist, they usually fail to meet all required performance criteria, particularly:
High temperature resistance
Chemical inertness
Long service life and safety
Ultra-low contamination

Source: ITRE document, authors’ own elaboration.

Sectoral findings:

Aerospace & defence: fluoropolymers are used in seals, gaskets, wiring insulation, bearings, fuel systems, coatings, and engine components.
Semiconductors: fluoropolymers are essential for ultra-high purity environments, chemical handling, tubing, seals, and contamination control.
Green energy & clean technologies: used in lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen fuel cells (PEM membranes), solar panels, wind turbines, heat pumps.

Overall, the study concludes that application-by-application assessment is necessary, and blanket assumptions about substitutability are not supported by evidence.

4. Socio-economic and competitiveness implications

Because fluoropolymers are deeply embedded in strategic sectors, the study estimates very large impacts if they are restricted without adequate derogations.

Economic impact:

First-year costs of ~€560 billion under both RO1 and RO2
Annual recurring costs of ~€70+ billion

Industrial impact:

At least 39,000 enterprises and ~2.9 million jobs potentially affected
SMEs disproportionately exposed, particularly in clean technology supply chains

From a competitiveness perspective:

The EU could become one of the strictest jurisdictions globally on fluoropolymers.
Other regions (US, Canada, Asia) often exempt polymers of low concern, creating risks of:

Production relocation
Supply chain dependency on non-EU manufacturers
Weakened EU strategic autonomy

5. Key conclusions on fluoropolymers in the PFAS restriction process

The study’s central conclusions regarding fluoropolymers are:

Fluoropolymers are enablers of EU industrial competitiveness, not marginal or easily replaceable substances.
Treating fluoropolymers identically to all PFAS does not reflect their distinct functionality, exposure pathways, or risk profile.
A blanket PFAS restriction risks undermining EU climate, digital, defence, and industrial policy objectives.

6. Recommendations specific to fluoropolymers

The study recommends a more differentiated regulatory approach, including time-unlimited derogations for fluoropolymers and F-gases.

With a stronger focus on:

Emission control
End-of-life management
Abatement and remediation technologies

Creation of innovation and investment funding to support long-term development of alternatives, rather than forcing premature substitution.

Final conclusion

Although this report reviews only a limited number of sectors and does not fully address several important application areas—such as sealing applications and other strategic industrial sectors—its findings convey a significantly more positive message than what has previously been communicated during the restriction process at ECHA.

The members of the European Sealing Association (ESA) look forward to a balanced and well-founded political decision on the management of the PFAS restriction process, guided by a pragmatic and proportionate approach, based on the following considerations:

Fluoropolymers differ fundamentally from other PFAS substances, as they are non-hazardous and safe in their intended applications.
Due to their unique material characteristics, there are currently no technically or economically viable alternatives for many critical uses.
Fluoropolymers are essential to maintaining the competitiveness, innovation capacity, and strategic resilience of European industry.

Therefore, ESA, its members, and downstream users seek a specific exemption for fluoropolymers within the PFAS restriction framework.

Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA

Source: Richards, R., White, R., Stenning R., 2025, The Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their role as enablers in the competitiveness of European industry: Inception Report, publication for the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Policy Department for Transformation, Innovation and Health, European Parliament, Luxembourg.

This document is available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/supporting-analyses.

European Industry Summit in Antwerp: A call to restore Europe’s industrial strength

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Antwerp, 11 February 2026—Ahead of the European Council meeting in Alden Biesen on the 12th February, the Antwerp Declaration Community – representing more than 1,300 companies, associations, including the European Sealing Association (ESA), and trade unions across Europe – called on EU Heads of State and Government to take urgent and bold action to restore Europe’s industrial competitiveness, safeguard high-quality jobs for European workers, and turn the Clean Industrial Deal into outcomes felt on factory floors in 2026.

The ESA was represented at the European Industry Summit 2026, held at the 16th-century Stock Exchange in Antwerp. The event brought together more than 500 business leaders and 30 factory workers, alongside Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Dutch Minister-President Dick Schoof, Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz – united in calling for urgent and bold action.

Their presence reflects the growing recognition that Europe’s competitiveness crisis is deepening – and that the future of high-quality industrial jobs in Europe is at stake. Europe’s industrial and political leaders came together to deliver a clear message:

There is no resilient, nor safe, nor strong Europe without a strong European industry.

