At their recent Spring Technical Meetings in Houston, Texas, the Fluid Sealing Association (FSA) unveiled to their membership an exciting new strategic direction change for the association. “The FSA has traditionally been known as a technical standards group,” says Mike Shorts, FSA President, “but there is a representation gap from industry leaders to effectively influence environmental compliance policies with respect to sealing devices.” The FSA has been internally retooling over the past couple of years and the new plan is complete.

The FSA’s vision is to be the leading trade association that is recognized and accepted as a subject matter expert and a technical leader advocating and influencing environmental compliance policies. This new and focused direction will create and raise standards in technology, safety, quality, and best practices for sealing devices. The FSA will enhance its existing education program on the correct adoption of technology and practices and will be a key collaborator with other organizations that influence and direct the development of key standards that directly impact the users of sealing devices.

The new plan was delivered to the association membership by Ian Baynes, Marketing Committee Chair. “This is an exciting change of focus for the association; changes in the industries served and regulatory environment they operate in have created a perfect opportunity for the FSA to demonstrate its true value” says Baynes. “The FSA has developed 4 key strategic pillars: Influence & Advocate, Educate, Lead, and Collaborate; their primary focus will be technology, safety, environmental compliance, quality, and best practices for sealing devices.” The advocacy and influencing component is very new for the FSA but one that will give its member companies significantly more recognition in the marketplace. All member companies have unique technologies which they bring to market every day. Through the new efforts of the FSA, member companies can have the added benefit of having their technologies in front of key influencers and policy makers in Washington and the World Trade Organization allowing policies to be made based on Commercial Economic Available Technologies.

End users of sealing devices also win as the cost of adoption of new technologies to meet new policies is reduced through the FSA’s efforts to enhance its education programs and collaboration with mutually beneficial trade associations, standards organizations, and educational institutions. Through delivery of non-commercial educational programs, the Fluid Sealing Association will lead the way as sealing device technology experts to end users and anyone involved in the specification, use, and maintenance of process systems using sealing devices.

Now is a very exciting time for the FSA and members are experiencing significant return on their investments. If you are interested in becoming a member of the FSA please visit the Membership section of our website at www.FluidSealing.com.

Also, be sure to look for the FSA on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+. 

About the Fluid Sealing Association

Founded in 1933, the FLUID SEALING ASSOCIATION® (FSA) is an international trade association.  Member companies are involved in the production and marketing of a wide range of fluid sealing devices primarily targeted to the industrial market.  FSA membership includes a number of companies in Europe and Central and South America, but is most heavily concentrated in North America.  FSA members account for a majority of the manufacturing capacity for fluid sealing devices in the Americas market.