Nov 13, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

The Seals Acquires the Gasket Guy of Raleigh and Establishes a Manufacturing Facility near Raleigh; Now Manufactures Own Custom Gaskets

The Seals, a North Carolina-based distributor of gaskets for commercial refrigerator doors, freezer doors, oven doors, and steamer doors in the Southeast, has acquired The Gasket Guy of Raleigh and established a manufacturing facility in Fuquay-Varina (south of Raleigh, N.C.). The former owner of The Gasket Guy of Raleigh, Andrew Thompson, will serve in the role of Vice President of Production.

The Seals owner and president, Andy Dinkin, purchased Thompson’s Raleigh-based Gasket Guy distributorship. As a result of this acquisition, the company has leased 2,000 square feet at 3337 Air Park Road in Fuquay-Varina, where gaskets are manufactured, cutting boards are cut to custom sizes, and refrigeration hardware components are inventoried.

Not only has the acquisition allowed The Seals’ to control their own supply chain, it has also added to their customer based in the greater Raleigh area. The Fuquay-Varina facility provides the entire organization, which includes field representatives in Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, Wilmington, Atlanta, Charleston, Greenville S.C., Columbia, and Myrtle Beach, access to high quality same-day custom gaskets.

“Bringing our manufacturing in-house and closer to our customers greatly reduces our shipping costs and greatly improves our turn-around time,” Dinkin said.

But, Dinkin secured more than just key territory. He has also teamed with one of the best in the business.

“Andrew Thompson is one of the country’s true gasket craftsmen,” Dinkin said. “We were friendly competitors, I have always had great respect for him. We are excited that we have joined forces.”

Says Thompson: “I had spoken with The Seals a few years prior about a possible merger but it just wasn’t the right time for either of us. Several things had changed for both of us over time and we struck up conversations again. This time everything lined up we felt that this was a win-win for both sides. I am excited to be joining an already established and proven team, and want to help The Seals grow into the largest gasket provider in the country.”

The Fuquay-Varina facility and expanded customer base continues a stride of tremendous growth for The Seals, which began on July 20, 2010, when Andy Dinkin purchased the Western Carolinas distributorship of Gasket Rock, Inc., from the original distributor. The original territory includes metro areas surrounding Asheville, N.C., Charlotte, N.C., Greensboro, N.C., Columbia, S.C., and Greenville, S.C. Dinkin changed the name to The Seals in October 2011.

The Seals expanded again in May of 2015 when Dinkin purchased the eastern Carolinas distributorship of Gasket Rock, Inc., from the original distributor, giving The Seals territories including Raleigh, Wilmington and Myrtle Beach.

Currently, The Seals has 13 field employees servicing the following major markets:

*Asheville, N.C.

*Athens, Ga.

*Atlanta, Ga.

*Augusta, Ga.

*Boone, N.C.

*Charleston, S.C.

*Charlotte, N.C.

*Columbia, S.C.

*Florence, S.C.

*Greenville, N.C.

*Greenville, S.C.

*Hickory, N.C.

*Hilton Head, S.C.

*Myrtle Beach, S.C.

*Savannah, Ga.

*Triad, N.C. (Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem)

*Triangle, N.C. (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill)

*Wilmington, N.C.

Short-term plans include expansion to the Richmond, Norfolk, and Shenandoah Valley areas of Virginia.

The Seals is currently producing 2,000 gaskets per month with expansion plans for 3,000 per month by the end of 2018. The company also produces custom-sized cutting boards at the Fuquay-Varina production facility.

“Staring in 2019, we want to expand nationally by selling franchisees,” Dinkin said. “My passion is to spawn and support entrepreneurs. It’s all about getting the right people and process in place, and we’ve done that with The Seals.”

The Seals (www.callintheseals.com) brings a military-like proficiency and efficiency to commercial kitchen sealing needs. Its factory-trained territory managers help restaurant operators reduce food spoilage, lower energy cost, and improve health inspection scores by providing free on-site quarterly inspections and replacing torn gaskets with the longest lasting products on the market. The Seals also helps it customers reduce the cost of replacement cutting boards by providing its proprietary ReSkin™ Cutting Board Resurfacing service that makes boards as good as new.