In one of the most demanding times in European history, we need clarity, resolve, and a strong sense of purpose. Geopolitical shocks, structural dependencies, and ruthless global competition expose how essential a competitive industrial base is for Europe’s security and prosperity. Citizens want high-quality jobs in Europe, and SMEs – the backbone of Europe’s industrial fabric – are struggling everywhere.

This is a call for urgent and bold action from Antwerp to Europe’s leaders.

Industries face persistently high energy and carbon costs and unfair trade practices. The pace of site closures and job losses across vital sectors is unprecedented. The situation is worsening: only 11% of the Draghi recommendations have been implemented and 83% of the Antwerp Declaration Monitoring Report indicators have seen no improvement over the past two years.

Europe needs a package of Emergency Industrial Policy Measures focused on three areas:

Bringing energy and carbon costs down: The costs of energy in Europe are simply too high to compete and are not only driven by commodity prices but also by regulatory charges.
Supporting fair global trade and improving access to finance: Free trade agreements or other types of agreements should secure vital supplies for industry, enable access to new markets and increase exports. The EU should look at all policy instruments against unfair competition to ensure a real level playing field for EU industries both on the domestic and international markets, including carbon leakage protection.
Being proud to buy products made in Europe: Lead the way through public procurement and private buyer initiatives endorsed by the EU. Empower consumers (businesses and private) to choose net-zero and circular products, based on transparent product and environmental carbon footprints, supporting high-quality jobs in Europe.

From ESA’s point of view, a pragmatic approach is needed from the EU towards fluoropolymers in the PFAS restriction process. An exemption of fluoropolymers in sealing applications is essential, as it affects ALL industries!

This is a decisive moment. Europe must act now to restore industrial competitivenes and safeguard high-quality jobs for European workers. We are not asking for protection from change, we are asking for the conditions to lead the change.

The ESA is looking forward to continued collaboration in shaping the future of our industries.

Our message is clear: “Save our Industry. Not next year, not next week, but today.”

Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA

Update from the ESA’s Technical Director

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:30:00 GMT

The ESA Divisions have resumed their project activities in the new year. Below are the latest updates.

Packings Division

Last month, the third hydrogen emission test utilizing a specialized braided expanded graphite set was completed at DHBW Mannheim University. This month, the next test involving an impregnated graphite ring set will commence. The project is progressing as scheduled. A draft paper detailing the test results for the Valve World Conference in December will be submitted shortly.

The final version of prEN 18183, developed by the Division, has been sent to CEN. It will be passed on to CCMC for the official vote at the end of this month.

The packing installation training course has been revised to include animations from the introductory course on packings. Additional images, installation videos, and voiceover text are still needed.

Expansion Joints Division

The WordPress version of the expansion joints configurator is currently undergoing testing by the Division members to ensure it functions correctly.

The development of the training module titled “Introduction to Fabric Expansion Joints” is still in progress.

Mechanical Seals Division

Members of the Division are actively working on updating API 682. Due to the increased review workload, the publication date for the standard may be postponed until early 2027.

The training for single mechanical seals has been finalised. Voiceover recording commenced this month, and the completed training course is expected to be available this spring.

The reliability document for mechanical seals has received approval from the members and will be made available in the ESA Knowledgebase. The update to the position paper concerning the Machinery Directive has been completed and will be published on the ESA website. Additional position papers are currently under review.

Flange Gaskets Division

The final training modules for gasket installation and flange gasket assembly have been finished. Following a review by members, a few minor errors and issues with the voiceover sound volume were identified. These issues are currently being addressed, and the training courses will be available shortly.

The ESA-funded research project aimed at assessing gasket aging in a hydrogen atmosphere at Cetim is still under consideration. The test parameters and sample materials, provided by Division members, need to be finalised.

Work on updating the Glossary of Terms for gaskets is ongoing.

Elastomeric & Polymeric Seals Division

The report regarding the previous Arrhenius aging project has to be finished. The numerical simulation of the aging process for elastomers utilising Python is currently in progress. An abstract for the ECCMR (European Conference on Constitutive Models for Rubber) Conference, scheduled in Oxford this September, has been submitted.

The aging test for FKM materials in both air and hydrogen environments began in October. The air tests have been completed, and initial findings were shared at the most recent Division meeting. The hydrogen tests faced delays due to the transition to the new dedicated hydrogen testing facility. However, these tests will begin shortly.

The training module named “Introduction to Elastomeric Seal Applications” is still under review.

The ESA is in the process of updating its website. All Divisions are collaborating on refreshing the content of their respective webpages.

Ralf Vogel,
Technical Director, ESA

Upcoming ‘5th Symposium on Materials and Products in Contact with Drinking Water’

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:00:00 GMT

The European Drinking Water (EDW) industry initiative – an alliance of 32 trade associations, including the European Sealing Association (ESA), representing industries supplying products or materials used in drinking water applications and municipal drinking water supply within the European Union – has announced the 5th Symposium on Materials and Products in Contact with Drinking Water.

The 2021 revision of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD), particularly Article 11, has fundamentally reshaped the regulatory landscape for all products and materials that come into contact with drinking water. Following the introduction of the new EU system in January 2026, this symposium will serve as a critical forum for industry leaders and experts to explore regulatory challenges and identify compliant solutions.

The event will take place on 17 June 2026 in Brussels and is hosted by the European Drinking Water association (EDW), the European Water Services (EurEau), and European Metals (EM).

The programme will include expert-led sessions on the Drinking Water Directive, discussions with EU regulators and national authorities, and opportunities for exchange among industry peers and experts. Further details on the event will be available in due course.

ESA is an associate member of the EDW.

Sandy Van den Broeck,
ESG Director, ESA

[NEWS FROM ESA MEMBERS] Beyond the seal: How energising springs influence reliability, safety and compliance

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:45:00 GMT

Across Europe and the rest of the world, sealing systems continue to come under increasing pressure. As is only right, environmental regulations, safety expectations, and operating conditions become more demanding as we look to improve performance, reduce our impact on the planet, and tighten budgets where possible.

Extending seal longevity, without compromising reliability or compliance, is highly prized. The costs involved in replacing seals go far beyond the price of the seal itself, especially when those seals are in hard to reach places or aggressive environments.

Energising springs play a vital but often underestimated role in this context. They might be small, but the impact they have on seal performance is massive.

Seal longevity is improved when the load applied to the contact between the seal and the mating surface is controlled and predictable. This is important, particularly as wear, tolerance variation and thermal cycling creep into the equation. The energising spring is what slows down any reduction in sealing force, and staves off leaks and performance degradation.

This year, at Clifford Springs, we are celebrating 80 years of manufacturing springs, and we think we’ve got pretty good at it! Specialising in energising springs, we have built up a level of experience and expertise that has seen us collaborating with clients, and being part of the innovation in their seal design. When we’re part of the R&D process from the start, we can look at every single aspect of the spring, and ensure that its effectiveness is maximised across every requirement. We can advise on spring type and spring material, and undertake the tests that are needed to get it exactly right.

As sealing challenges become more complex, it makes it even more important to treat energising springs as integral contributors to performance, safety, and regulatory compliance rather than as secondary components selected late in the design process.

If you want to collaborate, rather than just source, the technical team at Clifford Springs is here for you. Let us help you create robust, reliable, and future-ready sealing solutions, starting with the tiniest component, the energising spring.

Contact information

www.cliffordsprings.com
sales@cliffordsprings.co.uk
+44 (0)1527 62876
Unit 45 Enfield Industrial Estate, Redditch, B97 6DE

[NEWS FROM ESA MEMBERS] Flexitallic launches INTEGRA Technologies UK to deliver complete end-to-end joint integrity service

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Flexitallic has launched INTEGRA Technologies UK as its dedicated field service and maintenance division, completing its transition to a full end-to-end joint integrity provider.

David Liddle (left), INTEGRA’s UK Sales Manager with Sam Frank, Joint Integrity Engineer.

The move combines Flexitallic’s sealing design and manufacturing expertise, its cloud-based joint management platform, Flexlogics® – which delivers full joint traceability by unifying calculations, training, asset management and workflows – with onsite engineering support, as part of a single integrated solution.

Backed by more than 30 years of bolted joint integrity experience across North America, INTEGRA Technologies UK will support multiple sectors, delivering specialised on-site bolting, machining, integrity testing and emissions-reduction solutions for high-risk, high-value industrial assets.

It has opened a dedicated operational area at Flexitallic UK’s Ellesmere Port facility. The company has already invested £750,000 in bolt tensioning and torquing tooling and is recruiting a specialist engineering team.

Initial services include site and joint inspection, integrity management, bolt tensioning and torquing, with other services to follow, including flange facing and pipe cutting.

David Liddle (left), INTEGRA’s UK Sales Manager with Sam Frank, Joint Integrity Engineer, with some of bolt tensioning and torquing tooling the company has invested in.

Bolted joint failure risk environmental harm, production losses and unplanned shutdowns. Integra’s total joint integrity approach ensures joints are correctly engineered, accurately installed and maintained to perform effectively for their full operational lifetime. It also supports maintenance, shutdowns, turnarounds and emergency call-outs.

Integra’s expertise, combined with Flexitallic’s global engineering capability, will support industries including chemical processing, oil and gas, petrochemicals, refining, LNG, hydrogen, fuel cells, power generation, nuclear, aviation, transportation and aerospace.

Chuck Overby, President of INTEGRA Technologies, said: “Bringing 30 years of experience into this new site strengthens our ability to deliver best-in-class flange inspection and joint management services. Being closer to our customers means better turnaround times and greater peace of mind on critical operations.”

For more information, visit https://www.integratechnologies.com/uk/.

[NEWS FROM ESA MEMBERS] New Sales Manager for the DACH region at Sealing Technology Specialist IDT

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:15:00 GMT

At ESA member company IDT, Philipp Leiding has taken on the newly created role of Sales Manager DACH. With this appointment, IDT is strengthening its strategic focus on market development in the German-speaking region.

Phillip Leiding, Sales Manager DACH at IDT

The 34-year-old has been with IDT since 2013 and has steadily expanded his expertise over the years. Most recently, he led regional sales activities before moving into the central role overseeing the entire DACH region at the beginning of this year.

This reorganisation is also accompanied by a personnel change: long-standing Managing Director Wolfgang Schmid, who has played an important role in shaping the group’s sales development, has moved into an advisory capacity and will retire fully in mid-year.

“This role is a key part of how we continue to grow in our core markets,” says IDT CEO Simone Wilson. “Philipp brings the experience and energy to help us develop new opportunities and strengthen relationships across the DACH region.”

[NEWS FROM ESA MEMBERS] TEMAC AS earns EcoVadis Bronze Medal

ESA — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A new stage of sustainable development in 2026

TEMAC, a.s., an experienced European manufacturer of industrial sealing solutions, has officially announced that it has been awarded the EcoVadis Bronze Medal. This achievement places the company in the Top 35% of organisations worldwide assessed over the past 12 months, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR). The recognition, issued in December 2025, remains valid through December 2026.

A comprehensive sustainability assessment

The EcoVadis rating is a globally recognised independent assessment that evaluates how effectively a company integrates principles of sustainability into its business and management systems. This evaluation focuses on four key pillars: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.

For TEMAC, earning this medal is a confirmation that the company works in a structured and transparent way, backed by clear policies and processes. It provides an evidence-based reflection of the quality of TEMAC’s sustainability management system and its ongoing commitment to promoting transparency throughout the entire value chain.

Strategic focus: reliable compressed synthetic fiber jointing sheets

As the industry moves toward more stringent environmental regulations, TEMAC is prioritising the sustainable evolution of its flagship product line — Compressed synthetic fiber jointing sheets (CSF). These materials are critical components for the energy, chemical, and petrochemical sectors, where sealing reliability is paramount to preventing environmental leaks.

By aligning its manufacturing processes with EcoVadis standards, TEMAC ensures that its CSF products are produced with a focus on resource efficiency and ethical sourcing. The company continues to refine its material formulations to meet modern safety requirements while maintaining the high technical performance that its partners expect. This focus on “green” manufacturing for sheet materials allows customers to meet their own Scope 3 decarbonisation and supply chain compliance goals.

Looking ahead: the 2026 roadmap

TEMAC views this Bronze Medal not as a final destination, but as motivation to keep improving. In 2026, the company’s strategic focus will center on three core areas:

Environmental Impact & Energy Efficiency: Further reducing the carbon footprint of production facilities and optimising energy use during the manufacturing of sealing materials.

Ethics & Compliance: Strengthening internal policies and expanding training programmes to ensure the highest standards of business conduct.

Sustainable Procurement: Enhancing requirements for suppliers and deepening engagement to ensure that every component in the value chain meets rigorous sustainability criteria.

In a world where business transparency is becoming a prerequisite for cooperation, TEMAC demonstrates its readiness to meet the challenges of tomorrow. For members of the European Sealing Association (ESA) and international customers, this is a clear confirmation that the company is a reliable link in the value creation chain—one that cares about the future of industry and the planet.

Thank you to our teams and partners for supporting and contributing to our sustainability journey.

More information about the company’s initiatives and the technical specifications of its products can be found on the official website: www.temac.cz.